While I was in third or fourth form, Mr. Bruce made a surprise visit to the assembly hall where some boys were stealing a smoke. A tall light-skinned chap called who later became a pilot at Air Jamaica was caught standing close to a window on the far side of the room.
Mr Bruce went straight to him and called his name "Bedward! are you smoking
boy?" There was no answer. Bedward who had just inhaled, had his lungs
full of smoke and could not exhale or answer. " Bedwards! are you smoking
boy?" Still no response as Bedwards dared not exhale.
Mr Bruce stood his ground, and repeated his question, urgently and a little more loudly, while
Bedwards stood silently getting redder and redder. The others who were in the
assembly hall watched in tense silent anxiety, as they feared for Bedwards,
knowing he was caught in the act. Eventually he had to exhale slowly and in so
doing, the smoke trickled out from his nostrils in two tiny streams, one from
each nostril and they twirled upwards towards the ceiling.
Mr Bruce repeated his question "Bedwards! are you smoking boy?" Bedwards remained
silent as the two streams of smoke twirled upwards from his nostrils, soundlessly speaking to his obvious guilt. Mr. Bruce had his answer in silence. Slowly he turned and requested Bedwards to come with him to the head master’s office. I don't know Bedwards' punishment but he went on to graduate and become a pilot with air Jamaica.
The second piece on Mr. Bruce was an incident with Raymond Hill, a student of great acting ability. Raymond was a superb entertainer and kept the school laughing at his antics almost
Continuously. One day during his stand up act, Mr. Bruce approached him from behind and tapped him on the left shoulder. Raymond instantly turned on his heel while launching an uppercut over his shoulder smack in the face of Mr. Bruce.
Fortunately, the punch was a mock punch and not delivered with any force, intended for jest only, as it hit Me Bruce squarely on target in the face. This brought peals of laughter from the impromptu audience of third and fourth formers who were being entertained by Raymond.
Mr. Bruce was a great master and had a profound beneficial influence on the lives of all who came in contact with him.
He was one of the greats like Isaac-Henry, Jonathon Crick, PT White, Eugene Cargill, Joe Earle, "11:59 Johnson", who left KC to become excellent headmasters of other secondary schools lifting them from little known entities to household names under their tenure.
Mr. Bruce will always be remembered with love, respect and gratefulness.
