History of Harrison (article written in 1997)

Approximately 45 years ago the brainchild of Elder H.S. Walters was born in the form of a school.  This child, like many others was of lowly birth and poor, humble parentage but she was well fed and properly cared for by her foster parents.  On her birthday, 28 persons were present and the birth took place in the gallery of the old Montego Bay S.D.A. Church.  She was named after one of her grandmothers.

Her childhood days were difficult ones and progress was slow but it was evident that God was her Maker and Sustainer and she was destined to succeed though opposed from many angles.  Her father, Elder H.S. Walters, could not be in immediate charge of this child, so her first foster father was Elder I.B. Benson and her aunts and uncles were Mr. A.H. McLean, Miss Valda Morrison, Miss Dorothy Dally and Miss Hazel Plumber.  These took such very good care that by the end of one year she grew so well that additional help had to be sought and this was provided in the persons of Mrs. I.B. Benson.

Like every normal child, baby Harrison soon outgrew the cradle and a larger had to be provided, so a new building was started; in a little while, the five-apartment building on the same lot of land was completed.  Harrison was creeping so she made her first steps when in 1953 the first set of students sat the Senior Cambridge Examinations.  Of the candidates all were successful.  The steps were by this time much stronger and “the child grew in wisdom and statue and in favour with God and man.”

As the years passed on, the steps became stronger and stronger and in 1958, the first set of students were graduated, under the principalship of Mrs. O. Reid who succeeded Pastor Joe Fletcher the second principal.  When in 1958 Mrs. O. Reid went back to Antigua on furlough. Mr. A.L. Dwyer became the fourth principal.  Under the paternal care, the child passed into adolescence and gave valuable service to both students as well as the community.  She was now changing into adulthood; consequently she needed her own territory so in 1961, the students led by Elder C.R. Perry marched over and took their abode at 3 Cottage Road, its present site.

In 1966, the new school building was dedicated and at the end of this year (1997), Dr. Dwyer completed eight (8) years of dedicated service and left for the United States of America to further his education.  In 1967, Mrs. O. Reid again mothered this child, but left us at the end of the following year to Andrews University.  It was during her maternal care that Chemistry was introduced in the school’s curriculum.  She cared her ably and will until the time of sudden illness which struck that fatal blow in October 1969.  Mrs. Reid is gone but her charm, poise and dedication will always be remembered.  May she awake in that first resurrection to see those for whom she labored so well.

The school year 1968-1969 was named by Mr. J. Haakmat, who was instrumental in forming the nucleus of the Science Laboratory.  When Elder C.R. Perry became principal in 1969, the adult was now feeling labour pains and gave birth to a young child in the form of a new building for the Preparatory Department.  This child is fast becoming an adult and will soon be on its own.

The year 1971 saw the return of Dr. A.L. Dwyer as father and Mrs. L. Reid as mother and with the combined effort of these two, the enrollment increased.  In 1974, Dr. Dwyer was called to be Education Director of the West Indies Union and Mr. C. Jones was called to manage the affairs.  His stay was short but his leadership was greatly felt especially was on the matter of discipline.  Family obligations forbade him to stay for long, so after one year he was succeeded by Mr. M. Chapman who served for two years.  It was during his time that Harrison made her strongest steps academically, for in the G.C.E. Examination, 57 students passed one or more subjects with getting 28 getting from three to seven subjects respectively.  We say “ride on Harrison.”  At the beginning of the next school year Pastor W.H. Gunter took up the task of fathering this young lady and although it was not an easy job he managed well.  However, he was not to father long as in 1979 he was succeeded by Mrs. L. Wright, who served from 1979 to 1983.  It was during this period that a Science Laboratory, the Typing Room and the spacious Fourth Form Block were added to the then existing building and the school was prepared for the visit of Elder L.H. Fletcher as a preview for the accreditation team from the Board of Regents.  In April 1983, we were visited by a team of eight, with a view of accrediting the school.

We were overwhelmed with joy and satisfaction that the school had been granted full accreditation from our headquarters in Washington and also from the Ministry of Education.  To God be the glory.

Mrs. Mavis Reid became the principal in September 1984.  For eleven years, she served the school faithfully and well.  It was during her regime that a resourceful and attractive library was erected to complete the building.

As the thought of relocation became imminent, a chapter in the school’s history came to a sudden close, when on December 31, 1995, sudden illness struck the fatal blow on Mrs. Reid.  She will long be remembered as a strict disciplinarian, a jovial alumnus and a diligent worker.  We hope that she will receive the “well done” when Jesus returns.

The school now continues to succeed with Miss Goria Brown as newly appointed Principal and Mr. Paul Watson as Vice Principal.  In April 1996, the school was again examined by the Board of Regents who again granted full accreditation for another five years.  The Ministry of Education commends the school for its very good performance in external examinations especially in the area of Business and Mathematics.

We are now faced with the mammoth task of relocation.  Already the new school is under construction on the West Jamaica Conference property at Mt. Salem.  We hereby solicit cash and kind from alumni, parents and friends to aid in the construction of our new school building which will cost Two Hundred Million Jamaican dollars (J$200,000,000).

Submitted by Miss Gloria Brown (Principal, 1997)