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Jamaica College, also JC, is a prominent, all-male secondary school located in Kingston, Jamaica. It delivers traditional classroom education to its students in a variety of subject areas.[3] The institution serves students aged ranging from 11 to 19 years. First established as a boarding school for boys, Jamaica College today has remained a single-sex school, however the boarding facilities have been removed. The school provides education to about 1,799 boys and is complemented with 97 teaching staff.[dated info] During the 18th century when Jamaica prospered as a sugar colony of the British Empire, several large donations were made for the funding of schools. The objective of these bequests was usually to provide free education for the poor of the parish to which the benefactor belonged. Jamaica College is a product of one such of these bequests. The institution is widely known in Jamaica for both its academic and sports achievements and has had the privilege of producing many influential members of the Jamaican society, most notably the current Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, former Prime Minister Michael Manley and former Chief Minister and Premier of Jamaica, Norman Washington Manley, who is also the father of Michael Manley and the founder of the People's National Party.
[edit] History[edit] Drax Free SchoolJamaica College was founded in 1789, making it the third oldest high school in the country. It was first known as the Drax Free School in the parish of St. Ann by Charles Drax, a planter of that parish, who was originally from Twittenham, England.[4] Drax came to Jamaica from Barbados in 1721 and left money in his will to establish a charity school in St. Ann.[5] There was some delay and legal proceedings before the money was handed over to the St. Ann Vestry.[4] It was in 1802 that the sum of £5200 (JA$10,400 at the time) was applied by an Act of the Legislature to the endowment of the School. [edit] Jamaica Free SchoolThe Jamaica Free School was established at Walton, near Moneague in the St. Ann parish. The property at Walton Pen was bought for the site of the school, purchased in 1806. A year later another act of legislature gave the school the name, The Jamaica Free School. [edit] Jamaica High SchoolSeventy two years later the school had its named changed again. In 1879, during the governorship of Sir Anthony Musgrave, a provision was made by law for the Jamaica Free School to come under the jurisdiction of the Jamaica School Commission.[4] The institution was now to be known under a new name, The Jamaica High School. All classes at the time were free so there was no longer a need to call the school Jamaica Free School but the purpose of the school remained the same until 1903. This law also authorized the removal of the school from Walton Pen in St. Ann in 1883, and classes were conducted in the Barbican Great House until mid 1885.[4] The school now had a new headmaster, Reverend (later Archdeacon) William Simms. [edit] Jamaica CollegeThe buildings on Old Hope Road were opened on July 9, 1885, by the then Governor of Jamaica, Sir Henry Wylie Norman. The first classes at the most recent campus took place in September of the same year.[4] In September 1890, a college was opened in connection with the school, which was known as University College.[4] The site at Old Hope Road was also the tropical outpost of the University of London. It was therefore decided that the purpose of the school would be to give secondary preparation to potential students of the University of London who happened to reside in Jamaica. The name revision reflected this change of purpose which became the school's second purpose. Until 1902 there were two separate names for the school's units. Subsequently, the Jamaica High School and University College were amalgamated under the name Jamaica College.[4] Therefore, during it's history, the school has changed both name and location four times. Jamaica College developed as a boarding institution until 1967, when that system was removed. Up to that period, the school population was primarily composed of boys from affluent families and heritage. Today, as a day school, it comprises students from a wide cross-section of the community. Over the years it has nurtured a rich tradition in academic and athletic fields. Its Old Boys continue to play important roles in the religious, political, business and professional services of the country of Jamaica. [edit] Historic buildingsThe campus is currently owned by the Jamaica College Trust. Since June 19, 2000, four buildings on the Jamaica College campus have been declared National Heritage Sites by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust.[4][6] [edit] Simms building Built in 1885 of masonry and timber, it exhibits a combination of Gothic and Georgian features; the projecting central tower and wings are reminiscent of Georgian designs, while the façade's soaring verticals, griffins, and pointed arch openings are Gothic.[4] The building at Hope was designed at the time to accommodate boarders as well as day students and was large enough to hold the whole school without difficulty. It now houses the administrative offices, staff room and sixth form classrooms.[4] For over a hundred years Simms Hall has been the core of the Jamaica College buildings, its strength and durability repeatedly demonstrated by its resistance to hurricanes and earthquakes, including the disastrous Kingston earthquake of 1907. [edit] Scotland buildingErected in 1889 of brick, mortar, and wood, with iron detailing on the balcony railings, it combines a variety of architectural styles including palladian windows on the west elevation, a lower arcaded wrap around verandah, and a steep-pitched cedar shingled hip roof.[4] It was first used as a dormitory; it now houses classrooms.[4] [edit] Assembly HallConstructed in 1913 of concrete block and steel, it is wrapped by an arcaded verandah which helps to keep the interior cool.[4] Its hipped roof of cedar shingles is partially concealed by parapet walls.[4] It was originally used as an assembly hall; it now houses classrooms.[4] [edit] ChapelBuilt in 1924 of reinforced concrete and concrete breather block, its north and south elevations have a stepped roof which creates a clerestory level for ventilation and diffused lighting.[4] Its east and west windows are stained glass; the west is said to be a replica of St. Dunstan's window at Canterbury Cathedral in England.[4] [edit] CurriculumAs a secondary school in Jamaica, Jamaica College follows the traditional English grammar school model used throughout the British West Indies, which incorporates the optional year twelve and thirteen, collectively known as sixth form. The first year of secondary school is regarded as first form, or year seven, and the subsequent year groups are numbered in increasing order up to sixth form. Students in the upper sixth form (year thirteen) are prepared for their GCE A-level examinations, however the option exists to sit exams after completing lower sixth form (year twelve).
[edit] Rhodes ScholarsSince 1904, Jamaica College has had a rich history of producing Rhodes Scholars who have gone on to lead in various capacities both locally and internationally. To date, there have been 15 Rhodes Scholar recipients that attended Jamaica College.[7] [edit] Flight SchoolJamaica College is the first English-speaking high school in the Caribbean to offer an aviation programme to its students. The course is being offered in partnership with a Jamaican company, The Flying Club. It will operate under the Aircraft Training Organisation's (ATO) approval granted to The Flying Club by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) for a private pilot's licence ground school.[8][9][10] [edit] Extracurricular activities[edit] AthleticsAnnually, various high schools, athletic clubs and organisations compete in the Wata/Powerade/Jamaica College Track & Field Development Meet. As of November 2009[update], there has been 16 stagings of the Jamaica College Invitational. The meet, which serves as a qualifying event for the Boys & Girls Athletics Championships, is the first official meet on the JAAA[11] local events calendar.[12] The meet is sponsored by Wata and Powerade and is organised and hosted on the Jamaica College campus. The school has won the VMBS-sponsored Inter Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) all-island Boys Athletics Championships title an overall 20 times during the event's 99 year history, the last victory being in 2000.[13] The team, however, has maintained a promising showing over the years, consistently placing in the top five among all the participants. The Hugo Chambers 10k Road Race is a tribute to the late former Jamaica College headmaster and sports administrator, Hugo Chambers. The event takes place between Jamaica College and the Papine area. The event is usually organised for October or November annually and includes 1.7 km (1 mile), 3.2 km (2 mile) and 10 km (6.2 mile) events. [edit] BasketballJamaica College participates in the KFC-sponsored ISSA Schoolboy Basketball Competition as a member of the Southern Conference.[14] [edit] CricketThe urban area secondary schools compete annually in the Grace Shield Schoolboy Cricket Competition, a Grace-sponsored schoolboy cricket competition. [edit] Football The Pepsi and Digicel sponsored, ISSA Manning Cup Schoolboy Football Competition was first played in 1909. Jamaica College won the Manning Cup for eight of the first nine years, losing only once in 1920. As of November 2009[update], Jamaica College has won 23 Manning Cup titles making them the school with the most wins.[15][16][17] The ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Schoolboy Walker Cup Knock-out Competition is a knock-out tournament is comprised of the top eight teams emerging from the first round of the Manning Cup competition. The number of teams and the knock-out nature of the competition allow for only three rounds of play; the quarter-final round, semi-final round then the final. The Walker Cup is held after the first round and before the inter-zone round of the Manning Cup. Since 1909, after a century of schoolboy football history in Jamaica, Jamaica College attained their first hold on the Walker Cup.[18][19] The Sydney Olivier Interscholastic Challenge Shield is the oldest and most prestigious schoolboy football title in Jamaica. The Olivier Shied, as it is more commonly known as, is a two-game playoff which symbolises schoolboy football supremacy as the Manning Cup Champions (who emerge from Jamaica's corporate area schools) are pitted against their rural area counterparts, the DaCosta Cup Champions.[20] Jamaica College have made good on their Olivier Shield acquisitions, having been able to obtain the trophy over 70% of the time that they are Manning Cup Champions. There are several special football competitions that are played between traditional rival schools which are most often used as practice for the football season. Since 2004, the football teams of Jamaica College and Calabar High School compete in three age group categories namely the Under-14, Under-16, also known as Colts, and Under-19, that is, the Manning Cup team, along with a special old-boys over-35 match. [21] Both schools vie for the Keane-Crosskill Shield.[22] [edit] Insignia
[edit] School crestHalf of the school's crest incorporates the red cross of England and the five golden pineapples that is to be found on Jamaica's Coat of Arms, to demonstrate the school's allegiance and association to Jamaica. There is an open book in the top right section of the shield to symbolise the importance of scholarly focus and academic pursuits and a golden griffin against a navy blue background completes the right half of the shield. Finally, the shield is surrounded by a scroll with the school's motto inscribed the entire circumference. [edit] MottoThe most commonly used form of the school motto is "Fervet opus in campis". In full, it is "Floreat collegium, fervet opus in campis". The Latin motto in full is literally translated as "May the college flourish, work is burning in the field".[23] [edit] PrayerThe school prayer commences with the verse, "Bless O, Lord this College...".[24] [edit] MascotJamaica College has never had an official mascot although the griffin is almost always cited as one. [edit] Nickname
The nickname 'the Dark Blues' or sometimes just 'The Blues' is based on the school's official colour of navy blue. Alumni affirm their association with the school by proclaiming to be 'True Blue' graduates, loosely associated with the English idiom meaning to be indubitably loyal or faithful. [edit] Notable people[edit] AlumniThe school has produced numerous prominent members of Jamaican society including:[25][26]
[edit] FacultyThe school has been served by several faculty distinguished in their field including:
[edit] HeadmastersThe following lists present the Principals of Jamaica College during its entire history.[34][35]
† indicates principals who attended Jamaica College [edit] See also[edit] References
[edit] External links
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