PRINCIPAL OF THE ST MICHAEL SCHOOL,Shelton Perkins, is on leave at this time, butrecorded his satisfaction with the high results of students who took the CXC examinations last year.

The 91 per cent rate was remarkable, with 100 per cent passes in 12 out of the 26 subjectsoffered. He mentioned that all but one studentinvolved in the accelerated fourth formmathematics gained Grade 1 results.

The then 62 students in sixth form had a 79 percent rate forCAPE (Unit 1).Perkins disclosedthat the presenceof 18-year-oldsbrought somechallenges butalso gave the

opportunity to assist these young adults to shapetheir further education and career paths. Hewished for better accommodation for the sixthformers and urged students to come to grips withthe rigorous demands of advanced level study.

Perkins, the first male principal, is known forhis adherence to discipline as were hispredecessors and the school has an invaluablereputation for producing students who have a strong sense of values and who live by theinstitution’s motto Nisi Auxilio Dei Nihil –Nothing Without Help From God.

The school was founded by the St Michael’svestry through the inspiration of Nathaniel Bullenand Washington Harper who are celebratedannually on Founders’ Day. It officially opened on May 7, 1928, as an institution for girls,especially for those with families who were unableto pay high fees. It started out with 79 pupils and

grew to the present roll of 980 students, includingmales, as boys were accepted from 1979.

The institution’s reputation for excellence in all areas, academic, artistic, sporting and a strong character building focus, continues to attract many parents to select it. Even beforethis year’s Common Entrance Examination, 85 applications for transfers were received, a coincidence of numbers as The St MichaelSchool celebrates 85 years.

Continuous growth led to expansion of thephysical plant in 1937, and it is once more in needof greater building space, on existing land, andwould welcome assistance from Government and donors, including alumni.

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ON THE OCCASION of its85th anniversary, acting headteacher Linda Bowen, onbehalf of principal SheltonPerkins, extends appreciationto all who have contributedto the institution in any way:• Past and present teachersand other staff.• Former and currentstudents (and a welcome to those coming in this year).• Successive governmentsand ministers of education.• Donors, sponsors andthose advertising in thisfeature.• Everyone who is part of The St Michael family.(Stories by Senior Reporter DawnMorgan. Pictures by Rawle Culbard.)

1928-30 Helen Catlow1930-40 Lucy Brown1940-41 Norah Burton1941-44 Evelyn Cowper1944-55 Norah Burton1955-57 Margaret Forder1957-58 Helana Taitt1958-63 Johanna Sutherland1963-76 Constance Inniss1976-85 Patricia Symmonds1985-89 Sheila Sealy1989-94 Carrol Bourne1994-96 Wendey Griffith-

Watson1996-2001 Grace Smith2001-present Shelton Perkins

SHELTON PERKINS,PRINCIPAL (RC)

THE TEACHING STAFF of St Michael School. Insetright, administrative and ancillary staff. (RC)

DAME PATRICIA SYMMONDS is a living legend of all that is excellent in education.

She attended Queen’s College and achieved A levelCambridge certificates in English, history and Latin. She thentaught at St Michael School from 1945, managed to get studyleave in 1951, and gained her BA in English with upper secondclass honours at Reading, England; followed by the postgraduate certificate in education at the Institute ofEducation.

She decided to become a teacher after toying with the ideaof pursuing careers in medicine or music, the latter skill servingher well when she taught singing. She shared an anecdote:“When the pianist was not there one morning, I satat the piano and began playing the hymn. The students did

not expect this and started to murmur, but I silenced them withone of my looks.” One of her heritage gifts to the school waschanging that hymn into The St Michael School song, writingthe lyrics “while watching school sports”.

Dame Patricia returned to Barbados and continued to teach,becoming principal of the school in 1976 until her retirement in 1985. She enjoyed her role, saying, “I never had anydifficulties with staff.”

One of the highlights of her tenure was the admission of boys, which began in 1979. She remembered: “We haddiscussions about the differences in educating boys and girlsbut had few disciplinary problems and the boys did well.

“THE ST MICHAELSCHOOL is the school ofchoice” for many parents –and has been so for the past85 years – so said actingprincipal Linda Bowen, at the Founders’ Day serviceat St Michael and AllAngels Cathedral on May 6.

Bowen said: “By1937 the school hadoutgrown its physicalplant and the samesituation is presenttoday.” She called on Government, past students andbenefactors to assist in expandingthe property.

She later explained: “There have been 14 principals,however, the ethos of the school and its focus ondiscipline remained the same as it grew in size and expandedin subjects and activities.

“From its humblebeginnings, it developed into an educationalcolosus, not only academically but in otherways. We are the secondary school cricket champions; Manchester Unitedrepresentatives visited us and were veryimpressed with our footballers. Our relayteams in the Penn games in the United Statessaw our girls coming 23rd out of 300-plusteams and all of them have been offeredathletic scholarships. The boy’s team placedthird in the 4x100 metres relay, also against300-plus teams.

“Our school choir, who performed sobeautifully during the Founders’ Day service is often asked to sing at churches. Theenvironmental club works with the guidance of the Future Centre Trust in local campaignsand will be going on an environmental tour to the Everglades in Florida, United States, in July.

“We work to encourage the full potential of our students in ways beyond the academics and there is enthusiastic participation in our projects, programmes and groups.”

Bowen has enjoyed a 34-year career as a teacher and deputy principal, now acting forprincipal Shelton Perkins who is on leave. Sheis greatly appreciative of all the staff – someare former students – who she said “go wellbeyond duty in doing all they can for students,not just the teachers, but support staff in theoffice and ancillary workers as well”.

She summed up her satisfaction with theschool by saying: “To our motto NothingWithout Help From God, I would addEverything With Help From God. We havecome from a firm foundation and established a proud legacy. We have a large extended St Michael family, including our Parent-Teacher Association and alumni groups, here and abroad.”

32A. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2013. MIDWEEK NATION

DAME PATRICIASYMMONDS

IN THIS SCHOOLwe learn to live

For truth and knowledge are our quest,

In this place we learn to giveAlways of our very best.

– Excerpt from the school songwritten by Dame Patricia

Symmonds.

MEMBERS of the much sought-after St Michael School choir. Inset, acting principal Linda Bowen. (Pictures by Rawle Culbard.)

(FP)

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www.thebeachhousebarbados.com

MIDWEEK NATION. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2013. 33A

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YVONNE KNIGHT attended The St Michael Girls School(The St Michael School) from 1951 to 1958 – as a payingstudent – and has many happy memories of those days.

“One of the teachers who inspired me was Doreen Mapp,my form mistress, who talked about Keys For Living. Theinformation was so interesting that we would tell our friendsand it spread to the wider community. The examinations wedid in those days were the GCE and I was good at mostsubjects. I am very proud of the school and I still have my affirmation card on which students write their aims and,you, the teacher and principal sign.”

Knight so loved the school that she became a teacher,armed with a BA in English, French and history from theUniversity of the West Indies (Mona, Jamaica) and a diploma

in education from the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados.She welcomed the establishment of sixth forms

as she observed “it opened the university doors for you. “I liked teaching French and think it is important to learn

one or more foreign languages. I have travelled to Montreal,Canada; taken students to Martinique, and personally touredFrance and Spain. I know that learning languages opensinterest in travel and the culture of different peoples, and cameacross a past student who chose Paris as a honeymoondestination. Sometimes when I was off duty and encounteredstudents in Bridgetown, they would greet me in French andthat was delightful!”

After retiring, Knight worked in real estate and assisted her mother who operated a small shop.

MY SCHOOL expects me to remember:That at all times and in all places I am itsrepresentative.To refrain from any work or deed which may bringdiscredit upon it.To be loyal to all staff and my school fellows.To try by hard work, cheerful obedience and goodsportsmanship.To leave it for the better of my membership of it.

TO PROVIDE high quality secondary education in the moral, social, academic, technical, vocationaland physical areas for all students, equipping themwith the resources to function successfully in a changing, technology-driven environment.

www.travelhouse-bgi.com

34A. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2013. MIDWEEK NATION

PATRICK ESTWICK was among the first group of boys to enter The St Michael School in 1979.

Looking back, he challenges you to imagine “being one of 35 boys in aschool with 795 girls”. That amazing ratiomight have intimidated some boys – andthey certainly received a lot of jibes andteasing from their friends – but Estwickkept a positive frame of mind and thatattitude worked well for him.

“I appreciated the experience. Youcould say I preferred being in a co-edschool rather than with just boys only. I benefittedtremendously from being around many girls.

“I became conscious of the different ways of thinking of girls as opposed to boys. The understanding I gained helpedme in all areas of life, in relationships, in being a parent to girlsand in my career.” Having first worked as an immigrationofficer, he then entered the field of insurance 23 years ago and remains devoted to that career.

Estwick may be known to some readers as Pee Wee, thecalypso singer, who showed a definite sense of humour in hisperformances. His cheerfulness is still very apparent, but he changed his tune and now sings gospel music and hymns.His love of music was apparent from his school days, “when I was the DJ for school events and also loved to dance”.

He enjoyed sports such as lawn tennis and track and field,sports day was lots of fun for him.

One of the unique features of The St Michael School iswell remembered by this past pupil. “It was when you filled ina card with your aims and ambitions. The teachers and principaltook it seriously and we took it seriously. It was a promise to yourself that served as a guide to your development.”

MIDWEEK NATION. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2013. 35A

SAUNJEAN CUTTING is thepresident of St Michael School’sParent-Teacher Association (PTA).

A former student of the school(1976-1981) she is very proud of thatinstitution, saying, “The disciplinewas such that you knew that therewere things that St Michael studentsjust did not do, based on the valuesystem.” She recalled being in theDebating Society, and cheerfully

admitting: “I love a good argument and can speak from both sides of the issue.”

Her interest in the school was reignited by having a child there now,hence her PTA involvement. Thegroup “raises funds for sending a team to the Penn Relays in theUnited States, hosts bingo and had a recent car boot sale which was very successful”.

PATRICKESTWICK (FP)

THE CADET CORPS is among the many extra-curricularactivites that makes for a well rounded student at The St Michael School. (RC)

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