This is the theme, coined by our current Head Girl, Tricia Barrow, for the year-long celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Bishop Anstey High School. That the Anstey spirit lives on has already been clearly demonstrated to any who might have been in doubt; the first two events have given a wonderful start to the year's activities.
We began with a special assembly in the attractively decorated School Hall on Friday January 12 to launch the Commemorative Calendar, a true collector's piece, which was brought to reality by a group headed by the hardworking Chairman of the PTA, Mrs Venance Yearwood and Mrs Marva de Freitas Charles, the Chairman of the 75th Anniversary Committee. The Chairman of the Board of Management and School Chaplain, Father Winston Joseph, presided over the function, welcoming the guests, saying an opening prayer and setting the appropriate tone by reading from Ecclesiastes "Let us now praise famous women...".
The Principal, Mrs Yvonne Ramsey, addressed the school on the significance of the theme for the 75th Anniversary celebration, giving an overview of the preceding years and showing that the way forward would necessitate some changes in both physical plant and management structures if we are to continue to provide quality education in the twenty first century.
Thus we arrived at the main event - the presentation of the first Commemorative Calendar by Mrs Ena Braithwaite, the oldest surviving Hilarian, to Senator Doctor The Honourable Daphne Phillips, herself a Hilarian and mother of a Hilarian, and now Minister of Community Development, Culture and Women's Affairs. This beautiful and unusual calendar profiles thirty nine eminent Hilarians against a background of quality work by artists from within and beyond the Hilarian family. Mrs Brathwaite and the youngest Hilarian, Danille Prime are featured for January.
To the evident delight of the students, one of our more recent and very popular Hilarians, Mrs Arlene Peterkin-Alario, presented calendars to Mrs Brathwaite and Danille; she gave Mrs Brathwaite the opportunity to tell us about school in her day, and particularly "T.I.B.". This was a favourite admonition of first Principal Miss Stephens, known to all as Madam, and was given to anyone not displaying the appropriate posture - it meant "Tuck In Back". Danille revealed that her first day at Bishop's was her eleventh birthday. The capturing of those three generations on stage was indeed a precious moment, a manifestation of the Anstey Spirit, and its significance was not missed by those present. Arlene, ably assisted by Danille, then presented Calendars to those of the featured Hilarians who were able to be present. After the launch of the calendar, Dr Phillips addressed the gathering, challenging us to give freely of our time and talents to assist in the further and more egalitarian development of the nation. We closed with a blessing by Father Joseph and the spirited singing of the school song, Non Nobis Domine, after which special guests assembled in the music room for refreshments and the students received their treat, obtained as always by Mrs Mark, in the soon to be completed new cafeteria.
Return to top of pageThe following day was January 13, St Hilary's Day; the hard work of Mrs Eunice Patrick and her committee left us all confident that it would be a good day. Bishop Arthur Henry Anstey would surely have been thrilled to see the crowd of Hilarians, and friends and associates of the school, old and young, distinguished and otherwise, and to feel the Anstey Spirit alive in and around the Holy Trinity Cathedral that morning, serious parking problems notwithstanding. We were very happy to welcome to the service Mrs Hassanali, the mother of a Hilarian and no stranger to us; the Prime Minister and Minister of Education were represented by the Chief Education Officer, Mr Kenrick Seepersad, while Mayor Ethelbert Paul and Mrs Paul represented the city of Port of Spain. We are also grateful to the attending clergy, whether seated in the congregation or actively involved in the service.
Beautiful floral decorations by Shirley McAlpin and a welcome by Canon Knolly Clarke set the tone for the Solemn Concelebrated Eucharist service of Praise and Thanksgiving. The fact that LIAT had left our guest preacher, Bishop Sehon Goodridge of the Windward Islands, stranded in St Vincent at 10 pm the previous night, caused no more than a momentary alarm - surely nothing could go wrong on such a day! God would intervene if necessary and get the Bishop to Port of Spain in time!
With organ music provided by the ever-willing and accomplished Michael Clark, the service proceeded very smoothly, albeit without a sermon. Bishop Douglin, in a comment on the second reading from 1 John 2, noted that our patron Hilary had shown that God is like Christ and that we must show forth Christ in our lives, resisting all who try to kill Christ in us.
The Bishop Anstey High School choir, led by the Musical Director, Mrs June Bacchus-Ifill, sustained the mood engendered by the Greeting of the Peace with a lovely rendition of "Love changes everything". Later, the perfectly behaved young children of the Bishop Anstey Junior School choir, directed by Mr White, charmed us all after the Communion, as they wished "May each day of your life be a good day... may all of your memories be sweet."
But Bishop Goodridge had still not arrived and only the Final Blessing remained. In a moment of inspiration, Father Joseph called upon the Bishop Anstey Senior Choir to sing again "to see if we can get the Bishop here", so the congregation was treated to "Lift Thine Eyes" by the choir, followed by a moving and beautiful "Ave Maria" by Patrice Quammie. A rousing school hymn, "Who would true valour see" was then sung by all the assembled Hilarians; and so it was that the Bishop did arrive in time, but only just! Bags and baggage were seen coming out of a car and Bishop Goodridge performed "a liturgical first" - the sermon was preached at the end of the service. But it mattered not at all! His deeply philosophical and scholarly sermon was perhaps the more appreciated for being long anticipated!
Return to top of pageTaking as his text "in Him was life; and the life was the light of all people" (John 1:4), he showed the integral links between light and life; light gives liberation from the darkness of Plato's cave and underground. Thus we must educate our children not only for academic success but for responsible citizenship, so that they learn to follow the light and life brought to us by the coming into the world of Jesus; they must appreciate the "diversity of our ethnicities", with tolerance and respect for those of different religious persuasions. They must understand the need for proper relationships and ethical values in an increasingly value-less society, a society which suffers from "the My Way syndrome".
Echoing Bishop Douglin's earlier comment, he said that Bishop Anstey High School must stand against all "who would use and destroy young lives". All this reflects the vision for education of that great educator, Bishop Anstey himself, in the institutions with which he was associated - Codrington College and Codrington High School in Barbados and Bishop Anstey High School here in Trinidad. He commended us for our "worthy aims", implying these reveal the continuance of Anstey's vision. The Bishop also called for a "social shift" - the help of the poor must be enlisted in an analysis of what is currently wrong with our societies and they must become part of the development process.
Bishop Douglin thanked Bishop Goodridge for "a deep and moving address, delivered with great fervour" - a most erudite address to which the summary above can in no way do justice.
Return to top of pageAnd thus the service ended. What followed was a further joy to behold. Hilarians of all generations greeted each other enthusiastically, addresses and phone numbers (probably fax and E mail, too!) were exchanged, with promises of not losing contact again, of meeting to see how "we can assist our School" with its major development projects, in particular the new Science block, and numerous other needs. All the available Commemorative Calendars were sold (but there are plenty more at School - phone 623-6591, fax 625-7219). Waiting for the Barbecue lunches provided further opportunities to reminisce and plan - at least two (preplanned) class reunions took place that same day! More will surely follow. "May all of your memories be sweet" sang the Junior School Choir... it seems that many sweet memories truly do exist. The Anstey Spirit - a Diamond Legacy indeed!
Return to top of pageThe 75th Anniversary Committee, under the leadership of Marva de Freitas Charles, and the School would be very happy to hear from any Hilarians who would like to get involved in the year's activities. We need funds to carry out our development projects. Call Marva at 667-3117 or leave a message in the School's office if you would like to help.
Send e-mail comments and contributions to bahs@fm1.wow.net
Last updated 2nd February 1997
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