There is a rather special feeling of friendship from the moment one passes through the entrance to the Mount Pleasant Primary School.

Immediately to the right of the entrance of the school — which is situated at the top of the mountains in eastern Portland travelling from St Margaret’s Bay — one immediately notices a unique garden where flowers and other plants are not the dominant items.

Instead, this garden at Mount Pleasant carries the strong message of good manners for students and visitors alike. The ‘good manners garden’ with its messages of ‘Excuse me’; ‘Good Morning’; ‘Please’; ‘I’m sorry’; ‘No thank you’; ‘May I’; ‘You’re welcome’ firmly rooted within its borders, serve as a strong reminder, especially for students, that in the hustle and bustle of daily life it is important to remember the simple rules of etiquette.

The ‘garden of good manners’ is an innovative attempt by the administration of the school to drive home the principles of good manners and, according to Principal Dian Vidal Briggs, it is having a very positive effect.

“We, and that is, the teachers at the school and myself, strongly believe that it is important to teach not only the academic subjects but it also our duty to ensure that the children who come under our care are well-mannered and can represent themselves, their families, their communities and the school with distinction.

“The students here at Mount Pleasant Primary, from the time they first enter the school, are made aware of the etiquette standards that are required and for the most part, they comply and after a while it becomes second nature for them.

“You must remember that Mount Pleasant is located in the hills of eastern Portland where farming is the predominant economic activity and the children that come here are usually well-mannered, but that does not eliminate us from strengthening these values. In fact, as educators we must, we don’t have a choice.

“You simply cannot have too much good manners, and that is the main aim of our ‘garden of good manners’,” principal of the 78-year-old school told Jamaica Observer North and East.

Vidal Briggs, who took over leadership of Mount Pleasant in 2013, further informed that enrolment at the school had increased significantly, informing that this was a good sign. She also praised the assistance Mount Pleasant is receiving from members of the community.

“Our present enrolment is 115 students from grades one to six, that is, from ages six to 13, which is almost double the amount when I started here as the principal.

“We have six teachers, one guidance councellor and myself on staff, and we are pleased with the progress we are making.

“Last year, for example, we had 13 students sitting the GSAT exams and all 13 did well enough to be placed in traditional high schools.

“As for community involvement, we could not be happier. People from the various communities who have children attending Mount Pleasant give us really strong support; they give of their time or whatever else they can.

“Tomorrow (Tuesday May 31), we will be having our ‘Evening of Excellence’ and the stage, for example, is being constructed by a gentleman who has a child at the school with the assistance of others from the community.

“As principal, the staff and I are extremely happy for this valued partnership,” Vidal Briggs who is a graduate of the College of Agricultural Science and Education said.