The Ministry of Education joins in paying tribute to the late Mrs Rosemarie Vernon, educator par excellence, for her over 36 years of dedicated service to education. Mr. Roper coincidentally, was my former Principal, under whom I flourished and served as head-boy and housemaster.

The son of a farmer and a housewife from Labyrinth in St. Mary, Richard Roper attended Jamaica College and then in 1946 went to teach Biology at Munro College. Mr. Roper recalled that he was driven to study medicine but by the end of the school year in 1947, he had a fervent desire to teach. So in 1947, he selected courses and enrolled in the McGill University. After some time, he returned to Jamaica and taught at Wolmers. He expressed that at Wolmers, he taught with “might and main-thinking only of the job.” He was also involved with Cadets and games. Certainly, he did not forget his Christian witnessing which had been cultivated during his final year at McGill.

Richard B. Roper’s involvement with Munro began when he became Biology Master in April 1954. After responding to and praying about an advertisement for the position of headmaster at Munro he was appointed Principal and served in this capacity up to December 1982.

At Munro, Mr. Roper served along with his wife Merle, who was the Librarian. He served with compassion and dedication. He was a devoted Christian, one who had helped to start the ISCF program in schools. He was a Christian of the Bible Society of the West Indies. In addition, Mr. Roper served on many boards of corporate and civic institutions.

Most noteworthy is his rank of Lieutenant colonel in the 4th Battalion of the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force.

Based on his involvement in community life, he was awarded the Order of Distinction in 1977. Sure enough, he was lauded for his interest in farming, his other interest. He had, in 1967, started the Munro College Farmer which had yielded a tidy sum and provided meat, milk and poultry to the school’s kitchen. This likely assisted with the success of Munro as a Boarding institution as the Roper era was the one which saw the influx of a number of students who were white and those of mixed race. It is significant that such a stalwart guided Munro ,through the period when the Common Entrance was largely that which determined the course of secondary level education of gifted young men from all over who would now “board’’ at Munro College. This boarding template has now been replicated at the Jamaica College in Kingston.

Mr. Roper’s life was characterized by his service to education, country and community. Truth be told, he impacted my life in so many simple ways. His encouragement to work smarter allowed me to be more creative with my time.

If there is any contention about which institution he served best, no one can dispute the fact that he served both Wolmer’s and Munro well. He cared deeply for those he served, was never satisfied with mediocrity and was always willing to point the way to a better place. He was a great mentor to staff and students alike. His resoluteness, his geniality and generosity of spirit is what inspires those of us who follow him. If each of us could adopt just one thing from Mr. Roper and apply it to our everyday life, this would surely make our country a better place.

Of course, Mr. Roper’s greatest contribution to education and, by extension, nation building, is the thousands of students whose character he has moulded and whose intellect he has helped to develop in the halls of learning for nearly four decades. These former students, now productive men in society, are monuments of the life-long work of Richard Roper.

The Ministry of Education salutes this consummate educator. We express condolences to his bereaved relatives, his extended Munro family and wish for them God’s grace in their time of sorrow. May his soul rest in peace.