ROSA was inaugurated in 1957 with about 40 past students. Our first president was Dr. Leo March. · The association waned in the 1960s and was revived In 1977 to spearhead celebration of the 200th anniversary of our school. · Another period of little activity followed until 1988.· It has grown in strength since – enhanced by dedicated leadership and formation of overseas chapters.
Rules
Rules exist but they are not widely known. The rules are being reviewed to bring the organization in line with current trends. They are displayed in the Membership section.
ROSA Annual General Meeting - 2010
ROSA Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday April 24, 2010 at the General Accident Ins. Company, 58 Half Way Tree Rd. The Officers and members elected to serve on the executive for the current year are:
President Mr. Lloyd Tomlinson
Ist VP Miss Pauline McKenzie
2nd VP Mr. Carl Stephenson
Secretary Miss Joy Hall
Assistant Secretary Mrs. Evelyn Frazer
Treasurer Mrs. Cleopatra McNab
Assistant Treasurer Mrs. Theda King
Public Relations Officer Mr. Richard Johnson
Members:
Mrs. Iolyn Donald
Mrs. Ordel Brandon
Mrs. June MacFarlane
Mr. Clarence Williams
Mr. Canute Grant
CANADA MANAGEMENT BOARD - 2009
Laval Binns
Alene Chen
Laurell Gordon
Dalton Forrester - Secretary
Andrea Richardson
Rosemarie Roach
Olive Smith
ROSA NEW YORK -- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2009
OFFICERS Milton Baker President Lloyd Blake First Vice President Cisyline Williams-Peters Second Vice President Fitzroy Edwards Secretary Marcia Rusea Asst. Secretary Barbara Maxwell Treasurer Sybil Williams-Evans Asst. Treasurer
MEMBERS Cynthia Blythe-Craig Milton Clarke Maurice Dinham Peter Massey Karren Morgan-Muir Ronie Rusea-Robinson
Rusea’s High School: 2007
Looking Back, Eyes Forward! The Genesis: Rusea’s has the distinction of being the 5th oldest of the schools in Jamaica that have survived the past. The fact that it exists at all is the outcome of an accident. This accident resulted in an inscription on the plaque that adorns the front of its Long Barracks Campus. The inscription starts with “Martin Rusea was a French refugee ….”.
Who was Martin Rusea.
Martin Rusea was a Protestant. The protestants were opposed to some fundamental aspects of Catholic theology. They emerged across Europe. In France, the birth land of Martin Rusea, they were known as Huguenots. Thousands were killed during the period of religious intolerance, most notably on August 24, 1572 which became known as St. Bartholomews Day. The Edict of Nantes, for a time, had allowed Huguenots to live in relative peace and to enjoy freedom of worship. It was repealed in 1685 by Louis XIV. As a result, some 200,000 fled to other places in Europe and to America. Some came to Jamaica. Of these, Martin Rusea ended up in Lucea. Martin and his brother John were on their way to settle in a French West Indian island. Martin became ill and the brothers were put ashore in Lucea. Martin was nursed back to health by missionaries aided by slaves. He settled in Lucea and became prosperous. He never married. His will stated ”in grateful recollection of the hospitality manifested toward him in the colony”.
After his death, his relatives contested the will. It was finally settled by an Act of the British Parliament in 1777. His estate was disposed of and the money put into a Trust Fund. The proceeds of his real and personal estate realized £4,500 for establishment of a free school in Hanover. Students were mainly children of “poor whites”.
Work of the Trust
At first the Trust managed the business of the school – including setting of school examinations, code of conduct, admissions and dismissals of students as well as appointment of Masters and later Masters and Mistresses. The Trust paid the tuition of Foundation students who could not afford to pay.
Move from Original Home in Down Town
The original school was located across from the clock in the Town Square for 123 years. It is now the site of the Weslyan Church which bought the property for £450. In 1862, the English government gave Fort Charlotte and its barracks to the people of Jamaica and in 1900 Rusea’s moved to Long Barracks. The 1912 hurricane completely destroyed the upper floor. It was refurbished and Long Barracks became the educational centre of the town in 1914 when it housed the Infant School, the Elementary School and Rusea’s High School.
Rusea’s now operates from two campuses – Watson Taylor for Forms 3-6 and Long Barracks (Fort Charlotte) for Forms 1-2.
Name Changes for Rusea’s
The school has passed through various name changes. Among the names are:
Rusea’s Free School
Rusea’s Comprehensive High School. This was in 1982 consequent on a merger between Rusea’s High School and Hanover Secondary School.
Rusea’s High School.
Growth Trend over the Years. The following shows student population over the years. Year No. of Students 2007 2,700 1982 1850 1964 534 1961 492 1960 430 1958 118 1923 72 1919 25 The data shows a small student population up to the 1950s. This was so because the school was set up for the sons of the white plantocracy or ‘bushas who were not privileged to send their children to England for schooling. Also, it was considered dangerous to expose slaves to education. It was not until the 19th century that students of mixed race, who could pay the school fee, were accepted. Later still, black people were reluctantly accepted. Still later, girls were admitted. This latter was done during the headmastership of Mr. Charles Arscott Cover - possibly in 1901 (Gleaner of 1900 July, 27).
Proud achievements over the years
Rusea’s has served as a beacon in the education sector.
Opportunity afforded to students who had not “passed” the Common Entrance Examination. This coincided with the tenure of Mr. Eric Frater as Headmaster. He was a pioneer in implementing the “New Deal” in education which the Government had started In 1957.
Introduction of boarding in 1959. This helped to reduce absenteeism and lateness caused by the great distances that students had to travel to attend school. This along with the acquisition of a school bus in April 1964 helped to alleviate the transport problems.
Being the pace setter as the first school in Jamaica to:
In 1961, set up a Language Laboratory. It was also the first in the West Indies.
Set up a Geology Lab in a High School. This was an inspiration of Allan Eyre.
One of the first schools in Jamaica to employ a Resident Guidance Counselor. Ruseans have excelled in many fields – including the judiciary; the public service, business, banking, trade, agriculture, investment and the clergy. Many have and continue to represent their alma mater and Jamaica with distinction. Others have, and are doing so in Canada, America, Britain and elsewhere. In sports, Rusea’s has recorded many achievements.
Over the last 25 years, it has won the Olivier Shield, the coveted symbol of high school football supremacy, on several occasions.
Curriculum Changes over the Years
At first, the curriculum focused mainly on the liberal arts. In 1880 the curriculum was changed after the Schools Commission introduced the Junior and Senior Cambridge Examinations. This put an end to examinations that were set by the Trust. In an effort to meet the needs of individual students Rusea’s now offers a comprehensive type programme. The subjects comprising the curriculum now include regular sciences, arts, vocational training and computer science.
Challenges over the years
The development of the school has encountered its fair share of challenges.
It was closed for an extended period when Headmaster Joseph Collymore left to assume the position of Rector in Green Island (Gleaner: January 17,1890).
Its water supply was inadequate to cope with the rapid expansion heralded in by the Eric Frater headmastership.
Shortage of housing for staff was acute. Again, this was accentuated with the rapid growth since the Frater era.
A Look to the Next 230 Years
Ruseans can look back with pride on its past achievements. Our alumni associations in New York, Miami, Britain and Canada play a significant role in the life of Rusea’s. For example, they have made financial and material contributions and established programs to assist needy students.
In his farewell speech in 1964, Mr. Frater said “You cannot get first rate education if you are not prepared to spend money for it. We cannot hope to make education worthwhile if we are measly in spending on Education”. Funding then was a major challenge of the education sector. It remains so today.
THE HISTORIC LONG BARRACKS - 2007
Up to 1899, Rusea’s High School was located beside the Lucea Court House. The Customs Department also stored items under the School.
When the Rusea’s site was sold to the Wesleyan Church, the property measured 4278 square feet “butting on Cressy Lane, Rusea Lane, Church Street and on the Court House premise”. A Gleaner report on the impressive stone laying ceremony for the present Wesleyan Church building on 9th November, 1922, mentions a sale price of €450. The function included participation by J.A.G. Smith, a Rusea’s graduate and a prominent member of the Legislature at that time.
A gift of the barracks to the government of Jamaica helped Rusea’s to relocate to the “long Barracks” in 1900.
In 1912, the authorities proposed centralization of all the schools in Lucea and their relocation to the Long Barracks. Parents did not support this change. The main concern was the danger to the little ones who, to get to school, would have to walk all the way up Fort Road. Before the debate was settled, the “1912 storm” intervened and un-roofed the building and demolished the upper part to the flooring.
The Government and Infant schools eventually moved to the Long Barracks in January, 1914 after it had been rebuilt with “28 jalousies and 18 sash windows upstairs” as it still stands. The Infant School, with Classes A to D, occupied the front of the ground floor; Rusea’s and its 30 students occupied the back of upstairs and Elementary School occupied the remainder of the building.
A site plan of the 1940s shows:
the residence of the Elementary Head Teacher located on the side toward the Public Works Department Office (the home of Boy Boarders in the 1960s and early 1970s).
The “Soup Kitchen” was close to a stand of water faucets with the toilets below (with the little cave to the right).
At the rear of the premises was Rusea’s with its own sanitary conveniences and schoolyard, separated from the front by a zinc fence of at least 7 feet high.
The residence of the Superintendent of Police, fenced with wire, was on the other side.
This was home for 107 years. Since 1900 about 14,000 of us passed through its corridors. There are graduates of Rusea’s who attended Infant School, Elementary School and High School in that same building and walked the same route to school for 13 years.
Rusea’s High School is now headquartered at Watson Taylor Drive but with the Long Barracks Campus still going strong. How long till it outgrows the present space? One thing is sure -as we start the next 230 years – challenges will be overcome and memories will accumulate.
