150 Years of Excellence in Education
By Wayne Bowman Trinidad Express
Aug 25, 2014 at 8:13 PM ECT
Having this year celebrated the sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the arrival to Trinidad of the Holy Ghost Fathers and their establishing of St Mary’s College (CIC), the school in tandem with the Past Students Union (PSU) has published a coffee table book exploring the history and development of CIC.
The 223-page book begins with a look at the beginnings of the Holy Ghost Fathers in Trinidad (This after several pages of greetings and dedications including a blessing from Pope Francis). From there the book takes the reader on a journey through the 150 years of both the Holy Ghost Fathers and the college.
The book looks at the work of the Holy Ghost Fathers, who are also known as Spiritans, throughout the world even before a group of them journeyed to Trinidad. The collection of articles was written by various past pupils and other people who also contributed some of the many photographs some of which provide a look at Trinidad several decades ago.
That is in fact one of the great things about this book. Although it is a souvenir of the Spiritans’ and CIC’s sesquicentennial, it also provides a wonderful vista of the nation’s history over that period. There are pen portraits of past CIC pupils who have been inducted into the St Mary’s College Hall of Fame as well as the achievements of other past pupils who have not yet been inducted.
These are people who have achieved sterling accomplishments on the national and international landscapes in the fields of sport, science, medicine, law, education, politics, music, drama, art and many other areas. They not only brought pride to St Mary’s College, but helped to place this nation on the international map. Many of these national heroes are touched on in the pages of this book.
Among the past pupils mentioned in the book are; Sir Solomon Hochoy, Dr Joseph Lennox Pawan—Former district medical officer Tobago/Cedros, Atilla The Hun (Raymond Quevedo)—politician/calypsonian, Ellis ‘Edgar’ Achong, Sir Henry Alcazar, Felix Amoroso-Centeno, Captain Arthur A Cipriani, Sir Ellis Clarke, Dr Patrick Solomon, Wilfred (Sonny) Vincent Brown, Louis Anthony Wharton and many others.