Moneague College Magazine

So this was what Moneague College looked like.
After several years of travel between St. Ann and Kingston since my primary school years, I was finally
going to know what it looked like at the top of that hill. It was July 1994, and having responded to an
advertisement in the Gleaner for a ‘Language Arts Trainer’, I had been duly interviewed and selected to be a
part of a team which would be based at the college, and which would visit secondary schools to give support
to teachers under the Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE) Project banner.
I liked what I saw. The expanse of carefully manicured green lawns against the backdrop of the rolling greenblue
hills was attractive and refreshing. Visitors to the college sometimes marveled that the compound
was so well maintained with no trace of litter although no garbage bins could be seen. The lawns were
sacrosanct, and no one was expected to walk on them, and at that time, there were fewer buildings and a
lot more lawn. There was as yet no Literacy block and no Multi-purpose hall. To the right of the drive way as
you approached the administrative block was a sloping green area punctuated only by a concrete dais where
dances and various other activities were performed on occasion.
At first, there was a little distance between the ROSE team and the college staff, since our core functions did
not see us meeting on a daily basis, and also because there may have been varying opinions regarding the
ROSE strategy. Realizing this, however, the administration worked at encouraging the team to integrate in
various ways. The open-door policy of the principals was helpful in making staff feel accepted and cared for.
The staff then was small, and it was easier to know everybody. Monday morning assemblies were held in the
chapel; staff meetings were held upstairs the administrative block; the library was quiet; most members of
staff lived on the campus, and only a few vehicles graced the compound.
Meal times saw the staff being catered for at the tables by the west door to the dining room which could
accommodate all members of staff at once or in relay. As the staff complement increased, more tables were
utilized. At that time, the academic staff were served by the kitchen staff who brought the various dishes and
drink to tables which had been spread for us.
Education students at that time formed the bulk of the population, and demonstrated a high level of
discipline in most instances. The average size of the Primary groups was above thirty, and the Secondary
groups above twenty. Orientation Week and hall vibes were no less a part of the culture than they are today,
and if anything, it was heightened then because of a larger population. The prevalence of cellular phones, lap
tops and other personal technologies had not yet impacted the tone and culture of the institution.
As the Community College component grew, so did the size of the staff. The programme offerings increased,
along with the realization that more activities were needed to build cohesion and occupy young minds in
a positive way. The college song was birthed from a competition which offered a cash prize for the best
combination of lyrics and melody. This was won by a small group of male students.
The growing population also meant that more classroom spaces were needed. The Typing Rooms,
Emergency Rooms, the entire Literacy Block and the Multi-purpose Hall were added in due course. Before
fire destroyed the Old Hotel, that block housed staff offices, classrooms, and facilities for overnight visitor
accommodation. These facilities were very useful to those pursuing the Hotel and Tourism programme.
Graduation ceremonies were held by the undercroft, utilizing the green areas immediately surrounding – the
only time the lawns could ‘legally’ be walked on. When it rained (as it often did), tents were used to ensure
the function was not ruined.
Many things have changed since that first introduction to the campus. The landscape of tertiary education
across the island has changed and has changed us; even more courses have been added to the list of
programmes, including the Degree programmes; many staff members have come and gone, and the culture
of the institution has reflected the changing mores of the society. But Moneague continues to be a place
whose physical environs offer refreshing to those who enter, and opportunities for success to students from
all over the island.
Happy birthday, Moneague.
Mrs. Hyacinth Fisher