Thanks to Mrs. Keizer for her lessons in history

Editor: My husband, Dr. Baldwin King, and I visited St. Vincent and the Grenadines this summer for our usual vacation in the land of our birth. We stayed at King’s Inn in Villa. On our arrival at the E.T. Joshua Airport in Arnos Vale, a very cordial immigration officer, Abigail Cato, made us feel at home immediately with her, “Welcome home.” It felt good. Thanks, Ms. Cato.

At King’s Inn, I picked up a magazine, “The Ins & Outs of St. Vincent & the Grenadines,” 2004 edition. On page 22 there is an article entitled, “Meet a Vincy”, by Roxanne Providence and Kay Gash. It is an article about Mrs. Norma Keizer – a synopsis of her life and her contribution to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the fields of education, journalism – as editor of the Searchlight – her involvement in the historical preservation of historical sites and buildings, and in many civic organisations in SVG. {{more}}

In the newspaper, “The Vincentian” of Friday, September 24, 2004, on Page 23, Patmos Richards wrote in his “Retired Teachers” segment about Norma Keizer and expressed similar sentiments about her. Neither article has mentioned that Norma Keizer was instrumental in implementing the teaching of West Indian history at the Girls’ High School upon her completion of her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of the West Indies.

I was fortunate to be one of her students and am grateful that she had the foresight to add this dimension to our learning. My West Indian History text, written by Roy Augier and Shirley Gordon, detailing our history, still stands out in my memory today.

I want to wish Mrs. Andrea Keizer-Bowman, the present headmistress of the Girls’ High School and the daughter of Mrs. Norma Keizer, all the best in the future.

I want to thank Mrs. Norma Keizer not only for teaching us about our history, but also for creating history, as this is the first time in the history of the Girls’ High School that we have had a mother and daughter at the helm of this auspicious institution.

Congratulations !!

On October 27, 2004, St. Vincent and the Grenadines will celebrate 25 years of independence. Let us celebrate the good aspects and strive to better our shortcomings in the years ahead.

Congratulations from the Kings!

Cheryl L.A. King