37 years dedicated to imparting knowledge
Published:Saturday | June 8, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer
ENSOM CITY, St Catherine:
THIRTY SEVEN years, 10 months and three days - that's the time Rosemary Connell-Bingham of Ensom City in Spanish Town, St Catherine, dedicated to the teaching profession.
It was no accident when she first entered the classroom at Bogue Primary in St Elizabeth, where she served for one year.
"I took the grade one class with 80 students. I always wanted to do teaching from I was a child growing up," she reflected.
Connell-Bingham's second stop in the classroom was at St Paul's All-Age School in Westmoreland, her birth parish. She then matriculated into St Joseph's Teachers' College and did her internship at Mount Grace All-Age School in Westmoreland.
On June 30, 1973, she wedded Gerald Bingham, whose job at Bernard Lodge Sugar Estate in St Catherine resulted in their relocation to the parish. She then became a member of staff at Crescent All-Age School.
Not long afterwards, the vivacious educator became one of the pioneer teachers at Ensom City Primary School when it opened its doors in September 1976 as an all-age institution.
There, she served in several capacities and rose to the rank of vice-principal, retiring in that capacity in August 31, 2007.
"I remember when a teacher was absent, as a vice-principal, I filled in. I made sure that whatever I taught for the day was not in the curriculum. It would be what you would call street smart or general knowledge - especially things about Jamaica," she said proudly.
REACHING HER STUDENTS
One of her past students, Nicole Kerr, now a teacher at St Jago High School in Spanish Town, concurred.
"She was good at teacher delivery and was a very good disciplinarian. She was, and is still, very creative and got things done at all times," Kerr told The Gleaner.
Miecha Brown, a construction engineer who was also taught by Bingham, admired her for her caring ways and thoughtfulness.
"Mrs Bingham is a no-nonsense person. She was always interested in her students totally. If you were sick, she would try to get in touch with your parents, and she always had our best interests at heart," said Brown.
Like teaching, the South Central St Catherine Lions Club member is equally passionate about art and craft and horticulture.
"My mother was a horticulturalist and I developed the love for plants at a very early age," she explained.
This passion has brought her many joyous moments as she is a five-time champion exhibitor at the St Catherine Horticultural Show.
Nowadays, the mother of two - a daughter, Deborah, and a son, Gerald Jr - spends most of her time tending her plants and undertaking church activities.
Bingham's contributions to the field of education and to the community have not gone unnoticed. In 2005, she received the Most Outstanding Vice-Principal Award from Ensom City Parent-Teacher Association. The Spanish Town Seventh-day Adventist Church, where she worships, has recognised her for outstanding commitment and support to the church. She was awarded the Golden Torch award from the Jamaica Teachers' Association for 37 years of service in 2006.
"My days as a classroom teacher were very, very interesting. I enjoyed them. I loved to work with the little ones. There was something about them and there was a certain feeling I got when I taught them and they grasped the concepts," she said, satisfyingly.