Retired educators honoured for long service

Angelo Laurence, Gleaner Writer

THE THREAT of rain did not stop several hundred persons from turning up at the Bethel Gospel Chapel in Southfield, St Elizabeth, yesterday to honour three former teachers for their years of service in the classroom.

The three - Lorna Wright, Josette Bent and Hortense Rowe - gave a combined total of more than 80 years to the Seaview Primary School in the community.

Wright started her teaching career in 1970 at the Savanna-la-Mar Primary School before moving to Seaview Primary School in 1976. There, she worked her way up to becoming the principal in 1995 until her retirement in 2009.

Rowe started her teaching journey in 1971 at the Petersfield Primary School in Westmoreland, then on to Villa Road All-Age School in Mandeville in 1973 before accepting a position at Seaview Primary School in 1979. She retired in 2009.

Dedication to a purpose

Rowe went to Seaview Primary in 1988 and stayed there until her retirement in 2009. She had started her teaching career at the Austin All-Age School in 1973.

Mayor of Black River, Jeremy Palmer, hailed the three as examples of dedication to a purpose that will forever benefit the nation.

He pointed out that conditions were not always ideal, especially in the early years of their career, but they stuck to the task of educating the nation's children.

Guest speaker, immediate past president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), Michael Stewart, said the honourees earned the praises and thanks now being heaped on them by a grateful community.

He said while there are some persons who are bent on making the lives of teachers difficult and putting obstacles in the way of carrying out of their teaching functions, there are still teachers in the profession who put teaching before other gains.

The honourees were all presented with citations and certificates from the JTA.