Hilarians hail alma mater, BAHS

Hilarians in the packed Jubilee Hall certainly celebrated the school, which had in some form or fashion shaped their lives, dating back to the two oldest Hilarians present, Joyce Waldron-Sharpe, a student from 1941-1946, and Dr Dorrell Philip, who attended the school from 1945-1951.

The 2016-2018 executive of the Old Hilarians Association (OH A), comprised of president Shonda Moore, vice president Siobhan Ballah, secretary Janelle Smith, treasurer Marina Piper, and members, Wendy Ann Austin, Camille Frederick, Beverly Griffith, Rhonda-Joy Lewis, Soyini Grey and principal (ex officio) Ingrid Govia, did a magnificent job in organising this most enjoyable luncheon which takes place annually on the first Saturday in July in the school hall.

One wonders if the school’s founder, an Englishman, The Most Reverend Arthur Henry Anstey, born in 1872 and ordained in 1898 after graduating from Charterhouse School and Keble College in Oxford, England, envisaged in anyway whatever that an appointment in the early 1900s as Chaplain to the Bishop of Barbados, The Right Reverend Proctor Swaby, would lead to this lasting legacy in the educational history of Trinidad and Tobago.

Dr Anstey was principal of Codrington in Barbados when he was elected Bishop in 1918, and was the first Bishop to be consecrated in Trinidad at the Holy Trinity Cathedral on June 29 the same year.

It is historical knowledge that during his tenure he consistently financed diocesan and parochial projects from his own funds but the great work for which he will always be remembered was in the field of education, starting with a Church High School for Girls – now BAHS.

The first three principals Amelia M Stephens (1921-1938), Dorothy Shrewsbury (1938-1950) and Christine Sutherland (1950-1964) were English women. After the first Trinidadian, Stephanie Shurland (1964-1981) came Mary Bishop (1981-1982), Freda Araujo (1982- 1992), Yvonne Ramsey (1993- 1996), Valerie Taylor (1996-2000), Patricia Ruddell (2000-2003) and Patsy-Ann Rudder (2003-2015).

Ingrid Govia has been acting principal since 2015.

As Bishop of Trinidad and Tobago from 1918 until 1945, among his many forays into the field of education, Anstey opened a hostel for teachers in 1926, lived there and ran it himself for about 15 years.

On July 3, 1943, Anstey was unanimously elected Archbishop of the West Indies.

However, he became seriously ill in January 1945 and resigned as Archbishop of the West Indies and Bishop of Trinidad on February 1, 1945. He died in 1955 at age 83.

In celebration of nearly a century of high standards at BAHS, the chairs and tables in Jubilee Hall were accented with the red and black school tie.

Guests were entertained throughout by good back in times music; delicious aperitifs were served; the grace was said by Reverend Marsha Joseph, also a Hilarian, and a delicious buffet lunch preceded the presentations to honourees, remembrance of Hilarians who had passed away in the last year, singing of the school hymn “Who Would True Valour See” and the school song “Non Nobis Domine” an integral part of any Hilarian function, which ended with karaoke time, and an invitation to Hilarians to “Save the Dates” December 11 the Hilarian Fair, and January 9, 2017 the OH A’s all inclusive Carnival fete.

Honourees included Joyce Waldron- Sharpe, the oldest Hilarian at the luncheon. Sharpe’s niece Dr Aba Bowles-Mortley, now resident in Kingston, Ontario, was the OH A’s nominee for her accomplishments and commitment to excellence in the international community.

In 2010 she was presented with the Governor General of Canada’s Gold Medal for highest academic standing in a graduate degree programme in her institution, at the 87th Convocation of the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, from which she graduated with the Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Materials Engineering.

Today, Bowles-Mortley is her mother Cheryl’s right hand in the production of the Cher Mere line of natural beauty products for The Herbarium and has also extended the Cher Mere Spas to Ontario.

Dr Debra Bartholomew (class of 1987/89), an ophthalmologist, was the People’s Choice Honouree. The single mother of two boys, ages 12 and nine, one whom despite numerous odds and challenges with autism is in mainstream school at Queen’s Royal College (QRC), the other is at Trimont College, has become very much involved in bringing awareness to autism in TT .

She is also an avid singer and artist and to date has had one solo showcase and participated in two group exhibitions. Bartholomew, who has lived in the United Kingdom, India and Libya, attributes her varied interests and abilities to her years at BAHS.

Part of her not accepting less for her son was because she recalls a visually impaired student attended BAHS during her years there, and because of this she knew that her son could be accepted at QRC, it was just a matter of education and support.

Her focus now is to promote education as the main means to destroying ignorance in our society, as well as acceptance, especially in the area of special needs, and to promote education as an essential tool in eye health.

Specially invited guests who were also recognised included Head Girl Malika Pollard and her deputy Leah Weller; and 2015 scholarship winners Daniella James, Celia Drysdale, Nesha Harris, Olivia Jaggernauth, Gabriella Williams, Naomi Beharry, Junea Fraser, J’velle Holder, Shardelle Jackman, Khasey Keith, Summer Nelson, Alicia Singh and Azaria Wilson.