MONTEGO BAY, St James — Herbert Morrison Technical High rolled out a few of its well known alumni to join students for morning devotion on Monday and laud the school, affectionately called Compre, for the role it has played in shaping their lives. Even more of them had gathered the day before for the church service that launched celebrations to mark the school’s 50th anniversary.

Vice-president of business process outsourcing (bpo) and logistics at the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) Gloria Henry was among those present on Monday morning.

“I think the institution has done very well, it has created a very strong foundation for technical education in Montego Bay at a time when technical education was not looked upon favourably in Montego Bay,” she said from the school in which she enrolled in 1983.

Today Henry is a major player in Jamaica’s logistics and business process outsourcing industries.

Past student Neville Campbell, one of the first students to enrol when the school opened on September 13, 1976, addressing the morning devotion at Herbert Morrison Technical High School on Monday.

“Compre entered the space and has differentiated itself in engineering, in science, in mathematics. The students have done well in music and in sports, everyone knows how well we have done in track and field, DaCosta Cup, and I think the school is on a great journey,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Councillor for the Falmouth Division and former mayor of Falmouth Garth Wilkinson also attended the institution and said it has left a lasting mark on him and his family.

“I am one of them who believes in this institution, believed in what Lloyd Whinstanley and Herbert Morrison, the founding fathers of this institution, gave to us,” Wilkinson declared.

Former student of Herbert Morrison Technical High School Councillor Garth Wilkinson greets students on Monday.

“I am proud because I am of them that produced three generations. My daughter came here and my grandson is here,” he added.

Originally a secondary school named Catherine Hall High, it was later renamed Herbert Morrison Comprehensive High School — from which it acquired the moniker ‘Compre’ — before becoming Herbert Morrison Technical High School, named in honour of a former mayor of Montego Bay.

Neville Campbell was among the first students when Compre’s doors opened on September 13, 1976.

“It’s really humbling because of where we started and where we are now, we have seen where the school has developed into a great school,” he told the
Observer.

Past students of Herbert Morrison Technical High School and current students listen during Monday’s devotion, part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations. .

Over the years, the institution has made a name for itself in areas including academics, music and sports. It has also carved a niche for itself in western Jamaica by becoming a standout in engineering.

“We started with a little chemistry lab, we did some technical drawing but we were more about math and English, geography, stuff like that. To see it develop from there to where it is now, it is a great feeling,” said Campbell.

He also represented the school in football and recalls the struggles to find a place to play in the early days.

“I can remember even no football field, we used to go up there and pick up the stones to try and make a field. To know that we have this foundation now, I feel proud of the achievements,” he said.

Herbert Morrison Technical High School students gather for Monday morning devotions.

The school is now faced with a test of its resilience as it recovers from the challenges caused by last October’s Hurricane Melissa. Several classroom blocks were devastated as strong winds and heavy rain battered the school, leaving millions of dollars in damage.

While stressing that there had been a smooth start to the new school year, newly appointed Principal Dr Lavern Stewart said challenges still persist.

“Since Melissa, we have been trying to sort ourselves out. We still have classrooms that are not yet usable but we are thankful that the roofs for the various rooms are back on,” she said.

Herbert Morrison Technical High School past student Gloria Henry during Monday’s devotion, part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations. 

“However, the internal infrastructure for those rooms are yet to be completed. For example, our third floor classrooms, we don’t have any windows and that is a serious safety and security matter. We know how children are and we can’t take the chances to put them in the rooms without windows on a third floor,” Stewart added.

The principal praised the resilience of people who have worked to bring the institution back to a level of normality.

“It speaks about who Herbert Morrison is and the values on which we stand. Our motto says ‘Strength and Perseverance’ which means regardless of what the challenges may be, we are going to stand up, we are going to push forward and we are going to make it happen for our students,” she said.

“They are the most important of our stakeholders and we have to ensure that nobody is left behind. So, although we are not fully functional in terms of all our rooms, we are moving forward and giving the students quality education and experience,” added Stewart.