​A little story of family life in the 1930’s, written by my father in 1988 - part of many memories he wrote about. He recalls the days when he and his brothers were the bread delivery boys, using their big brothers’ bikes. My dad Andrew was the tenth child in a family of 12, living in Richmond Street, Port of Spain. Their father died young, (my dad was not quite 9 years old), leaving their mother to raise them all. They lived in a large house, so she took in boarders to help out financially and the children also had to help out.
“Ten boarders, 6 cousins, 12 of us, Mama and “poor” little friends (usually 2), say 28-30 people to be fed each and every day, breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. We all ate a lot of bread, so Ma employed Harris, Barbadian baker who had a problem with testicular hernia always getting in his way. Harris would arrive home and start baking between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m. He supplied us with 100 hops loaves, and 6 pan loaves, plus other sweet breads for tea. He also baked some 30 other pan loaves which had to be delivered to the customers before 7:00 a.m. These were friends of the family who lived the general neighbourhood. Ma had several bread bags made, some to hold one or two or more pan loaves. Each customer had a nail on the back or front porch to hold the stringed bread bag. The empty bag would be replaced by the full one. Each bag had the customer’s name. Problem – transportation. Andrew, Robert, George borrow Boysie’s, Bertie’s and John’s bicycles, surround the bicycles with bags of bread and make sure you return for the owners to get their bicycles to get to work. We “students” had to eat breakfast quickly and walk to school – and get there in time. Many times we failed as evidenced by the black and blues on our hands or backsides as administered by our school masters. But this was all part of life. We loved Mama and understood the situation.”
Source: Valerie van der Meulen-Sheppard from the Virtual Museum of TT, March 2021

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Trinidad’s oldest secondary school, St Joseph’s Convent, PoS, celebrates 185 years on April 5.
This is an edited version of a commemoration of its anniversary submitted by the school.
On January 29, 1836, six sisters from the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny arrived at the wharf in Port of Spain, having travelled by boat from Martinique.
They had been invited to come to Trinidad by Bishop McDonnell, prelate of the Catholic Church in Trinidad, for the purpose of “founding a house of education in which all classes and religions can receive a solid and adequate grounding.”
This small group of nuns was sent by Mère Marie-Therese, then superior of the community in Martinique and sister of Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey, the foundress of the Congregation. (Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey never actually came to Trinidad because she was actively working in French Guiana at the time.)
Three months after their arrival, the six sisters opened a boarding school for girls on April 5, 1836, on the upper part of St James Street (now Frederick Street). Before long they moved to rented premises on Kent Street (now Pembroke Street).
In those early years, students were examined orally by outside examiners in the presence of the nuns and visitors. These exams were called concours and were an exhibition of the literary, artistic and musical accomplishments of the students.
By 1838, the school had 50 boarders and was outgrowing the Kent Street location. In 1840, the Sisters bought a property not far from where they were renting. It was next door to the residence of the bishop and remains the site of the present school on Pembroke Street.


Of course, there have been many changes since then. Over the past 40 years, while the physical structure has remained more or less the same, the school has continued to be transformed and updated to suit the changing needs of its community and better equip students to meet the challenges of an ever-changing, digitised world. The introduction of the AV room and language labs in the 70s gave way in the new millennium to upgraded laboratories, the multimedia wing, multimedia classrooms, refurbished theatre and home economics room and gym and air-conditioning of every classroom.
Academically, the school has excelled over the years. SJC PoS won the President’s Medal in 2003, 2008, 2009 and 2016. It has gained open and additional scholarships in all disciplines: maths, science, art, business, environmental science, modern languages, modern studies and information technology. The ever-expanding curriculum has seen the introduction of environmental studies, entrepreneurship and more recently, music, at the CAPE level.
The school boasts 43 clubs and organisations. In music, the school choir, besides its participation and many successes over the years in local festivals such as the biannual Music Festival, has competed in many international choir competitions, in places that include Austria, Italy and Latvia.
In sport, it was the first TT school to represent Cheer Clubs at meets in Orlando. The dragon boat team competed in Toronto, Canada and it has sent teams to the popular Penn Relays in the US. In fact, many Convent students have been and continue to be on many national teams, many holding leadership positions, such as captains.
The Unesco Club has attended two international Unesco conferences in Costa Rica and Argentina. As part of its social outreach programmes, the school participates annually in the RBC Young Leaders competition and many charity projects, assisting neighbours like the Living Water Community and the Bethlehem RC Primary School. Students continue to take part in the Amcham Youth Forum and the Maths Olympiad. It also has a Legion of Mary group, a St Vincent de Paul Society Club and a prayer group to continue to nurture the spiritual growth of its young people.
Looking forward
The 185th anniversary of St Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain, coincides with 2021 being dedicated the “Year of St Joseph,” its patron saint, by Pope Francis. This dedication was given on the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.
At 185, SJC PoS is the oldest secondary school in TT and “remains esteemed for a curriculum that is dedicated to helping young women, and more recently young men, from across TT realise their full potential; one that inspires and has produced “brilliant alumnae of integrity and character.” With each year that a new class enters SJC PoS’s gates, the school says, it builds on the legacy of excellence and nurture unrealised talents and aspirations for a bright future.
“With a long and illustrious history, a promising future, St Joseph’s Convent, PoS, continues to shape, influence and advance the nation in every sphere.
“Each new student walks in the footsteps of past and sets a path for future generations of young people, laughing through the corridors, becoming part of a sisterhood and a community of cherished memories, and playing a role in building something that is bigger than itself.”
As it celebrates this year the school is reminded of its motto, “Sapientia et Scientia: Wisdom and Knowledge.” These values, guarded by its predecessors, it says, continue to guide it today as it prepares future generations of SJC PoS students.
During this year’s celebration the school is thanking all who have given so generously of their time, efforts and donations through the years. It recognises the enduring support of the Cluny Board of Management and all the board members past and present who serve to ensure the growth and development of the school, and thanks the current Provincial Superior, Sr Maureen Alexander, for her guidance.
The school regards this anniversary as “a fantastic opportunity not only to take stock of what it has achieved, but also to look ahead.” It urges readers to join it on “this remarkable journey as we continue to strive for excellence in both performance and service.” With its “185 for 185” campaign to celebrate this year’s anniversary, the Past Pupils Association is embarking on further plans for several critical works at the school.
“We move forward in faith, hope and love and ask that you join us in our commitment to securing the best possible learning environment for future generations. With your continued support, our legacy endures, grows, and thrives for another 185 years – as it has done since its early beginnings.”
Milestones in SJC PoS history:
1845 – The foundation stone for the first chapel was laid.
1853 – A day school was introduced from 7.30 am-5.15 pm for girls under ten.
1859 – Sr Mary Louise Wright was appointed Mother Superior (head of the nuns and of the school). At that time most of the nuns were French. She was the first Trinidadian to hold this position.
1860 – Providence, or “Little Convent,” was established in the downstairs part of the bishop’s residence as a free school.
1869 – There were four years or courses (equivalent of today’s “forms”): preparatory, elementary, secondary and superior.
1894 – For the first time an Irish Cluny Sister was head of the Convent. Before that, all the Reverend Mothers had been French (with the notable exception of Trinidad-born Mother Mary Louise Wright, mentioned earlier).
1911 – SJC was affiliated with QRC for external Cambridge exams and qualified for a government subsidy.
1932 – Three students sat the Cambridge Higher Certificate exams (equivalent of today’s A levels) to compete with boys from St Mary’s College and QRC for the Colonial Scholarship. One was Jocelyn Urich, who joined the Cluny sisters and took the name Sr Frances Xavier. She would go on to become principal of SJC and then Provincial Superior of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny.
1944 – In the middle of the night on May 23, a fire broke out which destroyed the greater part of the school and the chapel and resulted in the tragic death of four sisters.
1946 – The new school buildings, the ones which exist today, were reopened in January.
1948 – The first Girls Scholarship offered by the Government was won by Corinna Achong of SJC.
1961 – The first Common Entrance Examinations were held in January 1962, when free secondary education was introduced in TT. Up until that time SJC was a fee-paying school which also offered a limited number of “exhibitions,” the equivalent of scholarships.
1990 – The retirement of Sr Paul D’Ornellas as principal marked the last time a Sister of St Joseph of Cluny held that post. Sr Paul was succeeded in 1991 by Melba Pounder, the first lay principal, herself a past student. She was followed by Elizabeth Crouch, another alumna; Jennifer Annandsingh; and another SJC alumna, Anna Pounder. 
Source: Newsday, April 5, 2021

Abby Phillip, CNN's senior political correspondent and the new anchor of Inside Politics, is among TIME's 100 Next, a list of emerging leaders who are shaping the future.
Phillip, a first-generation American born to Trinidadian parents, June and Carlos Phillip, was listed among the Phenoms alongside the likes of Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, actor Rege Jean-Page and Nigerian Afrobeats singer Davido. 
In a brief statement on Phillip, her colleague April Ryan, CNN's political analyst, described her as a fresh face, but not new to this game.
"She has learned that covering the White House is very D.C.-focused. However, she is keenly aware that in covering any beat, you need input from the rest of the country and the world. She understands you have to hear and see the people to hear and see the story as it is really happening.
Speaking to Lisa Wickham, co-host of the TT Now Morning Show today, Phillip said she fell in love with journalism while at college where she wrote for the campus newspaper. 
After graduation, she worked at a news organisation called Politico.
"I think the way that I moved forward in my career is saying to myself I am just going to do this for as long as I can and if I hit a dead-end then I can't go any further but I will try to do this for as long as I can. I have been very lucky that people have given me jobs and that the industry has survived and thrived since I left college," she said.
Phillip said she was born in the United States but lived in Trinidad until the age of eight with her parents.
"Trinidad has always been home for me, that's where most of my family has been for most of my life," she said, noting that she has returned in the past few years to see her relatives.
Phillip said she misses the food the most especially being able to pick mangoes off a tree to eat. 
Talking about her entry into Harvard University where she studied for a Bachelor of Arts in Government, Phillip said her application essay was about growing up in Trinidad and being raised in a multicultural family. 
Source: The Loop, Feb 2021

BUSINESS student Karisha Rajkumar feels humbled and grateful for having brought Vessigny Secondary School its first scholarship in 11 years. The aspiring accountant said she still cannot believe it.
The 19-year-old student wrote the CAPE examination last year and got grade ones in both units for management of business, accounting, economics, communication studies and Caribbean studies. She earned an open scholarship.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Education announced the 100 scholarships.
She recalled initially hoping she could earn a scholarship, but after the Education Ministry announced they were being reduced from 400 annually to 100, she didn't think it was possible.
"I didn't have much hope again after that," she told Newsday.
Several friends and relatives learnt of her achievement even before she did.
"My mom (Marsha) is self-employed, so I was helping her out (selling pholourie) and I didn't even know, because I didn't have internet at the time. Then my uncle called and I went home to see, and then I got the call from the principal, my friends, my family. I was so excited that I didn't know what to do."
She said her mother and her father, Ken, have been hugging and kissing her nonstop, as they are very excited for her.
The last person to earn a scholarship at the school was Jochelle Fortune, who earned a national scholarship in 2010.
Asked what it was like doing exams during a global pandemic was, Rajkumar said, "My anxiety was really bad, but it had this teacher online called Mr Sammy: he was giving free Zoom classes and he was really good."
Unlike most students who used a tablet, laptop or desktop computer for online classes, she used her cellphone.
She said had it not been for this scholarship, she could not have afforded tertiary education.
She lives in Icacos and did not have direct transport to and from school. She'd get "a drop" to Fullarton in a maxi, then wait at least 45 minutes for another one. But she was never late. She said she'd reach school around 7.50 am.
In form three, she chose science as the field she would venture into for forms four and five. But after just a week, she said, she realised she had preferred business.
"Then, my teacher, Miss Ross, helped me get out that class and then I had to get new books and everything.
"It's because in form three, we were introduced to POA (principles of accounts) and I really liked it."
She said her Vessigny experience was great and praised teachers including: "Miss Emanis, Mr Thackoor, Mr Shah, Miss Ragoonath, Miss Bissoon, Miss Ramsaran and Miss Nedd."
Marlene Emanis, the school's acting vice-principal, said she was elated at the news and described Rajkumar as a "model student."
"We are super excited for her. We are really proud as a school. The entire staff and even our stakeholders are excited.
"When I taught her in form four and five, she topped the class in all her subjects. Her scores in all her subjects were always over 80 (out of 100). She was always an excellent student, she was a school prefect, she was involved in the school's co-operative society…she is very humble, participated in competitions on behalf of the school sometimes. And she was even our valedictorian."
Rajkumar said she hasn't decided on a university yet, but looks forward to doing so.  
Source: Newsday, March 12, 2021

Young farmer Kyle Rampart has a passion for planting and spends every spare moment on his family's parcel of land at Manzanilla.
Unlike his peers who are often glued to cellphones, tablets and other electronic devices, the 12-year-old isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty or sweating under the sun.
Kyle a standard two student of Mayaro Government Primary School, not only grows healthy crops of different varieties of watermelons, he also practises a healthy lifestyle by staying away from certain snacks.
"I like farming, it is a dirty job, but food makes people happy, and I like to be happy too. I play a little, but I prefer to run through the land," he said during an interview at the garden on Thursday.
Kyle, who lives in Paradise Village, Mayaro, may be small in stature but his ambitions are huge.
Every weekend, evenings after school, and even on festive holidays he can be found on the land preparing the land, planting crops or helping harvesting.
Not only is he willing to learn from his father about farming, he too educates himself about new methods of planting and caring for crops and willingly shares his knowledge with customers.
​

I often have to explain the different types of watermelons we sell at my father's business. We have red, yellow, blue and orange varieties. I can spot the melons by looking at the skin."
He believes in the slogan plant what you eat and loves his mother's cooking, especially her watermelon smoothies.
"When you plant, you know what you're eating. When you buy food you don't know and they can put all kind of things in it and you might get sick."
On a broader scale, Rampart thinks this country can grow more food to help reduce the number of products it imports and plans to become a full-time farmer in the future.
"I love agriculture and I think the Minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat has a lot of work to do. There is a lot of land for me to plant, somebody has to get dirty, we don't need a minister if it don't have food."
Kyle, the eldest of three siblings, has hope that a day will come when he and many other farmers can plant enough to feed the country and reduce the food import bill. He believes farmers can produce more.
His parents, Vashtie and Curtis, are proud and happy with their son's natural caring and helpful spirit.
Curtis explained, "Kyle is a very had working child, we do have some challenges with his academics so my wife, Vashtie, spends extra time with him so that there is a balance. His grades at school fluctuates between B and C."
He said his children's education was their first priority and thinks a combination of academics and first-hand knowledge of farming "is priceless."
​
Curtis said his eldest son began showing an interest in farming from a young age and was a natural leader. So much so, he can leave his son to supervise the workers on the farm under the guidance of his wife.
He encouraged other parents to support "whatever is their child's passion and help them find the balance."
"Whatever is their desire, the passion will follow."
Kyle's advice to other children who may be thinking about getting into farming was that like many other jobs it was hard work.
"You must first love it, don't be afraid to get dirt on your hands."
In addition to farming, Kyle loves sports, such as football and hard ball cricket which he plays with his father, whom he described as his role model.
Source: Newsday, March 14, 2021