Queen's Royal College
Encyclopedia
Still regarded as the bastion of secondary school education Queen's Royal College is the oldest secondary school
in Trinidad and Tobago
, referred to for short as "QRC", or "The College" by past alumni. The college is noted for its famous German Renaissance
architecture and tradition of multi-faceted education which continues to produce some of Trinidad and Tobago's leading thinkers, athletes, artists and politicians.
The origin of QRC goes back to the Stuart Grammar School, at the corner of Duke and Edward Street. In 1859, when a new "collegiate school" was being contemplated, Mr. Stuart was invited by the government to be part of the enterprise.
The Queen's Collegiate School opened later that year opposite what is now Lord Harris Square, then known as Billiards Orchard.
The intention was, as Governor Arthur Hamilton Gordon told the Legislative Council in 1870, "that its advantages should be open to those of every race and every religion, and that the education given should be of a decidedly superior character."
In 1870, the school became the Queen's Royal College and was housed in the supper room of the Prince's Building.
When the Government Farm moved from St Clair in 1899, part of the land was reserved as a new home for QRC through the intervention of acting Governor Sir Courtney Knollys.
The school, referred to in those days as Royal College, had 120 pupils, who did not wear a uniform, but had to wear a hat or cap bearing the college crest. They learned algebra, geometry, arithmetic, Latin, French, English, geography, history and Greek or Spanish.
Today in Queen's Royal College uniforms are worn, as at almost all government schools, and QRC projects and involvements usually involve a blue theme, due to the well known uniform of blue shirtjack and long khaki pants. In 2009, the school implemented a new uniform for formal occasions as existed in the past.
Notwithstanding the German origin of the plan, a legacy perhaps of Mr Hahn's student days in Berlin, the design of the interior is very definitely tropical with a delightfully aristocratic touch from the days when European school architecture was austere.
QRC was not free at some point but after a couple years it became free.
, a group of historic buildings built in the early 1900s. The North and South buildings, known as the North Block and Science Block respectively, were built during the late 1930s. Later came the west block, and every student, past and present, will remember the controversial "painting pink" of the block. The school has its own pavilion and cafeteria, both located on the edge of its spacious field, used in the dry season
for cricket
and the wet season
for football (soccer)
.
rejoice;
Blest the day when each did hear
Our Fair Mother's gentle voice
Come and whisper to the ear
'The College is thine.'
Not to all the palm of
knowledge
Nor to the most the fame of glory;
But the youngest of the College
Can add this to his life's story
'The college is mine'
When we've left the halls of
learning
And shall tread Life's sterner way,
Though we mourn our youth with yearning
Still we claim the right to say
'The College is mine'
If we've learnt what masters taught
Or to work or play or sing,
And have thence a vision caught,
This our school to God we bring,
'The College is Thine.'
As of July 201233
BUSINESS STUDIES
MODERN STUDIES
SCIENCE STUDIES
COMPULSORY SUBJECTS
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, referred to for short as "QRC", or "The College" by past alumni. The college is noted for its famous German Renaissance
German Renaissance
The German Renaissance, part of the Northern Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that spread among German thinkers in the 15th and 16th centuries, which originated from the Italian Renaissance in Italy...
architecture and tradition of multi-faceted education which continues to produce some of Trinidad and Tobago's leading thinkers, athletes, artists and politicians.
The origin of QRC goes back to the Stuart Grammar School, at the corner of Duke and Edward Street. In 1859, when a new "collegiate school" was being contemplated, Mr. Stuart was invited by the government to be part of the enterprise.
The Queen's Collegiate School opened later that year opposite what is now Lord Harris Square, then known as Billiards Orchard.
The intention was, as Governor Arthur Hamilton Gordon told the Legislative Council in 1870, "that its advantages should be open to those of every race and every religion, and that the education given should be of a decidedly superior character."
In 1870, the school became the Queen's Royal College and was housed in the supper room of the Prince's Building.
When the Government Farm moved from St Clair in 1899, part of the land was reserved as a new home for QRC through the intervention of acting Governor Sir Courtney Knollys.
The school, referred to in those days as Royal College, had 120 pupils, who did not wear a uniform, but had to wear a hat or cap bearing the college crest. They learned algebra, geometry, arithmetic, Latin, French, English, geography, history and Greek or Spanish.
Today in Queen's Royal College uniforms are worn, as at almost all government schools, and QRC projects and involvements usually involve a blue theme, due to the well known uniform of blue shirtjack and long khaki pants. In 2009, the school implemented a new uniform for formal occasions as existed in the past.
Architecture and History of Main Block
The foundation stone was laid on 11 November 1902 by Courtney Knollys, who was the acting Governor of the day. The structure was designed by Daniel M. Hahn, who was Chief Draughtsman of the Public Work Department and a Old Boy of Queen's Royal College, during the period when the school was housed at the Princess Building. The architecture of the building is German Renaissance in style, evident by the solid appearance. Constructed at a cost of 15000 British Pounds, the original building accommodated six classes for 30 boys each. The lecture hall could hold over five hundred persons at a time.Notwithstanding the German origin of the plan, a legacy perhaps of Mr Hahn's student days in Berlin, the design of the interior is very definitely tropical with a delightfully aristocratic touch from the days when European school architecture was austere.
QRC was not free at some point but after a couple years it became free.
General Information About QRC
Students at QRC are well known for being well rounded, that is to say, successful in many fields. The main building itself is one of the Magnificent SevenMagnificent Seven
Magnificent Seven or Magnificent 7 may refer to:* The Magnificent Seven, a 1960 western film* The Magnificent Seven , a 1997–2000 television series based on the 1960 film...
, a group of historic buildings built in the early 1900s. The North and South buildings, known as the North Block and Science Block respectively, were built during the late 1930s. Later came the west block, and every student, past and present, will remember the controversial "painting pink" of the block. The school has its own pavilion and cafeteria, both located on the edge of its spacious field, used in the dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
for 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...
and the wet season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
for football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
.
College Song
Sons of this Royal School,rejoice;
Blest the day when each did hear
Our Fair Mother's gentle voice
Come and whisper to the ear
'The College is thine.'
Not to all the palm of
knowledge
Nor to the most the fame of glory;
But the youngest of the College
Can add this to his life's story
'The college is mine'
When we've left the halls of
learning
And shall tread Life's sterner way,
Though we mourn our youth with yearning
Still we claim the right to say
'The College is mine'
If we've learnt what masters taught
Or to work or play or sing,
And have thence a vision caught,
This our school to God we bring,
'The College is Thine.'
Classes
Queen's Royal College as a secondary school in Trinidad & Tobago consists of classes from Form One through Form Six. The school can be termed a 'seven year' school but qualification into Form Six is based on the student's performance at the CECS Secondary Education Certificate Examinations. Classes are categorized by name according to the word 'ROYAL' but excludes the letter 'A' perhaps due to the stigma of an 'A' and the negative effects of a stratified class system based on student academic performance. Form One consists of three classes, 1R, 1O and 1Y whereas Forms 2 through 5 consists of xR, xO, xY and xL where x represents the class number. External students can also gain access into the Sixth Form Level based on their qualifications and other academical factors. On average, up to ten (10) external students enter the Sixth Form Level per year.Subjects offered at Form Six Level
The following subjects applies to both Lower Six (year one) and Upper Six (year two). Subjects are usually divided into Unit 1 and Unit 2 with the exclusion of Caribbean Studies which is usually assigned to the first year in Form Six or Lower Six and Communication Studies to the second year in Form Six or Upper Six. All subjects are of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) format and students are allowed to do a minimum of four (4) subjects but exceptions are sometimes accepted.As of July 201233
BUSINESS STUDIES
- Accounting
- EconomicsEconomicsEconomics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
- Management of Business (Business Studies or M.O.B)
MODERN STUDIES
- Art and Design
- FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
- HistoryHistoryHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
- Literature in English
- SociologySociologySociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
(offered as a Modern Subject although it is a Science) - SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
SCIENCE STUDIES
- BiologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
- ChemistryChemistryChemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
- GeographyGeographyGeography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
- PhysicsPhysicsPhysics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
- Pure Mathematics
- Applied Mathematics
COMPULSORY SUBJECTS
- Caribbean Studies
- Communication Studies
Extra Co-Curricular
- Cadets
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Table Tennis
- Swimming
- Water Polo
- Mini Polo
- Hockey
- Volleyball
- Judo
- Track & Field
- Rugby
- Dragon Boat Racing
- Lawn Tennis
- Scouts
- Steel Pan
- Choir
Other extra-curricular groups
- QRC Students' Affairs Initiative (Q.R.C. S.A.I. - Student Government)
- Leadership 2020
- RBTT Young Leaders (debating)
- Key ClubKey ClubKey Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
International - CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
-Christian Students' Movement (CCSM) - Inter-School Christian Fellowship(ISCF)
- QRC Scouts Queen's Royal College Scouts Online
- The Tower NewspaperNewspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
- Alpha Company, Trinidad & Tobago Cadet Force (TTCF)
- Queen's Royal College New Boys' Association
- QRC Hindu Society
Notable alumni
- Eric Eustace Williams - Historian, first Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Trinidad and Tobago. - Sir Vidia NaipaulV. S. NaipaulSir Vidiadhar Surajprasad "V. S." Naipaul, TC is a Nobel prize-winning Indo-Trinidadian-British writer who is known for his novels focusing on the legacy of the British Empire's colonialism...
- Nobel-prize winning author. QRC is memorialised in his masterpiece, A House for Mr. Biswas. - Rudranath CapildeoRudranath CapildeoDr. Rudranath Capildeo was a Trinidad and Tobago politician and mathematician. He was the Leader of the Democratic Labour Party from 1960–1969 and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament from 1961–1963, succeeding Ashford Sinanan. He was also a faculty member at the University of London, eventually...
- Mathematician, politician. - C.L.R. James - Pre-eminent Caribbean philosopher, historian, novelist, essayist, political theorist and cricket writer.
- Lloyd BestLloyd BestThe Honorable Lloyd Algernon Best, OCC was a Trinidadian intellectual, columnist, professor, and economist....
- Economist, essayist, politician, scholar. Founder of the 'Plantation school' of Economics. - Peter MinshallPeter MinshallPeter Minshall is a Trinidadian Carnival artist .-Early life and career beginnings:...
- Artist, Trinidad carnival masman, designer of opening ceremony for the Olympic Games of Atlanta 1996, Emmy Award Winner. - Wendell MottleyWendell MottleyWendell Adrian Mottley educated at Queen's Royal College is a Trinidad and Tobago economist, politician and athlete...
- 1964 Olympic silver medalist and politician. Former Minister of Finance. - Deryck MurrayDeryck MurrayDeryck Lance Murray is a former West Indies cricketer. A wicketkeeper and right-handed batsman, Murray kept wicket to the potent West Indian fast bowling attacks of the 1970s ; his efficient glovework effected 189 Test dismissals and greatly enhanced the potency of the bowling attack.Murray...
- West Indian wicket-keeper in cricket. - Karl Hudson-PhillipsKarl Hudson-PhillipsKarl Terrence Hudson-Phillips, ORTT, QC is a former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago and a former judge of the International Criminal Court...
- Jurist, politician. Former judge of the International Criminal CourtInternational Criminal CourtThe International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
and former Attorney GeneralAttorney GeneralIn most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of Trinidad and Tobago. - Richard ThompsonRichard Thompson (athlete)Richard "Torpedo" Thompson is a sprinter from Cascade, Trinidad and Tobago who specializes in the 100 metres. He was the silver medalist in the event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, running a personal best of 9.89 seconds....
- Athlete and 2008 Olympic medallist - 100m; 4x100m relay - Marc BurnsMarc BurnsMarc Burns is an athlete from Trinidad and Tobago specializing in the 100 metres and the 4x100 metres.Participating in the 2004 Summer Olympics, he was disqualified from his 100 metres heat, thus failing to make it through to the second round.Marc Burns placed second in the men's 100 metres dash...
- Athlete and 2008 Olympic medallist - 4x100m relay - George Maxwell RichardsGeorge Maxwell RichardsGeorge Maxwell Richards, TC, CM is the fourth President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. A chemical engineer by training, Richards was Principal of the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad in 1996. He previously worked for Shell Trinidad Ltd. before...
- Engineer, academician, PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Trinidad and Tobago. - Eric A. WilliamsEric A. WilliamsEric A. Williams was until November, 2007 a Trinidad and Tobago politician and was Member of Parliament for Port of Spain South. Until his resignation from the Cabinet in January 2006, he served as the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries in the then People's National Movement government a...
- Geologist, former politician and Minister of Energy.