Unions pon top ah re-unions

Ah all time say that if ah had ah buy and sell Business, ah would ah have ah department called “Graduation” with every thing that goes with the occasion from Prize-giving to the Ball!

Ah know ah would ah do well! Yesterday alone we had four in Kingstown, all within ah quarter mile radius: GHS and Community College had theirs at the Anglican Church; EHS at Met-dis Church and ah think it’s Prep at New Test-e-mint. {{more}}

Is like every thing that spell SCHOOL having Graduation, is Kinder-garden, Pre, Primary, Secondary, College, even Short Courses, Seminars and Workshop; and watch out foh the Adult Education Program, participants will be so proud ah themselves, they bound to have Graduation, and ah don’t disagree with them.

Ah have ah lickle message foh the students in the Adult Education Program : “ Is not ah Crime or Shame if yuh can’t Read and Write, the real Crime and Shame will be now that yuh get ah chance to correct that situation, yuh mek false pride and shame face keep yuh out the class-room”!

WE USES TO SEEP-DEM

It was my grand-daughter’s time to graduate Tuesday so my choice was fixed with GHS. It was ah Graduation that mellowed with 1955 Vintage all over it. There was of course the Graduation Class of 2005 with some 131 graduates; but they were outshone by the appearance of six of the 40 Past Students from the Graduation Class of 1955.

Jeanette Ballantyne (France) one of this six-member contingent delivered ah very challenging Feature Address. Ah looked at them all, ah bit snowy at the top but nevertheless still radiant and beautiful. And as ah tried to recap their individual contribution to the development ah this country, ah ask me-self who will replace these national Gems. Mrs France, ah Teacher and Educator, head Guider and Family; Annette Findlay (Liverpool) Teacher, Educator now Business-manager and Family; June Gibson (Russell) head Guider, Business-manager and Family; Lorna Jones (Mc Barnette) Head-teacher and Family; Yvonne Huggins (John) Career Banker and Family and Aggie Collymore (Fraser) Career Banker, Floral Business Proprietor and Family. Yuh notice ah put “and Family” well that mean Family Pillar and Pillow, they dignified family life and values; no Pyar-Pyah family women, women of substance, stability and beauty. Nuff Respect to our National Role Models as they celebrate their Graduation Class of 1955 Re-union.

Lie-Za must spoil ah good thing. Ah tell she ah was in the Junior Form when those ladies were big girls at GHS. Guess what she ask? If we uses to Seep-dem from under the Java Plum tree when they pass. Yuh can’t ever give Lie-Za ah straight answer, ah tell she, fifty years is ah long time, but ah vividly recall them girls were blossomly beautiful, irresistibly Seep-able. Lickle boy or not…. Seep-dem yes!

DE CALLIAQUONIANS DEY HEY

The Calliaquonians or Villagers are here and Calliaqua District is about to sink. Some time ago ah did write say that ah number ah former residents from the villages within the Calliaqua District will be having ah Re-union over the Carnival season this year! Ah don’t know the exact figures but they could be as many as 200 ah them.

My fondest memories of the Calliaquonians at school is like it was one big family tree with several bunches, so at any given period in school (GHS and BGS) was ah bunch ah Dougans (5); ah bunch with Stephens another (5); ah bunch ah Phills (4); another bunch ah Arthurs (3); Isaacs, Jones, Seales and so on. One big bus foh Dougan uses to bring down everybody. The boys were mouthy and boastful, talented and excelled at sports both cricket and athletics.

Two ah me closest classmates were Calliaquonians, Ray Dougan who is here and Fred Stephens who ah hope to see again. One ah the outstanding features from the Village was the sisters, some beautiful chicks; ah will be disappointed if ah see anything less than beauty still flowing from them girls. Welcome folks and we must meet!

CLASS OF 1954/1955 IS READY

Dey say Pastor christen he pickney first but ah mek sure and deal with the GHS Re-union and the Villagers Re-union first; and then ah leave me pickney foh last, the BGS Class ah 1954/1955 Re-union. We ready!

Last Tuesday we had our final meeting; ten of the twenty-one certainties turned up. That No-real Mc Kenzie came foh the first time and he and Charles Ellis miss-behave like when they were in school 50 years ago. Leon Liverpool came in from the UK and Mc Kinley “Ello-Man” Lawrence is due on Sat-dey. Paddy Corea is here, going mad trying to get ready foh Panorama. We will be accompanied by four of our Treasured Teachers: Lady Monica Dacon who taught Art, Pokes Mulraine did Latin, our Music teacher Pat Prescod and that great Science Master Sir Bats, Winston Baptiste!

Life is funny look how ah proud ah me former teachers, trouble is, dey can’t feel the same foh me. They say yuh teacher remembers two set ah students: the very bright ones and the exceptionally dull ones, now that explains why I’m so well remembered!

So this Sunday is our Big Day at St Paul’s Anglican Church at Calliaqua with Fr. Syl Regisford. We have two big hurdles to cross, one is to get them fellars out ah bed to be there for eight o-clock; and two, ah hope that they remember.

And with that, ah gone again! Enjoy Vincy Mas ah think this year will be the best ever!

One Love Bassy.