BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - DESPITE the inclement weather resulting from the passage of Tropical Storm Rafael, former students and staff of the former Girls’ High School gathered for worship on Sunday 14th October at the Basseterre Church of God located at Durant Avenue. Their purpose was to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the School on 16th October, 1929, a school which has meant so much to them over the years.
Many of the students who attended that school now permanently live and work overseas, but every year they join in spirit with those who are here on St. Kitts, to give thanks for an institution which helped to mould them into responsible, well-rounded adults and where they made lasting friendships.
About 30 former students attended the service which was ably led by Mrs. Judith Ng’alla, and the powerfully challenging sermon was delivered by Pastor Naomi Simmonds –Rawlings, both former students of the School.
The group remembered the one surviving student of the initial nine who started in 1929, Ms Elaine Osborne of Greenlands, who unfortunately could not be with them on Sunday. They also spent a minute in silence remembering those former students who passed on to the “Higher School” during the past year.
Mrs. Marguerite Foreman gave a brief historical overview of the School for the benefit of the congregation, and, in the process, quoted some words of advice given to the students by the first Headmistress, Ms Miriam Pickard, over forty years ago, but which encapsulate what the School was about. She urged:-
“Learn all you can.
Learn as thoroughly as you can.
Learn to use both hands and brain.
Learn to work without thought of money.
Learn to work in the service of others, for you belong to a School whose motto is, ‘Ready to Serve’”
And, of course, the former students sang the old School Song, Forty Years On, with the same vigour of their youth but with a greater poignancy as the meanings get clearer with advancing years.
After worship they lunched together at the Manhattan Gardens Restaurant. Among the matters discussed is a possible Grand Reunion in 2014 when the 85th Anniversary of the founding of the School rolls around.
(GHS Past Students are asked to gather today Friday to say a fond farewell to past student Avery Dickenson. The funeral takes place at the Anglican Church, Basseterre at 3.p.m. A tribute in song will be paid to Avery. Space will be reserved for this group)
