A MEMORIAL SCHOOL

Dan E. Sharples by L. Evelyn Moe
Happiest of men, He found his niche of labour,
And to the goal, reckless of fear or favour,
Of high preferment, or of breath of slander,
Onward he pressed, his single aim to
mould the minds of youth,
so seek beyond, the golden streams of
knowledge and of truth.
Nor ceased be when, this happily accomplished,
Time rolled, and others named them
“men.”
“Boys” ever were they; and with jealous
care
He gazed, to glean perchance how each did
fare.
Now bursting forth in anger choleric,
He stormed and scolded, fretted, argued,
fumed,
A fleeting moment, and with mind attuned
To gentler feelings, forth he stretched his
hand,
to smooth their pathway as with fairy wand.
This was a man. Now we mourn his loss.
Old Master, True Friend, “Dan,” “Old Sharples,” “The Boss.”
Freely he gave, and recked not, of his best.
God grant him rest.


A MEMORIAL SCHOOL
TO THE EDITOR: “The Daily Argosy.” SIR, - It is not too late in the day for the City Council of Georgetown to identify itself more closely with education by establishing a fine Borough School well appointed, well and efficiently staffed. It is a reproach to our “Garden City” that it should be without a school standing and amongst the rest as a model in every respect. However, much we may praise the work done by St. Thomas’ School under the late Mr. Sharples we cannot disguise the fact that the atmosphere of the School is not desirable. It is disgraceful that the best school of the city and of the colony should be found coupled up in one of the worst alleys of the city – tiger Bay, the rendezvous of the cut throat and the demimonde – a school the pupils of which have to fall back upon a broad pavement and the open street for a playground! My suggestion is that a large building of distinct architectural merit be erected at a corner of the Parade Ground in Middle Street to house the pupils of this school.
A more ideal spot for such an institution could not be found for this “Sharples Memorial School”. The principal should be a Master of Method from an approved Normal College in England or Canada (Canadian teachers are not to be despised). A capable Kindergarten teacher ought also to find a place on the staff. The assistant teachers who could be found locally should all be certificated. In recommending an outsider as Principal, I do so, not in disparagement of our local headmasters, but, however, proud we may feel of many of them the fact remains that they have never had the advantage of the foreign trained man.
As for the financial side of the scheme. I see no difficulty. The money for the building could well be raised by a loan and as for running expenses I do not think that the levy of a small educational rate on the citizens would drive them all into Bankruptcy Court. We are not a whit poorer than our neighbours in Dutch Guiana and their educational system which I had the good fortune quite recently to study on the spot, puts us to shame. We in British Guiana thrive on talk and good intentions, but good intentions are not deeds. I commend this suggestion to our able City Fathers in particular, and to the citizens of Georgetown in general, for their earnest consideration and hope to live long enough to see the Model School rearing its proud head on the site I have suggested for it. I am, etc. W. G. Burgan the Vicarage, Belladrum 26th November 1921