A tale of two hurricanes
Happy Grove High teacher hopeful school’s fortunes will turn after Beryl
Published:Sunday | September 8, 2024 | 3:20 AMCorey Robinson - Senior Staff Reporter
He was still a student when Hurricane Gilbert hit Jamaica, but teacher Devon Wilson still remembers the devastation and sacrifice at Happy Grove High School in Portland, which became home to droves of residents in its wake.
The memories came back in torrents last week as Wilson outlined the historical significance of the Hector’s River-based school, which was founded by the Quakers (Religious Society of Friends) in 1898. He recalled the key role it played in aiding residents of a section of the island ravaged by poverty and neglect after Gilbert struck 36 years ago.
Two months after the passage of Hurricane Beryl, the damage to the school’s auditorium resembled that of three decades ago. For the most part, the same buildings were damaged by both disasters, even though Gilbert was a direct hit to the parish and Hurricane Beryl was not.
Last Wednesday, as rain pelted the school compound, sheets of loosely attached zinc swung dangerously from the auditorium’s roof. Through the rusting beams, a section of the building that had its roof ripped off by Hurricane Gilbert, was exposed again.
Gilbert landed in September 1988, and for months, residents of Manchioneal and other communities took shelter in the school’s buildings, ultimately delaying the resumption of classes.
“Many of them had no homes. Their homes were completely destroyed. So they really had nowhere else to go,” recalled Wilson, who has been a teacher at Happy Grove High School for 27 years and a resident of the Long Road community since birth. “Everything was just cut off. People didn’t have light or water, so to see a truck with a cold soda was like a gift from Heaven. And then some time after that, we saw the helicopters coming in, and soldiers came in with supplies.”
Happy Grove’s agricultural programme was also left in shambles after Gilbert, with the Government allotting heavy sums to restore it. Engineers from the United States also visited the island to help with repairs, and Wilson recalled with pride the attention his school received, hoping that the most recent destruction from Beryl would bring similar fortunes.
A catalyst for us
moving further up
“After Gilbert, Happy Grove High became a better place in terms of infrastructure. Student performance improved, and I believe this (Beryl) might be a catalyst for us moving further up, as long as we get the support in getting the plant where it needs to be,” said Wilson, who now heads the Mathematics Department.
“I’m a past student, I have my house in the neighbourhood and I have achieved things that some of the persons (teachers) are going abroad for. I have them already,” said Wilson, a justice of the peace, living less than a mile from his workplace also has many benefits. “If we are to change Jamaica, we can’t think about Kingston alone or the Metropolis. We have to give people an opportunity to make life and get educated here.”
Happy Grove High School was among scores of schools forced to delay a full resumption of classes last week. Last Thursday, Principal Monique Grant-Facey met with her teachers to motivate them and discuss a phased reopening.
They said grade eight students will report to school on Monday, followed by grade nine pupils on Tuesday. Grades 10 and 11 will report on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Priority accommodation was made for new students, who had their orientation last week.