Dear Editor,
On the very auspicious occasion of Charlestown Secondary’s Golden Jubilee, please permit me to give a brief account of its history. This school situated at the corner of Howes and Charles Streets was established because of the need to cater for secondary education in the South Georgetown area from which children mainly of the somewhat depressed catchment areas of Charlestown, Albouystown and the housing schemes came. Also, it aimed to deal with the overcrowding at Dolphin Government, Saint Stephen’s Presbyterian and Carmel RC.
The opening ceremony was on 4th October, 1965. The then Minister of Education, Mrs Winifred Gaskin, declared that the school was intended to be the Queen’s College of the South. She opined that this institution should be successful. The headmaster was Mr Edgar Mordant Wilson, a brilliant lecturer in English Literature. He was against corporal punishment and promoted a lot of plays which were skilfully acted by students.
The late Mr Peter Stanislaus D’Aguiar, Chairman of Banks DIH played a philanthropic role in the school’s development. As leader of the United Force whose headquarters, Unity House, occupied the building after the students of St Joseph High had left, Mr D’Aguiar sold the building to the government of the day at a nominal price. Hence the first school building carried a history; also it was there that the Wynn Parry Commission of Inquiry into the disturbances of 1962-63 met.
Mr D’Aguiar was instrumental in presenting the newly-created institution with an Independence gift of a separate block of buildings consisting of science laboratories, agricultural office and staffroom. This new block was declared open in 1967.
Later, as the old building deteriorated, government demolished it and in its place is a brand new building with form rooms and a computer science laboratory.
Sadly, there is no local alumni association, but there is a vibrant overseas version which since 1987 has been holding reunions and fund-raising promotions to assist their alma mater. Lots of equipment, scholarships to outstanding CXC students and prizes for outstanding performances by students on a form basis have been yearly presented.
The stage is being set to celebrate this momentous occasion with a week of activities from 4th-10th October.
Yours faithfully,
Malcolm Clarke
(Former Teacher)
