The education community, the parish of St Elizabeth, and the Munro College family at home and abroad have lost an icon with the passing of late Munro headmaster, Richard B Roper. When I heard the news the clichés immediately came to mind; there goes one passionate educator, brilliant administrator, outstanding Jamaican, devoted Christian, whose shoes will be hard to fill.

It will be difficult for those who have never met Richard Roper to understand the lasting impact that his life and career have left on thousands of past and present students, colleagues, causes, and communities. Upon hearing the news of his death there is absolutely no Munronian anywhere in the world who would not be touched at the thought of his passing, the loss of his presence among us, his departure in the twinkling of an eye.

The streams of cars, buses, pedestrians, grievers who will be trekking the hills up to the Santa Cruz mountain peak for his funeral will be testimony to the vast outreach of this man’s persona, mission, social contribution, and Christian witness over a lifetime of 90 years.

Born in St Mary, and schooled at Jamaica College and McGill University, he was headmaster at Munro from 1955 to 1982. After retirement, he chose to continue living in his adopted environment of the Munro and Malvern countryside, enjoying a full life as advisor, village peacemaker, farmer, Jamaica Agricultural Society chairman, Cancer Society volunteer, in Christian witness, community development, and offering an ever-present charitable hand of support for multiple deserving causes.

The Ropers’ pickup, driven by himself or wife Merle, became a familiar sight on the rugged hillside roads. Many an errant Munro boy, or even a past student, would duck instinctively as the vehicle was seen coming around a corner. Indeed, respect for Richard Roper was so intense and far-reaching that I remember, only a few ago, at Steve Harle’s funeral, seeing big men blanch as ‘Mr Roper’ peered down on them from the top barbecue while they were refreshing themselves with assorted drinks on the terrace below Long Wall.

Richard Roper was one of the great secondary school principals spanning three decades from the 50s to the 80s. Now great schools are often linked with the names and personalities of their headmasters and headmistresses. Past students tend to associate their days at school with the influence and impact that the principal had on the shaping of their careers and their lives. A school is often evaluated based on its performance as well as the level of respect accorded to the principal by the stakeholders and beneficiaries of that institution.

Of course, the reverence you may have had for a particular teacher in your life is not limited to the principal, or to the secondary school that you may have attended. For example, I find it impossible to forget my early teachers in elementary ‘A’ class or ‘B’ class; teachers like Miss Una Edwards and Miss Zada Webley, God rest their souls.

But that is at a personal level. From a wider perspective, Jamaica has produced a number of outstanding principals who are held in high esteem for the national contribution they have made. As a country boy and a boarder at Munro College in the late 1950s to 60s, I was familiar with the names and legacies associated with the rural secondary schools that were around during my time at school.

No doubt when you recall the names of your principals it brings back memories as you remember your fears, respect, admiration, and even dislikes. The names “Pops” and “Moms” Stuart mark an era at Clarendon College distinguished by the stern and fatherly hand of a principal who included “instructions in good manners” as a part of his mantra. Eric Frater’s name was larger than life and possibly better known than his Rusea’s High School, while the name Mortimer Geddes remains synonymous with Titchfield High. Gloria Wesley-Gammon, “Wee Gee”, inspired respect and role modelling at Hampton High. Cornwall College in Montego Bay rapidly became a powerhouse in sports and earned a respected reputation, a tradition maintained for many years by E A Barrett. Knox College in Manchester was known first and foremost for the missionary zeal and liberal spirit of its founders and its beloved headmaster of the 1950s and 60s, Rev Lewis Davidson.

Then there is Richard Brooks Roper, who became a part of every Munronian’s life up to and after his retirement.

I first met ‘Mr Roper’ when, as a first-year student, I was escorted upstairs with my father to the principal’s office for orientation. Coming out of an elementary school environment I was easily awed and almost terrified by the reputation of the mighty institution. But Roper put us at ease right away when he told my father that he had played Sunlight Cup cricket for Jamaica College with my brother Hartley, whom he described as “an outstanding opening batsman”. The two men chatted cricket while I relaxed. The bad news came later in the conversation when the headmaster reminded my dad that I wouldn’t see home for another three months, and communication could only be through the post office by letter or telegram and, in an emergency, a trip for Roper to Mandeville to use the telephone.

“What is your telephone number?” We had none. Four Paths, my district, had only two telephones, one for the Lawson Brothers’ businesses, and the other at the Mid-Clarendon Irrigation Office. So for instant communication during those early years, and with Munro without any electricity or telephone facilities, we would rely on a young Mid-Clarendon officer, a young O D Ramtallie, to get the call, ride his bicycle to our house, and deliver the news. Good news came by telephone: a birth, a wedding, or a christening. On the other hand, bad news came by telegram. And by the time the official postman reached us with the telegram, whatever bad news there was had been shared with villagers along the way. So by the time he reached us a crowd would have gathered at the house to mourn the loss of a loved one. ‘Mr Ram’, bearer of good tidings and now retired and a honorary life member of the People’s National Party, still remains our good family friend.

For Richard Roper, every student was his concern, and he and his wife Merle are still regarded as second parents. Together they painstakingly drilled education, sports, character, and discipline into their students, and above all maintained a strong Christian faith that was the moral and spiritual foundation of the school.

Roper led us through all the changing scenes of life, in the joys of winning football, in scholarships and Cambridge exams, speech days and Christmas dinners, ISCF, trips in his Zephyr 6 to Innswood and Moorlands camps, Saturday night film shows from the old-time reel projector, and instilling the values of mutual respect.

One of his greatest legacies, I believe, must be how he transformed Munro from a school for the privileged and elite into a community that welcomed the new generation of “free place” students and responded to the challenge of egalitarian education and nation-building in the Independence years.

In the words of Steve “Staggy” Harle, second master for much of the Roper era, “during his administration Munro was always ahead of its time. When the Common Entrance Exam was introduced, Munro was one of the few secondary schools prepared to receive the students. When the population of day students increased, Munro was ready with transportation. When the ministry [education] said all schools should have a farm programme, Munro had had one for years. And when overseas recruitment of teachers was stopped, Munro already had a school well staffed with Jamaicans.

“He is an extremely hard worker. At times he can be seen checking a bus route at 6:00 am. Otherwise working in his study well after 10:00 pm. His work is directed at all aspects of school life, academic, games, farm, cadets, transport, finances, catering, maintenance, etc. To run a successful boarding school in Jamaica, this sort of effort is essential. And superbly managed by Richard Roper.”

Another tree in the forest has fallen. This one will be greatly missed.

Lance Neita is a public and community relations consultant and writer. Send comments to the Observer or lannceneita@hotmail.com.