Miconian golden-agers celebrated by alumni

Seniors who are at least 90 years old were recently honoured by the welfare committee of the Mico Old Students Association (MOSA), in celebration of its 100th anniversary as an alumni.

Chair of the committee Dr Glenda Prescod, in an interview with The Gleaner, said last year when it was first implemented, the objective was to reach out to ageing Miconians and it was during that process that they discovered a few others other than Sir Howard Cooke, former governor general of Jamaica.

Now in its second year of honouring the Miconians golden agers, with the majority being from Manchester, Prescod said the teaching profession was blessed to have had those individuals who dedicated their lives to service and leadership.

“The welfare committee, as part of its responsibilities, has been recognising their members who have reached the ages of 80 to 90. In 2022, we will be celebrating 100 years as an alumni association of The Mico and on Sunday, January 30, 2022, the year-long activities will commence with a praise and thanksgiving service on the university’s campus,” Prescod informed.

Honoured for his services

Ninety-one-year-old Dundee Hewitt, who was among those honoured for his services to MOSA and who also attended the school from 1953-1955, reminisced on his experience during his studies at the school.

“Life at Mico, it was a family atmosphere. We were close from first year to third year and had a bond with the incoming batch during that period,” he shared with The Gleaner.

The senior Miconian, whose first choice was to be in agriculture, ended up attending Mico after being unable to attend the Jamaica School of Agriculture. Being a pre-trained teacher, he took the encouragement and went to Mico.

Hewitt, who was an active member of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) and who at one point (1978-1979) was the president, said he still remembers a successful agitation for teachers to be better paid.

His track record was so good in the association that his name, along with another teacher’s (Juno Gayle), is now on the JTA’s South Central regional office building in Manchester.

After retiring, Hewitt remained active in the JTA as a regional officer for a number of years up to 2007.

Today, he still reads without the aid of glasses.

Among the other honourees are Joscilda Hibbert, who is celebrating 96 years of age this December, and Veda Bailey Latty, both retired teachers from May Pen, Clarendon.

Bailey Latty was very outspoken and also reads without her glasses. She has a great memory and could remember past batchmates and their achievements. She does her own housekeeping and maintains a little backyard garden to sustain herself.

MOSA will continue its 100-year celebration as an alumni with a launch and church service in January. Later in the year it will host an international education symposium. MOSA Week in March will feature several activities, inclusive of the annual Glen Owen Lecture and Scholarship Awards Ceremony for students. Also, an evening of musical excellence pre-recorded at King’s House, is to be premiered.