One hundred, not out!

Sunday afternoon as ah stood on de School compound amongst my Alma Mater family, was de first time ah feel ah feeling, dat ah feel ah never would ah feel about my school, de Grammar School. Simply walking cross de lawn again, teking another look at de famous steps up which we made our first walk, seeing boys who were yuh senior, boys yuh junior, prefects, masters, man ah believe ah had ah instant bout ah Nostalgia strolling down “memory lane”.{{more}} It was one ah dem bitter/sweet, sad/glad moments to see past students of all generation who turned up from all over de globe. Observing de expressions of genuine concern on fellars faces as dey enquired of de where abouts ah dey classmates. De only past student who wouldn’t have had ah classmate alive is Sir Fred Phillips, ninety years ole, actually de olest, ole boy alive. Is a pity ah bit ah Sir Fred’s great legacy was not shared wid de young students of today. Sir Fred ah poor boy from Brighton, uses to walk from Brighton to Belair to Primary School and den later when he won ah scholarship, he walked from Brighton to Grammar School and back home every day. De other Sir Fred, de G.G. ah ole boy was there too, but unlike Sir Fred Senior, he uses to sleep at Olives, his mom’s Hotel at Pauls Lot and still uses to drive ah car to school. Times have changed. What is important here, is dat in dis walk thru life, is not way we start but way we all reach. Ah good egg-sample is U.S. Ambassador Roy Austin who wid his charming wife Glenice, came foh de occasion. Roy was ah poor Bottom Town boy. So we all owe ah depth ah gratitude to de Ole School, dem one-dah-full teachers and as Senator Leacock reminded us, our parents too. Ah recognized M-Re Wallace from Canada, he looked so excited yuh would think it was his first day at school, M-Re came hyped to sing in de 100 voices choir. My classmate Dr Franklin “Priest” Jacobs came from de UK. Priest’s only disappointment was dat no corn-beef and rice session was planned. Decent Henry the “Kidney Man” from de UK was dey cracking up his peers wid his jokes. Errol Allen was my pick foh outstanding school outfit, he wore his 1956 cadet Car-key shirt wid de school tie, of course Errol is never dressed widout his jacket.

WHEN SUEDE TURNS SILK

At de tree planting ceremony we sang “Lord Behold Us” followed by “de School Song” and den “Lord Dismiss Us” before marching thru de street ah Kingstown to Victoria Park foh ah Service. Bishop Friday delivered an appropriate message, challenging us to do like de Jews wid dey legacy from God and recognize and treasure de Grammar School as our legacy or gift dat God gave us. Ah hope ah overs way de Bishop was saying correctly. Trouble is by dat time dem youngsters concentration span did done burn out, so dey didn’t tek on Bishop. Maybe dat was de time de group Suede should ah come pon stage and not when everybody had left. Suede has gone to higher heights, spun into Silk. Ah group ah Ole boys from 1990’s led by piano maestro Sean Sutherland, some living abroad, but dey came to spice up de session and indeed dey did.

We had some back in time reflections from Doc Cyrus who justly big up De Don, Mr. Lopey de legend. Culture princess Rene spoke foh de girls, Joel Toney remembered grounds-man Doyle and care-taker Ma Emily who literally took care of us wid her ginger beer and coconut cakes. How can we ever forget those loving and caring folks. All in all it was ah grand occasion, would ah been better if we, ole boys, had gotten up off our lazy back-sides and help organize de school’s 100th anniversary. Ah challenge any one who dare to criticize. Many thanks to Mrs Leacock, Headmaster Jones and staff, Lennox John and his last minute salvage crew, Clare Keizer foh de Magazine and de few others who would have helped. Nuff said about dat!

NINA AH TRUE PATRIOT

Ah must big up me girl Nina Maloney on her yu-man-yu-must appointment to serve on de Duke of Edinburgh Awards Management Committee. Nina is one ah dem faithful patriotic Vincentian who even in de autumn of her days, continues to mek her contribution to her country, widout salary. Keep on going Neens girl. Before ah forget look out foh Tri Tri dis Friday inspite ah all de rain. And wid dat, is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy.

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.