MONTEGO BAY, St James

“If I had it to do all over again I would still chose education.”

Lincoln James has no regrets about entering the teaching profession 42 years ago.

Soft spoken and unassuming, the man who has, for 15 years, been holding the reins at Howard Cooke Primary – arguably one of the most sought-after in Montego Bay – makes no bones about it.

“I am passionate about this school,” said James, who has now reached retirement age and will soon be making his exit from the school he fashioned and moulded.

“I believe in being the best in everything I do.”

The best is certainly what he has produced at Howard Cooke.

The school has been western champions in the performing arts for the 15 years that he has been there and in one year was second in the island.

They were semi-finalists in the Television Jamaica Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz last year and finalists in 2005, they had the top performing GSAT student in the island in 2000 and have been awarded numerous scholarships including the Marcus Garvey Scholarship, and top government scholarships for the region, to name a few. The school has also done well in the Spelling Bee competition, placing first twice.

Howard Cooke, according to James, is a testament to the winning combination of extra-curricular activities and academics. A passionate supporter of the performing arts which he said he has been involved in all his life, he firmly believes the presence of one enhances the other.

“The evidence supports that children who are involved in extra-curricular activities do better than those who are only involved in straight academics,” said James, who sang 2nd bass as a member of the University (of the West Indies) Singers and is still active in his choir at Salters Hill Baptist Church. He credits his hardworking and dedicated staff for the school’s success. “We have a good team,” he boasts.

However, he does not downplay the role of a strong and caring leader in the making of a successful institution.

“Leadership is a mixture,” he explains. “As democratic as you are there comes a time when you have to act autocratically.”

He said he has tried to create a friendly and loving atmosphere where a good rapport is maintained with both students and staff, balanced by a degree of firmness. “The children know they can run to me for hugs in any threat,” he said. “I have a good rapport with them but there is always a line of demarcation. As my son say when I turn the evil eye they know what it’s all about.”

Born in Claremont, Hanover and raised in Jericho, he was one of 9 children born to farmers. The loss of his father at age 14 put a strain on the family, but James quickly adjusted and assumed responsibility for his mother and some of his younger siblings. In all this he said he made sure to have God at the centre of everything he did. “Mi a God man,” he professed. “Grew up in Church and still in Church.”

Following successes in the Jamaica Local Examinations and the Jamaica School Certificate Examinations (JSC), he started as a probationary teacher at the then Jericho All-Age in 1965, during which time he completed a three-month Teacher Training course. He was soon off to Mico Teachers College and later returned to St James to do his internship at the then Irwin Hill All-Age School, where he was soon asked to act as principal.

After college he returned to Maldon Secondary (now High) where he was vice- principal for five years before moving on to his present position as principal at Howard Cooke. He also went on to complete both his Certificate in English and his BA in Education at the University of the West Indies and while at Howard Cooke completed his Master’s in Education and a Diploma in Educational Leadership.

His greatest pride and joy is seeing his students complete their education and take centrestage in many professions. Two that readily come to mind are Dr Clinton Hutton of the University of the West Indies and a former student – once a wayward, troublesome boy – who is now a teacher.

A recipient of the governor general and prime minister’s award for service to education, his guiding philosophy has been that God helps those who help themselves.

He is married to Jean, principal of the St James Preparatory School, and is the proud father of four sons.