Dear Editor,

Recently, the 293rd anniversary of Wolmer’s was announced on LinkedIn.

In 2019, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen declared May 21 as Wolmer’s Day in honour of the Wolmer’s Trust Schools’ 290th anniversary. It was noted that “the move makes the Wolmer’s schools the only Jamaican institution that has a day named in its honour”. (https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20190520/may-21-declared-wolmers-day-gg)

Despite this, the leadership of Wolmer’s and, by extension, the Ministry of Education and Information seem to be oblivious of the role of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) in the declaration of national monuments in the education system.

A search of the Wolmer’s website revealed a couple of photographs of historic buildings courtesy of the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ): the cenotaph in memory of 21 fallen students from WWI and the marble sculpture commemorating the gratitude for John Wolmer’s gift. All of these rise to national monument status.

Why is this important?

Firstly, it will complement Wolmer’s Day.

Secondly, the JNHT has declared national monuments at Hampton School, the Jamaica College buildings, Mannings School, and Munroe College. These declarations raise the status of these schools to heritage sites, which can be developed as attractions in virtual spaces, particularly in a COVID-19 world in which fewer people are visiting physical museums and archives, and are relying more on digital collections.

Students pursing entrepreneurship, information technology, inter alia, can gain valuable experience if this is engrained in their curriculum.

Thirdly, their education experience will be more enriched if they can be provided with opportunities to work alongside institutions such as the NLJ, the JNHT, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

Fourthly, historic schools can send out ‘calls for memorabilia/artifacts’ about their institutions, which are no doubt all over the world.

There is untapped potential waiting to be developed, particularly for a Diaspora hungry for content on their past. Jamaica College must be commended for its four national monuments and museum.

Joan Francis

Lecturer, archival appraisal and access/museum and heritage preservation officer

University of Technology, Jamaica.

ajfrancis08@gmail.com