Dear Editor,
Tutorial High School, my alma mater, which is now located in Woolford Avenue Thomas Lands, Georgetown, will have its 75th anniversary on September 1, 2014.
This privately run school was founded on September 1, 1939 by the late Mr Austin Castello, who had taught French and English grammar. His school was intended to provide secondary education for children from low income families and it had charged reasonable fees.
Originally there were two branches of the school. One was located in Bent Street, Wortmanville and the other in Fifth Street Alberttown.
The junior forms were mainly accommodated at the Bent Street building, while the senior forms were housed in the Fifth Street section.
In 1945, the younger brother, the late Mr Joseph W Castello, joined the staff as Deputy Principal, and he taught Latin prose and poetry. From then on, the two brothers, together with committed and dedicated members of staff built up the school.
In September 1958, Tutorial High became a government aided school. There were 921 students at the time – 478 boys and 443 girls. The following year the science laboratories were established, and Biology, Physics and Chemistry were offered.
In 1964, the University of London placed the institution on its list of approved schools in Guyana, because the results of both the senior and higher Cambridge examinations were extremely good. Moreover, there were numerous scholarship winners to universities overseas.
Prior to the takeover of education by the state in September, 1976, examination results were often very good or sometimes excellent; but unfortunately, today, the overall performance in the CXC examinations shows neither consistency nor congruence with that of the past.
However, Tutorial High, now a government school, is still making some contribution to our educational system, as many graduating students work especially in the fields of education, public administration, the diplomatic service, industry and business.
Besides, the school offers a large number of subjects in its curriculum, and these include a foreign language – Spanish – in addition to Science, Business, Home Management, Art and several others; it is a well-balanced programme.
The significant image of the school is reflected in its Latin motto inscribed on the school badge, Accipimus ut demus – ‘we receive that we may give’ – ‘we acquire knowledge in order to pass it on to others.’
This academic institution is a true and invaluable legacy left in our midst by the Castello brothers. Consequently, our students will certainly benefit immensely from training and assimilated learning to the full in the years ahead.
Yours faithfully,
Autry A Fernandes
