Jamaica College

Jamaica College is a prominent, all-male secondary school located in Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...

. It provides traditional classroom education to its students in a variety of subject areas.
The institution caters to students aged 11 to 19 years. First established as a boarding school

Boarding school

A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...

for boys, Jamaica College has remained a single-sex school, however the boarding facilities have been removed. The school provides education to around 1,800 boys and is complemented with over 90 teaching staff.

During the 18th century when Jamaica

Jamaica

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...

prospered as a sugar colony of the British Empire

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

, several large donations were made for the funding of schools. The objective of these bequests was usually to provide free education for the poor of the parish to which the benefactor belonged. Jamaica College is a product of such a bequest.

The institution is widely known in Jamaica for both its academic and sports achievements, and has had the privilege of producing many influential members of Jamaican society, most notably, the current Prime Minister of Jamaica

Prime Minister of Jamaica

The Prime Minister of Jamaica is Jamaica's head of government, currently Andrew Holness. Andrew Holness was elected as the new leader of the governing Jamaica Labour Party and succeeded Bruce Golding to become Jamaica's ninth Prime Minister on 23 October 2011...

, Bruce Golding

Bruce Golding

Orette Bruce Golding MP served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from 11 September 2007 to 23 October 2011. He is a member of the Jamaica Labour Party.-Biography:...

, former Prime Minister Michael Manley

Michael Manley

Michael Norman Manley ON OCC was the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica . Manley was a democratic socialist....

, and former Chief Minister and Premier of Jamaica, Norman Washington Manley, who is also the father of Michael Manley and the founder of the People's National Party

People's National Party

The People's National Party is a social democratic and social liberal Jamaican political party, founded by Norman Manley in 1938. It is the oldest political party in the Anglophone Caribbean and one of the main two political parties in Jamaica. Out of the two major parties, it is considered more...

Drax Free School

Jamaica College was founded in 1789, making it the fourth oldest high school in the country. It was first known as the Drax Free School in the parish of St. Ann

Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica

Saint Ann is the largest parish in Jamaica. It is situated on the north coast of the island, in the county of Middlesex, roughly halfway between the eastern and western ends of the island. It is often called 'the Garden Parish of Jamaica' on account of its natural beauty...

, and was founded by Charles Drax, a planter of that parish, who was originally from Twickenham

Twickenham

Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...

, England. Drax came to Jamaica from Barbados

Barbados

Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...

in 1721, and left money in his will to establish a charity school in St. Ann. There was some delay and legal proceedings before the money was handed over to the St. Ann vestry. It was in 1802 that the sum of £5,200 (JA$10,400 at the time), was applied by an Act of the Legislature to the endowment of the school.

Jamaica Free School

The Jamaica Free School was established at Walton, near Moneague

Moneague

Moneague is a small town in Saint Ann, Jamaica on the main road between Kingston and Ocho Rios.In the colonial days, the town prospered as a stopover for the rich English on their journey....

, in the parish of St. Ann. The property at Walton Pen was bought for the site of the school, purchased in 1806. A year later, another Act of Legislature gave the school the name, Jamaica Free School. Both the names Drax Free School and Jamaica Free School had nothing to do with the concept of free tuition for attendees, but meant that the school was for the children of free people, not slaves - the existence of such was the nature of that era.

Jamaica High School

The school had its named changed 72 years later. In 1879, during the governorship of Sir Anthony Musgrave

Anthony Musgrave

Sir Anthony Musgrave KCMG was a colonial administrator and governor. He was born at St John’s, Antigua, the third of 11 children of Anthony Musgrave and Mary Harris Sheriff...

, a provision was made by law for the Jamaica Free School to come under the jurisdiction of the Jamaica School Commission. The institution was now to be known under a new name, Jamaica High School. All classes at the time were free so there was no longer a need to call the school Jamaica Free School, but the purpose of the school remained the same until 1903. This law also authorized the removal of the school from Walton Pen in St. Ann in 1883, and classes were conducted at Barbican Great House until mid 1885. The school then had a new headmaster, Reverend (later Archdeacon

Archdeacon

An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...

) William Simms.

The buildings on Old Hope Road were opened on July 9, 1885, by the then Governor of Jamaica, Sir Henry Wylie Norman

Henry Wylie Norman

Field Marshal Sir Henry Wylie Norman GCB, GCMG, CIE , Field Marshal and colonial Governor.-Early life:He was born 2 December 1826, only son of James Norman, merchant, and his wife Charlotte, née Wylie....

, and the first classes took place in September of the same year. In September 1890, a college was opened in connection with the school, known as University College. The site at Old Hope Road was also the tropical outpost of the University of London

University of London

-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...

. It was therefore decided that the purpose of the school would be to give secondary preparation to potential students of the University of London who happened to reside in Jamaica. The name revision reflected this change, which became the school's second purpose. Until 1902 there were two separate names for the school's units. Subsequently, Jamaica High School and University College were amalgamated under the name Jamaica College. Therefore, during its history, the school has changed both name and location four times.

Given that the sole purpose of Jamaica College from 1903 onwards was to train potential university students in the days when the University of the West Indies

University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...

did not exist, in practice most students did not go further than fourth or fifth forms. That was considered sufficient education for just about any managerial or clerical job in Jamaica. It was also considered uneconomical to run a school of less than eighty boys, and therefore a deliberate attempt to expand the school to include those of parents who were able to afford the fees was embarked upon. By the 1930s, the student population rose to over one hundred and fifty.

In 1957, the elected government of the day introduced a system of Common Entrance to all High Schools in Jamaica. After some amount of initial resistance by the school board, Jamaica College, previously accessible only to the elite and a few academically extraordinary boys who won government scholarships, was opened up to the masses of Jamaica. The school now provided one of several outlets for secondary education in Jamaica.

Jamaica College developed as a boarding institution until 1967, when that system was removed. Up to that period, the school population was primarily composed of boys from affluent families and heritage. Today, as a day school, it comprises students from a wide cross-section of the community. Over the years, it has nurtured a rich tradition in academic and athletic fields. Its Old Boys

Old Boys

The terms Old Boys and Old Girls are the usual expressions in use in the United Kingdom for former pupils or alumni of primary and secondary schools. While these are traditionally associated with independent schools, they are also used for some schools in the state sector...

continue to play important roles in the religious, political, business and professional services, of Jamaica.

Notably, in 2011, Jamaica College was awarded to be the most innovative high school in Jamaica which is a reflection of the many achievements and special development programmes that have been implemented at the institution in recent times.

The award was received through the Unearthing Innovations Project education competition.

Campus

Continuing in its tradition of excellence and innovation, the campus of Jamaica College was selected as the site for a new outdoor electrical lighting pilot project being led by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica

Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica

For the Dutch shortwave radio station see PCJJPetroleum Corporation of Jamaica is a petroleum company owned by the government of Jamaica. It was established in 1975 as State Energy Corporation under the Ministry of Mining and Energy and changed its name in 1979 by the Petroleum Act. The PCJ has the...

in the organisation's efforts to promote renewable energy sources.

Historic buildings

The Jamaica College campus is currently owned by the Jamaica College Trust. Since June 19, 2000, four buildings on the campus have been declared National Heritage Sites by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust

Jamaica National Heritage Trust

The Jamaica National Heritage Trust is responsible for the promotion, preservation, and development of Jamaica's material cultural heritage .The organisation maintains a list of National Heritage Sites in Jamaica....

Simms building

Built in 1885 of masonry and timber, the Simms building exhibits a combination of Gothic

Gothic architecture

Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....

and Georgian

Georgian architecture

Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...

features; the projecting central tower and wings are reminiscent of Georgian designs, while the façade's soaring verticals, griffins, and pointed arch openings, are Gothic. The building at Hope was designed at the time to accommodate boarders as well as day students, and was large enough to hold the whole school without difficulty. It now houses the administrative offices, staff room and sixth form

Sixth form

In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...

classrooms. For over a hundred years, Simms Hall has been the core of the Jamaica College buildings, its strength and durability repeatedly demonstrated by its resistance to hurricanes and earthquakes, including the disastrous Kingston earthquake of 1907

1907 Kingston earthquake

The 1907 Kingston earthquake which shook the capital of the island of Jamaica with a magnitude of 6.5 on the moment magnitude scale on Monday January 14th, at about 3:30 pm local time , was considered by many writers of that time one of the world's deadliest earthquakes recorded in history...

Scotland building

Erected in 1889 of brick, mortar, and wood, with iron detailing on the balcony railings, the Scotland building combines a variety of architectural styles including palladian windows on the west elevation, a lower arcaded wrap around verandah

Verandah

A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...

, and a steep-pitched cedar shingled hip roof

Hip roof

A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...

. It was first used as a dormitory, and it now houses classrooms.

Assembly Hall

Constructed in 1913 of concrete block and steel, the Assembly Hall is wrapped by an arcaded verandah which helps to keep the interior cool. Its hipped roof of cedar shingles is partially concealed by parapet walls. It was originally used as an assembly hall, and it now houses classrooms.

The Chapel

The chapel was built in 1924. Its walls are constructed of reinforced concrete and concrete breather block. Along the north and south elevations a stepped roof creates a clerestory

Clerestory

Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...

level for ventilation and defused lighting. The east and west windows of the building are of stained glass. The west window is said to be a replica of St.Dunstan's window at Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....

in England. There is a war memorial which commemorates the memory of the 17 Jamaica College Old Boys who sacrificed their lives during the 1st World War

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

The Hendrickson Auditorium

Since 2006, the Jamaica College Trust has embarked on a 5-year school improvement and renovation programme. One of the projects incuded the construction of a multi-purpose auditorium. Named after Hon. Dr. Karl Hendrickson, a Jamaica College alumnus who contributed heavily to the construction project, the new Christian auditorium is poised to host the school's formal events, including graduations, prize giving ceremonies, morning devotions, general assembly and theater and music productions. Jamaica College will now be able to comfortably host various indoor sporting events such as basketball, volleyball, badminton and table tennis in the 11,000 sqft structure.
The auditorium was opened on November 22, 2010.

The Phillip Gore Building

During the summer of 2011, four classrooms were refurbished and a fifth constructed on the Jamaica College campus. Because of the contributions of Phillip Gore to the construction of the classrooms, the building has been officially named "The Phillip Gore Building".

The building was dedicated to the school on September 30, 2011.

Curriculum

As a secondary school in Jamaica, Jamaica College follows the traditional English grammar school model used throughout the British West Indies

British West Indies

The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...

, which incorporates the optional year 12

Year Twelve

Year Twelve is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It is sometimes the twelfth year of compulsory education, or alternatively a year of post-compulsory education...

and 13

Year Thirteen

Year Thirteen is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It is sometimes the thirteenth and final year of compulsory education, or alternatively a year of post-compulsory education...

, collectively known as sixth form

Sixth form

. The first year of secondary school is regarded as first form, or year seven

Year Seven

Year Seven is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand. It is usually the seventh year of compulsory education and incorporates students aged between eleven and thirteen.-Australia:...

, and the subsequent year groups are numbered in increasing order up to sixth form. Students in the upper sixth form (year thirteen) are prepared for their GCE A-level examinations, however the option exists to sit exams after completing lower sixth form (year 12).

Subjects offered at Jamaica College

Core Courses (available from 1st-3rd form)
English A (English Language), Mathematics, Physical Education
Agricultural Science, Art, Automechanics, Biology, Chemistry, English B (English Literature), French, Geography, History, Integrated Science, Physics, Religious Education, Spanish, Technical Drawing

CAPE Courses (available from 4th-5th form)
Biology, Chemistry, French, Physics, Spanish, Mathematics, Information Technology

CXC Courses (available from 4th-5th form)
English A (English Language), Mathematics
Biology, Chemistry, English B (English Literature), French, Geography, History, Mathematics, Office Procedures, Physics, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business, Spanish, Typing, Information Technology

GCE O'Level Courses (available from 4th-5th form)
General Paper, French, Spanish, Admanced Mathematics, Information Technology

GCE A'Level Courses (available in 6th form)
Accounts, Admanced Mathematics, Chemistry, Economics, French, Information Technology, Physics, Pure Mathematics, Spanish

Optional Courses (available from 5th-6th form)
Aviation Education

Rhodes Scholars

Since 1904, Jamaica College has had a rich history of producing Rhodes Scholars who have gone on to lead in various capacities both locally and internationally. To date, there have been 15 Rhodes Scholar recipients that attended Jamaica College.

Flight School

Jamaica College is the first English-speaking high school in the Caribbean to offer an aviation programme to its students. The course is being offered in partnership with a Jamaican company, The Flying Club. It will operate under the Aircraft Training Organisation's (ATO) approval granted to The Flying Club by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) for a private pilot's licence ground school.

Robotics

On December 1, 2009, Jamaica College announced the establishment of a robotics

Robotics

Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...

programme and its entry in the FIRST

First

First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one.First or 1st may also refer to:* First , minor summit below the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland* First , mountain in Bernese Alps in Switzerland...

Competition

FIRST Robotics Competition

The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...

, the premier Robotics Competition in the United States for high school students. The Jamaica College Old Boys Association of New York, Inc., partnered with Jamaica College in the project and spearheaded the creation of the fully outfitted Robotics Lab at the school and promote practical applications of robotics adopted into the school's science education.
With this project, Jamaica College marked a historic first entry for a Caribbean high school and a school outside of the United States in the robotics field.

Cadet

The Jamaica College Cadet Unit (JCCU) is a member of the first battalion of the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF).

Chapel Choir

The Jamaica College Chapel Choir. They have received many accolades for their numerous performances and have demonstrated the rich heritage and diversity that exists in the school's development of its students.

Athletics

Annually, various high schools, athletic clubs and organisations compete in the Wata/Powerade/Jamaica College Track & Field Development Meet. , there has been 18 stagings of the Jamaica College Invitational. The meet, which serves as a qualifying event for the Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships

Inter-Secondary Schools Boys and Girls Championships

Inter-Secondary Schools Boys and Girls Championships -Introduction:The Inter-Secondary Schools Boys’ and Girls’ Championships , is an annual multi-sport athletics meet for Jamaican high schools, featuring events similar to those in the track and field programs of the Summer Olympic Games and the...

, is the first official meet on the JAAA

Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association

- Jamaica Administrative Athletic Association :The Jamaica Administrative Athletic Association is an amateur athletics association based in Kingston, Jamaica. The current president of the association is Howard Aris....

local events calendar. The meet is sponsored by Wata and Powerade

Powerade

Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...

and is organised and hosted on the Jamaica College campus.

, the school has won the boys' title an overall 21 times at the Grace Kennedy and Company Limited

Grace Kennedy

Grace Kennedy was a Scottish writer. She was born at Pinmore in Ayrshire, but at an early age moved to Edinburgh. She wrote novels of a religious tendency which were very popular in their day. By 1920, they were very little read...

-sponsored Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships during the event's 101-year history.
The athletics team has maintained a promising showing over the recent years, consistently placing in the top five among all the participants.
The most recent victory has been achieved in the 2011 edition
, making the school the current champions and holders of the Mortimer Geddes Trophy. On April 2, 2011, Jamaica College marked the 100th anniversary of their first ever title in 1911 with their first hold on the title since 2000. It was also the first year that the Decathlon

Decathlon

The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...

and Javelin

Javelin

A Javelin is a light spear intended for throwing. It is commonly known from the modern athletic discipline, the Javelin throw.Javelin may also refer to:-Aviation:* ATG Javelin, an American-Israeli civil jet aircraft, under development...

were contested at the championships, with both events being won by Jamaica College athletes.

The Hugo Chambers 10K Road Race is a tribute to the late former Jamaica College headmaster and sports administrator, Hugo Chambers. The event takes place in the Liguanea

Liguanea

Liguanea is a historically significant area in the island of Jamaica in the West Indies. Its name came from the language of the pre-Columbian Taino people who inhabited the island and named it after the iguana lizard that is endemic to the island, and an important source of food for the...

/Papine area. The event is usually organised for October or November annually and includes 1.7 km (1.1 mi), 3.2 km (2 mi) and 10 km (6.2 mi) events.

Basketball

Jamaica College participates in the KFC

KFC

KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...

-sponsored ISSA Schoolboy Basketball Competition as a member of the Southern Conference.

Cricket

The urban area secondary schools compete annually in the Grace Shield Schoolboy Cricket Competition, a Grace

Grace Kennedy

-sponsored schoolboy cricket

Cricket

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...

competition.

Football

The Pepsi

Pepsi

Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...

and Digicel

Digicel

Digicel is a mobile phone network provider covering parts of Oceania, Central America, and the Caribbean regions. The company is owned by Irishman Denis O'Brien, is incorporated in Bermuda, and based in Jamaica. It provides mobile services in 26 countries and territories throughout the Caribbean...

sponsored, ISSA Manning Cup Schoolboy Football Competition, was first played in 1909. Jamaica College won the Manning Cup for eight of the first nine years, losing only once in 1920. , Jamaica College are the current champions and has won 24 Manning Cup titles, making them the school with the most wins.

The ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Schoolboy Walker Cup Knock-out Competition is a knock-out tournament

Single-elimination tournament

A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...

of the top eight teams emerging from the first round of the Manning Cup competition. The number of teams and the knock-out nature of the competition allow for only three rounds of play; the quarter-final round, semi-final round then the final. The Walker Cup is held after the first round and before the inter-zone round of the Manning Cup. In 2009, after a century of schoolboy football history in Jamaica, Jamaica College attained their first hold on the Walker Cup.

The Sydney Olivier Interscholastic Challenge Shield is the oldest and most prestigious schoolboy football title in Jamaica. The Olivier Shied, as it is more commonly known, is a two-game playoff which symbolises schoolboy football supremacy as the Manning Cup Champions (who emerge from Jamaica's corporate area schools) are pitted against their rural area counterparts, the DaCosta Cup Champions.
Jamaica College have made good on their Olivier Shield acquisitions, having been able to obtain the trophy over 70% of the time that they are Manning Cup Champions. This record, when coupled with Jamaica College's win percentage in the Manning Cup, makes them the most successful high school from the urban area.

In December 2010, Jamaica College completed a historic triple by winning all the Under-19 schoolboy football competitions on offer during a single season.
Consequently, Jamaica College was also successful in defending the Walker Cup in the 2010 season of football which meant that this was the first time in the school's history that Jamaica College were the title-holders of both urban area schoolboy football titles - the Manning and Walker Cups. With this milestone accomplishment, Jamaica College has won every schoolboy football title on offer except the Under-16 Colts title since 2005.

There are several special football competitions that are played between traditional rival schools which are most often used as practice for the football season. Since 2004, the football teams of Jamaica College and Calabar High School compete in three age group categories namely the Under-14, Under-16, also known as Colts, and Under-19, that is, the Manning Cup team, along with a special old-boys over-35 match.
Both schools vie for the Keane-Crosskill Shield.
The competition was created in commemoration of two outstanding individuals - Dr. Keane, a Calabar Old Boy and Hugh Crosskill, a Jamaica College Old Boy who both died in 2004.

Field Hockey

Jamaica College competes in both the Under-16 and Under-19 divisions of the ISSA-sponsored Jamaica Hockey Federation Hockey League. In 2011, Jamaica College became the current champions of the Under-19 division
and placed third in the Under-16.

School crest

The left half of the school's crest incorporates the red cross of England and the five golden pineapples that is to be found on Jamaica's Coat of Arms

Coat of arms of Jamaica

Considered as a legacy from the British with slight modifications, the Jamaican Coat of Arms was granted to Jamaica in 1661 under Royal Warrant. The original was designed by William Sancroft, then Archbishop of Canterbury....

. The pineapple

Pineapple

Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...

symbolizes justice, trust and honour, and each pineapple plant gives its own life to produce a single fruit. Around 1681, Sir Christopher Wren

Christopher Wren

Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...

had begun using pineapple finials on churches and since then, the fruit has been recognized as a Christian symbol. The pine cone has a long-held imperial significance. The Romans

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....

placed pine cones on their buildings and monuments to symbolize confidence in the administrative, judicial and defensive power of the state. This cross therefore demonstrates the school's Christian background and allegiance and association to Jamaica.

There is an open book in the top right section of the shield to symbolise Bible

Bible

The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

truth, justice, and the importance of scholarly focus and academic pursuits. A golden griffin against a dark blue background completes the right half of the shield. The griffin, being the combination of the lion

Lion

The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

(king of beasts) and the eagle

Eagle

Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...

(most powerful and recognised bird of prey) represents the best of both creatures in terms of their characteristics and status - similar traits are to be displayed by each student.
Finally, the shield is surrounded by a scroll with the school's motto inscribed around the entire circumference.

Motto

The most commonly used form of the school motto is "Fervet opus in campis". In full, it is "Floreat collegium, fervet opus in campis". The complete Latin motto is literally translated as "May the college flourish, work is burning in the field". The inspiration for the school's motto stems from the harnessing of one's energy and motivation to enable success, especially in study. Students are taught that there must be the “fervet opus”, that is figuratively, we must not only strike the iron while it is hot, but strike it till it is made hot. Following on this, a proverb states that “He who has heart has everything” - che non arde non incende, who doth not burn doth not inflame. It is astonishing how much may be accomplished in self-culture by the energetic and the persevering, who are careful to avail themselves of opportunities, and use up the fragments of spare time which the idle permit to run to waste.

Prayer

The school prayer commences with the verse, "Bless O, Lord this College
Create among us a spirit of comradeship and loyalty to one another.
When we are called to obey, let us obey with willingness.
When we are called to serve, let us serve with gladness.
When we are called to rule , make us rule with justice.
Drive away from us all ignorance and hardness of heart.
All things dishonorable and unclean.
And build us up in body mind and spirit.
Until we come to the full statue of the perfect man,
Jesus Christ our lord.
Amen ".

Mascot

Jamaica College has never had an official mascot although the griffin is almost always cited as one.

Nickname

The nickname "True Blue" or sometimes "The Dark Blues" is based on the school's official colour of navy blue. Alumni affirm their association with the school by proclaiming to be "True Blue" graduates, loosely associated with the English idiom meaning to be indubitably loyal or faithful.

Alumni

The school has produced numerous prominent members of Jamaican society including:

Academia

Prof. Gladstone E. Mills, O.J.
Order of Jamaica
The Order of Jamaica is the fourth of the five ranks in the Jamaican honours system. The Order was established in 1969, and is considered the equivalent of knighthood in the British honours system....

, C.D.
Order of distinction
The Order of Distinction in Jamaica is the fifth in order of precedence of the Orders of Societies of Honour, which were instituted by an Act of Parliament – The National Honours and Awards Act.The Motto of the Order is "Distinction Through Service"....

, professor emeritus in the Department of Government, University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...

.

Arts and culture

Dennis Scott, playwright, poet, dancer, choreographer and actor (best known for appearances on The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...

).
Geoffrey Philp
Geoffrey Philp
Geoffrey Philp is a Jamaican poet, novelist, and playwright. He is the author of the novel, Benjamin, My Son and five poetry collections: Exodus and Other Poems, hurricane center, Florida Bound, xango music, and Twelve Poems and A Story for Christmas...

, writer.
Glen "Titus" Campbell, actor and comedian.
H. D. Carberry, writer.
John E. C. Hearne
John Edgar Colwell Hearne
John Edgar Colwell Hearne was a white Jamaican novelist, journalist, and teacher.Hearne's first published work was the novel Voices under the Window, issued in 1955...

, novelist, journalist and teacher.
Kwame Dawes
Kwame Dawes
Kwame Senu Neville Dawes is a poet, actor, editor, critic, musician, and Louis Frye Scudder Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of South Carolina. He currently works as editor-in-chief at the Prairie Schooner. -Life:...

, professor in English and poet.
Louis Marriott
Louis Marriott
Louis Marriott is a Jamaican Actor/Director/Writer/Broadcaster, the Executive Officer of the Michael Manley Foundation, and member of the Performing Right Society, Jamaica Federation of Musicians, and founding member of the Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists.Born: Old Pound Road, St...

, playwright, actor, director and journalist.
Michael G. Smith
M. G. Smith
Michael Garfield Smith OM was a Jamaican poet and social anthropologist. Smith was the son of a descendant of English army officers and merchants, and his mother a 'coloured' nurse who died in childbirth. Smith served as Franklin M. Crosby Professor Emeritus of the Human Environment at Yale...

, poet and social anthropologist.
Monty Alexander
Monty Alexander
Monty Alexander is a jazz pianist and melodica player. His playing has a strong Caribbean influence and swinging feeling, but he has also been influenced by Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Wynton Kelly, and Ahmad Jamal.-Biography:Alexander discovered the piano at the age of 4, taking classical music...

, internationally renowned Jazz pianist.
Neville Willoughby, radio personality, singer, writer and actor.

Business and finance

Carlton Alexander, former Chairman at Grace Kennedy & Co. Ltd.
Christopher Williams, former Managing Director at National Commercial Bank, Jamaica (NCB) Capital Markets.
Derick M. Latibeaudiere
Derick Milton Latibeaudiere
Hon. Derick Milton Latibeaudiere, OJ was Governor of Jamaica's central bank, the Bank of Jamaica who took office as Governor of the bank on the 1st April 1996 and is the first member of the Bank' s staff to have been appointed to this position. Mr...

, Bank of Jamaica
Bank of Jamaica
The Bank of Jamaica is the central bank of Jamaica located in Kingston. It was established by the and was opened on May 1, 1961.It is responsible for the monetary policy of Jamaica on the instruction of the Minister of Finance.- History :...

Governor (1996–2009).
Duane Lue Fung, businessman.
James Moss-Solomon, B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

, J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

, businessman.
Mark Young
Mark Young
Mark Young may refer to:*Mark Aitchison Young , British administrator, Governor of Hong Kong just before and after World War II*Mark John Young , Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for the Vale of Clwyd in the National Assembly for Wales election, 2007*Mark Young , motorcycle racer who died at the...

, businessman.
Ian Forbes, General Manager at Sherwin-Williams (Jamaica) Limited.
Karl Hendrickson, O.J., C.D., Hon. LLD., businessman and philanthropist.
Mayer Matalon, Chairman of the ICD Group of Companies.
Noel Nethersole, first Governor of the Bank of Jamaica.
Raby "Danny" Williams, O.J., C.D., Hon. LLD., J.P., CLU, businessman and philanthropist.
Robert E. Levy, businessman and philanthropist.

Civil aviation

Capt. Russell Capleton, former Air Jamaica
Air Jamaica
Air Jamaica is the current national airline of Jamaica. It is has been owned and operated by Caribbean Airlines since 26 May 2011. The airline, headquartered in Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago also has administrative offices located in Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica...

pilot and past president of the Jamaica Airline Pilots Association
Jamaica Airline Pilots Association
-External links:* * *...

(JALPA).

Clergy

Reverend Canon Dr. Robert McLean Thompson
Robert M. Thompson
Robert Means Thompson was a United States Navy officer, business magnate, philanthropist and a president of the American Olympic Association. He is the namesake of the destroyer USS Thompson .-Biography:...

, Anglican bishop of Kingston, Jamaica (since 2005).

Engineering

Phillip Gore, O.D.
Order of distinction
The Order of Distinction in Jamaica is the fifth in order of precedence of the Orders of Societies of Honour, which were instituted by an Act of Parliament – The National Honours and Awards Act.The Motto of the Order is "Distinction Through Service"....

, Real estate developer, chairman of the Jamaica Promotions Corporation, JAMPRO (since 2011).

Journalism

Eric Anthony Abrahams, Radio and television personality and producer.
Dennis Hall
Dennis Hall
Dennis Hall is a Greco-Roman wrestler from Hartford, Wisconsin, United States. Hall was a 10-time US National Champion, a World Champion, and 3-time USA Olympian. He won a Silver Medal at the 1996 Atlanta....

, former moderator Schools Challenge Quiz, former JBC sports commentator.
Derrick Wilks, TV personality.
Hugh Crosskill, Radio personality.
Simon Crosskill, TV personality.

Life sciences and medicine

Dr. Akshai Mansingh, international affiliate member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Dr. Jeffrey W. Meeks, orthodontist, foundation member of the Caribbean Society of Orthodontics.

Military and emergency services

Major General Robert Neish, former Jamaica Defense Force Chief of Staff (1979–1990).
Major General Stewart Saunders, Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defense Force (2007–2010).

Politics and law

Arnold Foote, C.D., J.P., honorary Consul General of the Republic of Turkey (since 1995).

Bruce Golding
Bruce Golding
Orette Bruce Golding MP served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from 11 September 2007 to 23 October 2011. He is a member of the Jamaica Labour Party.-Biography:...

, Prime Minister of Jamaica (since 2007), leader of the Jamaica Labour Party
Jamaica Labour Party
The Jamaica Labour Party is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party. Despite its name, the JLP is a centre-right, conservative party.-Background:...

.
Douglas Saunders
Douglas Saunders
Douglas Anthony Clive Saunders is a Jamaican diplomat.-Biography:Saunders and his two brothers received education from Jamaica College, Kingston, Jamaica...

, Jamaican diplomat (currently Cabinet Secretary in the Jamaican Prime Minister's cabinet).
Howard Hamilton, Q.C., lawyer and first public defender
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...

for Jamaica (2000–2006).
Justice Hugh D. Carberry, former Judge of the Court of Appeal.
Hugh Small, former Parliamentarian
Michael Manley
Michael Manley
Michael Norman Manley ON OCC was the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica . Manley was a democratic socialist....

, O.N.
Order of the Nation
The Order of the Nation is a Jamaican honour. It is a part of the Jamaican honours system and was instituted in 1973 as the second highest honour in the country–the Order of National Hero being the highest....

, O.C.C.
Order of the Caribbean Community
The Order of the Caribbean Community is an award given toThe award was initiated at the Eighth Conference of Heads of State and Governments of CARICOM in 1987 and began bestowal in 1992. Decisions as to award are taken by the Advisory Committee for the Order of the Caribbean CommunityThe Insignia...

, Prime Minister of Jamaica (1972–1980, 1989–1992).
Norman W. Manley, M.M.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....

, Q.C., National Hero
Order of National Hero (Jamaica)
The Order of National Hero is an honour awarded by the government of Jamaica. It is a part of the Jamaican honours system that has been in place since 1969.-Description:...

, Chief Minister of Jamaica (1955–1959), Premier of Jamaica (1959–1962).
Patrick L. Robinson
Patrick Lipton Robinson
Patrick Lipton Robinson is the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, a position he was elected to in November 2008...

, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...

.
Dr. Peter Phillips
Peter Phillips
Peter Phillips is the son of Anne, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom.Peter Phillips or Philips may also refer to:* Peter Philips Peter Phillips (born 1977) is the son of Anne, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom.Peter Phillips or Philips may also refer to:* Peter Philips Peter Phillips (born...

, former national security minister of Jamaica.
Dr. Richard Bernal, O.J., Jamaica's Ambassador to the United States.

Sporting

David Bernard, Jr., Jamaica and West Indies cricketer.
Donald Stewart, Jamaica national football player.
Fabian Dawkins
Fabian Dawkins
Fabian Dawkins is a Jamaican footballer, who currently plays for the Arnett Gardens F.C..-Club career:...

, Jamaica national football player.
James "Jimmy" Adams
Jimmy Adams
James Clive "Jimmy" Adams is a former Jamaican cricketer, who represented the West Indies as player and captain during his career. He was a steady left-handed batsman, useful left-arm orthodox spin bowler and good fielder, especially in the gully position...

, former Jamaica and West Indies cricketer and Technical Director of the Jamaica Cricket Association (since 2008).
James "Jimmy" Carnegie, renowned sports writer and commentator, historian, author, and educator.
John Mair
John Mair
John Mair was a Scottish philosopher, much admired in his day and an acknowledged influence on all the great thinkers of the time. He was a very renowned teacher and his works much collected and frequently republished across Europe...

, former Jamaican Olympian, Seoul 1988.
Keammar Daley
Keammar Daley
Keammar Rudolph Daley is a Jamaican footballer who plays as a forward/winger for Preston North End.- Meadhaven United :Daley had played with Meadhaven United as a midfielder since 2004 under the guidance of the late coach, David Hunt...

, Jamaica national football player.
Martin Woodstock, former Jamaica national football player.
Nicholas Addlery
Nicholas Addlery
Nicholas Addlery is a Jamaican football player who currently plays for the Puerto Rico Islanders of the North American Soccer League.-Youth and College:...

, Jamaica national football player.

Faculty

The school has been served by several faculties distinguished in their fields including:

Alfred Henry, Under-19 (Manning Cup) football technical director (since 2008).
Dr. David Levermore, research engineer, Head of the FIRST Robotics project technical team (since 2010).
Dennis Ziadie
Dennis Ziadie
Dennis Ziadie was a Jamaican footballer who played in the NASL with the Boston Beacons in 1968, as well as the Jamaican national side. He is the father of fellow players Chris Ziadie, Nick Ziadie and Craig Ziadie....

, Under-19 (Manning Cup) football coach (1970–1973).
John Mair
John Mair
John Mair was a Scottish philosopher, much admired in his day and an acknowledged influence on all the great thinkers of the time. He was a very renowned teacher and his works much collected and frequently republished across Europe...

, Athletics coach (1989–2010).
Very Rev. Canon Peter A. Mullings, School Chaplain.

Headmasters

The following lists present the Principals of Jamaica College during its entire history.

Drax Free School, Jamaica Free School and Jamaica High School (1789–1885)

Rev. G. Ledwich (1810–1815)
Rev. L. Bowerbank (1816–1818)
Rev. Urquhart Gillespie Rose (1818–1825)
Rev. Geo Watson Askew, B.A. (1826–1828)
Rev. T. H. Gegg, A.M. (1829– ?)
Rev. O. Handford, M.A. (? –1855)
Rev. Morrison Myers (1855–1861)
Rev. John Leslie Main, B.A. (1862–1883)
Archdeacon William Simms (1883–1885)

Jamaica College (1885 onwards)

Archdeacon William Simms (1885–1915)
Mr. William S. Cowper (1916–1933)
Mr. Reginald Myrie Murray^†, Rhodes Scholar (1933–1941)
Mr. Joseph W. S. Hardie (son of Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

William G. Hardie
William George Hardie
The Most Rev William George Hardie, CBE was a long serving Anglican Bishop of Jamaica from 1931 until 1949; and for the last four of that time Primate of the West Indies....

) (1941–1945)
Mr. Hugo Carl Winston Chambers^† (1945–1960)
Mr. Vincent H. Ennever^† (1960–1964)
Mr. William H. Middleton (1965–1970)
Mr. Ruel L. Taylor (1971–1993)
Mr. Lloyd Bryan (1993–1995)
Mr. Tim Akpeti (acting) (1995–1996)
Mr. Stuart Reeves (1997–2002)
Mr.Bryan Christian (2002–2006)
Mr. Ruel B. Reid (since 2006)

^† indicates principals who attended Jamaica College

External links

Official

The Jamaica College Foundation

Old Boys Associations

General information

WikiMapia - Jamaica College

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Drax Free School

Jamaica Free School

Jamaica High School

Jamaica College

Campus

Historic buildings

Simms building

Scotland building

Assembly Hall

The Chapel

The Hendrickson Auditorium

The Phillip Gore Building

Curriculum

Rhodes Scholars

Flight School

Robotics

Cadet

Chapel Choir

Athletics

Basketball

Cricket

Football

Field Hockey

School crest

Motto

Prayer

Mascot

Nickname

Alumni

Faculty

Headmasters

See also

External links