Alpha Boys' School get new logo
Published:Sunday | April 21, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Carolyn Cooper, Contributor
- Chaka-chaka spelling
Big press conference keep up a Alpha yesterday fi show off di new logo fi di school. A long time now Alpha deh bout. Inna 1880, Miss Jessie Ripoll buy 43 acre a land pon South Camp Road. An she set up di Alpha Cottage fi look after poor people pikni. Fi di first, she did ongle tek een girl.
Inna 1884, Miss Ripoll decide fi start tek een boy pikni weh a gi trouble. So dem seh. Plenty time a no di pikni dem a gi trouble. A trouble tek dem. Anyway, Alpha School tek een di pikni dem an try wid dem fi keep dem outa trouble.
Inna 1890, govament gi permission fi Alpha turn 'Industrial School' an gi four shilling an eight pence fi di week fi di pikni dem, one-one. Dem time deh, a 12 pikni inna di school. Di pikni dem learn from book an dem learn fi use dem hand. All a di pikni dem ha fi learn a trade. Di school have a print shop, a woodwork shop, a tailor shop an a music shop.
An a di music build up Alpha name over di year dem! A nuff-nuff big-time musician come outa Alpha: Dizzy Reece, Cedric 'Im' Brooks, Theophilus Beckford, Rico Rodriguez, Winston 'Yellowman' Foster, Vin Gordon, Harold McNair, Joe Harriott, 'Deadly' Headley Bennett, Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace, Leroy Smart an nuff-nuff more!
SKATALITES
Di Alpha band start up inna 1892. Dem deh time, dem dida play drum an fife. Den inna 1908, di school get some brass instrument from di Roman Catholic bishop. An a deh so dem buss out! Come 1911, di band so good, di boy dem lead di march go a North Street fi bless di Holy Trinity Cathedral.
An a so dem a gwaan. Inna 1953, Alpha put on di first military parade fi honour di Queen coronation. An dem keep up one big show, 'March to Nationhood', fi celebrate independence inna 1962. Di Skatalites form inna 1964, an four a di member dem come from Alpha: Tommy McCook, Johnny 'Dizzy' Moore, Lester Sterling an Don Drummond.
So hear how Alpha get new logo. By di way, 'logo' a di pet name fi 'logogram'. Dat deh word mek up outa two Greek word - logos an gram. Logos mean word an gram mean enting weh draw ar write, all like di letter dem inna di alphabet. Dat simple mean, logo a di picture fi di word.
Michael 'Freestylee' Thompson, one top-a-top Jamaican graphic artist, im draw one beautiful picture fi represent Alpha: one lickle yute a blow im horn. Michael did put di picture inna di show weh dem did keep a National Gallery fi di International Reggae Poster Contest weh im did organise wid a next graphic artist, Maria Papaefstathiou, weh come from Greece. When di head a Alpha, Sister Susan Frazer, see Michael poster, she know seh a it dat. An a so Michael gi Alpha leave an licence fi use di 'gram' fi dem 'logo'. Rispek due!
- Prapa-prapa spelin
Big pres kanfrens kip op a Alpha yeside fi shuo aaf di nyuu luogo fi di skuul. A lang taim nou Alpha de bout. Ina 1880, Mis Jessie Ripoll bai 43 ieka a lan pan South Camp Ruod. An shi set op di Alpha Cottage fi luk aafta puor piipl pikni. Fi di fos, shi did ongl tek iin gorl.
Ina 1884, Mis Ripoll disaid fi staat tek iin bwai pikni we a gi chrobl. So dem se. Plenti taim a no di pikni dem a gi chrobl. A chrobl tek dem. Eni wie, Alpha skuul tek iin di pikni dem an chrai wid dem fi kip dem outa chrobl.
Ina 1890, govament gi pormishan fi Alpha ton 'Industrial School' an gi fuor shilin an iet pens fi di wiik fi di pikni dem, wan-wan. Dem taim de, a 12 pikni ina di skuul. Di pikni dem lorn fram buk an dem lorn fi yuuz dem an. Aal a di pikni dem a fi lorn a chried. Di skuul av a print shap, a udwok shap, a tiela shap an a myuuzik shap.
An a di myuuzik bil op Alpha niem uova di ier dem! A nof-nof big-taim myuuzishan kom outa Alpha: Dizzy Reece, Cedric 'Im' Brooks, Theophilus Beckford, Rico Rodriguez, Winston 'Yellowman' Foster, Vin Gordon, Harold McNair, Joe Harriott, 'Deadly' Headley Bennett, Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace, Leroy Smart an nof-nof muor!
Di Alpha ban staat op ina 1892. Dem de taim, dem dida plie jom an faif. Den ina 1908, di skuul get som braas inschroment
SKATALITES
An a so dem a gwaan. Ina 1953, Alpha put aan di fos militeri paried fi ana di Kwiin karanieshan. An dem kip op wan big shuo, 'March to Nationhood', fi selibriet indipendens ina 1962. Di Skatalites faam ina 1964, an fuor a di memba dem kom fram Alpha: Tommy McCook, Johnny 'Dizzy' Moore, Lester Sterling an Don Drummond.
So ier ou Alpha get nyuu logo. Bai di wie, 'logo' a di pet niem fi 'logogram'. Dat de wod mek op outa tuu Griik wod - logos an gram. Logos miin wod an gram miin enting we jraa ar rait, aal laik di leta dem iina di alfabet. Dat simpl miin, logo a di pikcha fi di wod.
Michael 'Freestylee' Thompson, wan tap-a-tap Jamiekan grafik aatis, im jraa wan byuutiful pikcha fi riprizent Alpha: wan likl yuut a bluo im aan. Michael did put di pikcha iina di shuo we dem did kip a National Gallery fi di International Reggae Poster Contest we im did aaganaiz wid a neks grafic aatis, Maria Papaefstathiou, we kom fram Griis. When di ed a Alpha, Sista Susan Frazer, si Michael puosta, shi nuo se a it dat. An a so Michael gi Alpha liiv an laisn fi yuuz di 'gram' fi dem 'logo'. Rispek djuu!
Carolyn Cooper is a professor of literary and cultural studies at the University of the West Indies, Mona. Visit her bilingual blog at http://carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com.