'I feel honoured'
Published:Saturday | June 22, 2013 | 12:00 AM
TIME AND PATIENCE, Linstead:
"I FEEL honoured. I'm overjoyed about all of this because I know the people meant well," Gaston A. Clarke, past chairman, Time and Patience Primary School board, said at the end of an appreciation ceremony held in his honour at the school, recently.
The function, chaired by the Reverend Valentine Wallace, pastor of Jericho Baptist Church, was laced with glowing tributes in song, poetry and reflections.
Clarke, who hails from the community and is an alumnus of the institution, located on the outskirts of Linstead in St Catherine, served as board chairman for 22 years.
"No one is giving of themselves like they used to, most times we are selfish, we are self-centred and even caught up with businesses that are not our own, but today we have someone we are thankful for," president, Time and Patience Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Annikia Howell-Kelly said in her tribute to the 77-year-old.
In his citation, read by past principal Ruby Blake, Clarke was described as dedicated, devoted, humble and kind.
"When the dust nuisance started affecting both students and teachers, he sourced top soil, brought grass from his property and with the assistance of the PTA, he was able to do the lawn," cited Blake.
She said during his tenure, Clarke, who worked for several years at Jamintel, never failed to recognise the hard work and dedication of the teachers he supervised.
"The entire staff could always look forward to being sponsored by him for the annual Teachers' Day treats, which sometimes took us to as far as China Gardens in Kingston and Ruins in St Ann," Blake said.
But it was Debbie Davis' and Dwayne Howell's presentation titled 'Who Is Mr Clarke? A Teacher's Perspective' that provided the audience with intimate details of the outstanding community stalwart.
"A justice of the peace with high integrity, who will always entertain you with a little history while you wait on him to carefully check the relevant documents you took for him to sign," said Howell.
In her own inimitable style, guest speaker Merris Murray, executive director, National Council on Education, underscored Clarke's invaluable contribution to the school community.
Source of inspiration
"Mr Clarke was a source of inspiration, oftentimes going the extra mile to serve the school, providing not only material resources, but also scarce financial resources to ensure that critical events occurred such as the school trips or educational tours," said Murray.
Moreover, Clarke told The Gleaner that disappointing Common Entrance Examination results were one of the factors which motivated him to serve the institution.
"When I came back from studies abroad and the results came out and I heard no passes or one for the school and occasionally there were two, I had to get involved and I've watched Time and Patience coming from there to the last year of the Common Entrance, when we got 28 passes out of 31," he said proudly.
One of the school's buildings was named in honour of Clarke, who is married to Vinci. The union has produced three children, Hopeton, John and Claire Clarke-Grant, TVJ's general manager.