was the 8th of January 1962 that we entered that fabled institution Kingston College, Clovelly Park Campus. The first order of the day was chapel. There we were welcomed to school by Mr. Douglas “DOUGS” Forrest - Headmaster, then by the man we as the youngest members of the school would grow to fear: Jonathan A. W. Crick – deputy headmaster with direct responsibility for the lower school (1st ,2nd and 3rd Forms). This very tall Barbadian – with the largest nose any of us had ever seen – immediately drove the fear of God into us lads as he gave his version of the do’s and don’ts, among which was “Do not line the corridors.”
Our assigned form master was Mr. Ruel Forsythe, who also our Spanish teacher. We were advised to meet him at Form 1D to which 28 boys would follow “Rubberneck” Campbell our prefect. Form 1Delta was situated to the eastern end of the school, downstairs beside the tennis court.
“As your names are called, kindly raise your hand and proceed to take your seat starting in the 1st row,” Mr. Forsythe echoed. “Abrahams, Alvin Beckett, Raymond Bertram (now deceased), Melando Blight, Campbell, Glen Chong (now deceased), Leighton Curtis, Peter Chen, Donald Chen, W. Davis, A. Daley, Graham, Gatenby, S.Golding, Hugh Hamilton (now deceased), Linval "Timo" Hinds, Manning Kong, Glen Laman, Lynford Lalor, Glen Maye, Horace Minott, McHardy, Moore, Orville Neil, Donald "Billy" Perkins,Victor Nugent, R. Pennycook, C. Pennycook , T. Pryce, Robinson, Oswald Tyson, Wilson and Livingstone "Danny" Young.
As the first week at the College progressed, faculty members (some colourful) who would be our early mentors, introduced themselves and their subjects. Miss Suarez was first; she taught English. This Lady was nigh on 80 years, but she brought with her the biggest book we had ever read as young boys, “The Kon Tiki Expedition” by Thor Heyerdahl.
Our first assignment for English was to begin studying for a test in two weeks – the first few verses of ‘Gray’s Elegy In a Country Churchyard.’ Mr. McDonald, the mathematics teacher who inscribed ‘BODMAS’ over the door in chalk, was next, then came a slew of others like Mr. Jones, alias Wyatt Earp, who taught Geography, Miss Serrant, Mr. Falloon, Miss Rhynie and others.
At the end of the week, new and enduring friendships were formed, some boys got nicknames that would last a lifetime such as AB (Abrahams), Hamo (Hamilton), Blabba (Ronald Pennycook), Furry (Campbell), Laputa (Aston Daley), El Pan (McHardy), Cookie (Robinson), Bingie (Horace Minott) and Wardy (Walter Davis). There was one boy who stood out in his uniform. While all others wore seaman khaki., his had an off-bright green colour that made him the brunt of our boyish ridicule--Melando Blight.
Kingston College was fun, however, discipline was at its zenith. Masters like Jonathan Crick, Beanhead Bailey, Bulldog Bruce, Joe Earle, Zackie (Major Isaac-Henry) and Marcus Garvey Jr. drove fear in us for good reason; so too did prefects like Telfer, Chang, Campbell, Stair, Jeff Barnes, Gerald Groves, et al. Dougs was feared too, but probably because we were freshmen, he was more gentle with us, yet the sound of his resonant voice made you shudder. Many anecdotes can be told about Form 1Delta (1962). Suffice it to say, the memories will last a lifetime and so will the friendships formed during our time together there.
A few of our classmates have made the transition. We can only remember them fondly while we extol their finer virtues.
