Cornwall College, Jamaica
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Cornwall College is a public high school for boys established in 1896 and located on Orange Street in
Montego Bay Montego Bay is the capital of the Parishes of Jamaica, parish of Saint James Parish, Jamaica, St. James in Jamaica. The city is the fourth-largest urban area in the country by population, after Kingston, Jamaica, Kingston, Spanish Town, and Por ...
, Saint James,
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
. It is the third oldest high school in the county of
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
. As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,317 students and 73 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 19:1.


History


1841–1895

The school in St. James dates to the 19th century, when secondary education was greatly needed in the parish and George Millar, a teacher from Scotland, opened the Montego Bay Academy in 1841. In 1952, the Academy was moved to the Presbyterian House, which was at the time located at 56 Union Street. In 1871 the academy closed its doors when representatives from Scotland encouraged the government of Jamaica to establish a Queen's College in Spanish Town. This institution also did not last long and again government-sponsored secondary education was lacking in the country. In 1895, a Presbyterian minister, Rev. Adam Thomson, and a government representative for St. James and Trelawny, Hon. John Kerr, petitioned the government to allocate 500 pounds for secondary education in Montego Bay.


1896–1921

Thus, in 1896, Cornwall College was born. The school was at that time located on Barracks Road (site of the Public Works Office) and was called Montego Bay Government Secondary School. Mr. E. Lockett, B.A., was named the first
headmaster A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the teacher, staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school ...
and he served until 1903. He was succeeded by Anglican priest, Rev. George Hibbert Leader in 1904. Leader served some 19 years at the helm of the institution which ran into difficulties due to the rapid growth of the student body and the resulting lack of classroom space. It was then that in 1909 the Hon. D. A. Corinaldi stepped in and used his considerable influence and status to procure 2,500 pounds from the government to assist in the establishment of a new school site. Between 1910 and 1911, 34 acres of land were bought at the Pleasant Hill Estate where the institution was constructed. The school was officially opened at its new location in 1911 by the then
Governor of Jamaica This is a list of viceroys in Jamaica from its initial occupation by Spain in 1509, to its independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. For a list of viceroys after independence, see Governor-General of Jamaica. For context, see History of Jamai ...
, Sir Sidney Olivier.


1922–Present

In 1922, Montego Bay Government Secondary School was renamed Cornwall College after
Cornwall County, Jamaica Cornwall is the westernmost of the three historic counties into which Jamaica is divided. It has no current-day administrative significance. It includes Montego Bay, the island's second largest city by area. ''The county of Cornwall is shown ...
in which it is located. In 1953, Cornwall College came under the leadership of Mr. E.A. Barrett, the school's first Jamaican-born headmaster. Under Barrett's leadership, the school's population grew to over 650 boys. During his tenure, the institution was named the first government school in Jamaica and also the first high school in the West Indies to offer Chemistry and Physics as subjects in its curriculum, and for many years the majority of doctors and pharmacists in Jamaica were graduates of the school . Cornwall College now houses some 52 classrooms and 1,245 students. Former principal, Dr. Lennox Rowe, took office from acting principal Vinette Virgo in 2016. He left the institution in 2017, upper school vice principal, Mrs. Lecia Allen took the role of acting principal. On 8 May 2018, Mr. Michael Ellis, former principal of Green Pond High School for 13 years, took office from acting principal Lecia Allen. The buildings are very colourful, sporting the school colours of red and gold. Many well-known figures have passed through the gates of Cornwall College including Speaker of the House of Representatives: Hon. Headley Cunningham; Chief Justices Sir Rowland Phillips, Sir Herbert Duffus and Kenneth Smith; Members of Parliament: Dr. Horace Chang, Dr. Kenneth Baugh, Dr. Karl Blythe, Arthur Nelson, Lloyd B. Smith (Editor of the Western Mirror) and the late Patrick Rosegreen; Ambassador Derrick Heaven; the late Dr. Garth Taylor; the late Walt Crooks, owner of Club Inferno Resort; William "Billy" Craig, former
Custos Rotulorum ''Custos rotulorum'' (; plural: ''custodes rotulorum''; Latin for "keeper of the rolls", ) is a civic post that is recognised in the United Kingdom (except Scotland) and in Jamaica. England, Wales and Northern Ireland The ''custos rotulorum'' is t ...
of St. James; Montego Bay businessman Carlton Chin; American businessman Vincent HoSang; Physics professors Dr. H. Vernon Wong and Dr. Paul M. Shand; Chemistry professor Dr. Vernon G. S. Box.


Enrollment of girls

Cornwall College no longer enrolls female students in their Sixth Form programme as of 2015-2016. The programme began at the start of the academic year 2013–2014, 117 years after the school's establishment as an all-male institution. It ended as mentioned earlier in the academic year of 2015-2016. The programme has reverted to its original state of being unisex.


List of Headmasters and Principals

* Mr. E. V. Lockett (1896–1903) * Rev. George Hibbert Leader (1904–1923) * Rev. E. B. Baker (1924–1940) * Mr. John Hardie (1940–1942) * Lt. Col. Norman E. Jackson ( –1953) * Mr. Everald Arthurton Barrett (1956–1966) * Mr. James Arthur William Crick (1966–1976) * Mr Bevill St Elmo deBruin (actg.) (1976–1978) * Dr. Dudley Clifford Stokes (1978–1984) * Mrs Vilma Baugh (actg.) (1984–1986) * Mr. Noel Monteith (1986 - 1990) * Mr. Croswell Taylor (1990? – 2006?) * Mr. Denham McIntyre (2006–2014?) * Mrs. Vinette Virgo (actg.) (2014–2016) * Dr. Lennox Rowe (2016–2017) * Mrs. Lecia Allen (actg.) (2017–2019) * Mr. Michael Ellis (2018– )


Historic buildings

Harrison House, one of the original boarding houses at Cornwall College was declared a
National Heritage site A national heritage site is a heritage site having a value that has been registered by a governmental agency as being of national importance to the cultural heritage or history of that country. Usually such sites are listed in a heritage registe ...
by the
Jamaica National Heritage Trust The Jamaica National Heritage Trust is responsible for the promotion, preservation, and development of Jamaica's material cultural heritage (buildings, monuments, bridges, etc.). The organisation maintains the list of National Heritage Sites in Ja ...
in 1999.


Motto

The school's motto is '' Disce aut Discede'' — Learn or Leave.


Academics


Jamaica Scholars

* Henry Vernon Wong (1957) * Eddison Leighton (1983)


Rhodes Scholars

*
Rex Nettleford Ralston Milton "Rex" Nettleford, OM, FIJ, OCC (3 February 1933 – 2 February 2010), was a Jamaican scholar, social critic, choreographer, and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), the leading research university ...
(1957) * Henry Vernon Wong (1961) * Ernest Milton Hew (1964) * David McBean (1988)


Extracurricular activities

Cornwall has been successful in extracurricular activities such as the performing arts, essay competitions, and debating competitions. Additionally, achievements in the performing arts, one of the school's oldest and most successful, yet under-appreciated/supported societies has done excellently over the years. The young men have copped several gold and silver medals and national awards in the annual JCDC festival of the arts competition (Music & Speech) and have performed nationally at several functions island wide. Recently, the performing arts society underwent a change in the operations of its award-winning boys choir (CCBC). The school's closest neighboring school – the Mount Alvernia high school for girls V was incorporated into the school's performing arts society. They are dubbed the MACC (pronounced 'mak) Singers - (Mount Alvernia Cornwall College Singers) and serve as the combined choir for both schools. The choir has lived up to the expectations of both schools' high performance in music and have won numerous awards at music festival and the Dr. Olive Lewin Award for best choral music presentation twice (2012 and 2013). Cornwall College has an adequate Interact Club (of Rotary International) which is a major club of its sort in western Jamaica. Their ruling government is unknown. The art department is a well-known patron of many national poster competitions. The Geography Club of Cornwall has participated in several events and return many trophies to the institution. The Cornwall College Chess Club has a history of being one of the stronger chess teams in western Jamaica. The Cornwall College cadet unit was placed first in the 4th battalion and third in the 2011 annual inspection. Cadets from Cornwall captured the top four positions on the star four examinations in February 2011. This was the first time the top four positions were taken by cadets from the same unit. Cadets from Cornwall were engaged in World War II.


Sports

Upon entering Cornwall College, each student is assigned to one of six
houses A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
. The houses are named after prominent past principals. The school hosts an annual inter-house sporting competition called
Sports Day Sports days (British English) or field days (American English) are events staged by many schools and offices in which people participate in competitive sporting activities, often with the aim of winning trophies or prizes. Though they are often h ...
. Students compete in football, track and field, basketball, inter-house quiz and other events to earn points for their respective houses. The winning house will be crowned champion for that year. There are also team and individual medals. The school has excelled in sports and was named one of the top male institution in football (soccer), holding the famous Olivier Shield over 11 times. Upon the inception of the schoolboy daCosta Cup competition, Cornwall College also displayed their talents and skills to grab a hold of the trophy in 1953, 55, 56, 58, 59, 63, 82, 83, 95, 2000, 2001 and 2016. Furthermore, they are currently the defending champions of the ISSA basketball U19 and U16 competitions for the last three years.


Notable alumni


Arts and humanities

* John Ebenezer Clare McFarlane, Poet Laureate of Jamaica * Professor Hon. Ralston Milton "Rex" Nettleford, former vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies * Maurice Tomlinson, Esq., attorney, law lecturer, prominent LGBTQ+ advocate, and HIV/AIDS activist *
Anthony C. Winkler Anthony C. Winkler (25 February 1942 – 18 September 2015)
, Jamaican novelist


Business

*
Vincent Hosang, OD, entrepreneur and philanthropist *
Denham Jolly Brandeis Denham Jolly, OD, , LL.D (born August 26, 1935)
, Canadian businessman


Judiciary

* Sir Herbert Duffus, Chief Justice (1968–1973) and acting Governor-General of Jamaica * Sir Rowland Phillips, Chief Justice of Jamaica (1963-1968) and acting Governor-General of Jamaica * Hon. Kenneth Smith, OJ, Chief Justice of Jamaica (1973-1984).


Politics

* Hon. Dr. Kenneth Baugh, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade * Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, Member of Parliament for North-West St. James and Minister of Water and Housing * Hon. Headley Cunningham, OJ, Speaker of the House of Representatives (1989-1993) * Hon. Heroy Clarke, Member of Parliament for St. James Central Constituency * Hon. Homer Davis, CD, JP Member of Parliament for St. James Southern


Science, technology, engineering and medicine

* Dr. Andre Haughton, Jamaican economist and politician * Dr. The Hon. Garth Taylor, OJ, ophthalmologist and philanthropist * Professor H. Vernon Wong, Ph.D., Plasma Physicist.


Sports

*
Warren Barrett Warren Barrett (born 7 September 1970) is a Jamaican retired football goalkeeper and currently goalkeeping coach. Nicknamed 'Boopie', he played mostly for Violet Kickers F.C., but also played one season for Wadadah F.C. in the 2000/2001 season. ...
, Jamaican international footballer * Hon. Steve Bucknor, OJ, international cricket umpire and coach * Jourdaine Fletcher, Jamaican international footballer *
Esmond Kentish Esmond Seymour Maurice Kentish (21 November 1916 – 10 June 2011) was a West Indies cricket team, West Indian international cricketer who played in two Test cricket, Test matches from English cricket team in West Indies in 1947-48, 1948 to Engl ...
, West Indian cricketer *
Dane Richards Dane O'Brian Richards (born 14 December 1983) is a Jamaican former professional footballer, who played as a winger. He spent the majority of his career with Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls. Career Youth and college Richards was a ...
, Jamaican international footballer *
Donovan Ricketts Donovan Ricketts (born 7 June 1977) is a Jamaican former professional association football, footballer who played as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper and is currently an assistant coach for FC Tulsa in the USL Championship. Ricke ...
, Jamaican international footballer


Former teachers

* Rt. Hon. P. J. Patterson, former Prime Minister of Jamaica


References

{{Schools in Jamaica Boys' schools in Jamaica Buildings and structures in Saint James Parish, Jamaica Educational institutions established in 1896 Anglican Church in the Caribbean Buildings and structures in Montego Bay 1896 establishments in the British Empire