Dear Editor,
It was with sadness that I learnt of the recent death of my former teacher Ms. Daphne Rogers. Much has been written about her role as a cultural icon but for me, she was also one of the finest teachers I have ever had. I had the privilege of being a pupil in what was then called the scholarship class of the Broad Street Government School, later renamed Dolphin Government School. Looking back, that school seems to have been the forerunner of public schools which did not emerge from the nationalisation of the then prevailing religious schools such as the Methodist, Anglican and Roman Catholic Schools into Government Schools. Ms. Rogers was a strict disciplinarian and insisted that her students attend lessons every Saturday. At no cost, of course. Not unusual in those days – mid-fifties – she was not prepared to spare the rod or spoil the child and was as proud as any parent for each of her students who passed the scholarship examination to gain entry to the two prestigious high schools in Georgetown. Although I was not among them, I now look back with amazement and almost disbelief, at her unlimited commitment to public service, her passion for excellence and her capacity for hard work.
Even though Broad Street Government School must have been one of the largest primary schools of the day, and even though she was not among the hierarchy of the school, she clearly impressed with her performance and was eventually selected for education and training abroad. On her return, she soon rose among her peers and became Principal of the Teacher Training College, among a number of top posts in the education field, later moving on to culture. Indefatigable as she was, even after retirement, Ms. Rogers continued her service and activity in the other passion of her life, the St. Phillips’s Anglican Church. That I learnt from personal experience, also brought out another quality in Ms. Rogers: the ability to raise funds for social causes. Unfortunately, I do not know any of the persons who attended school with me but I am sure they would not object to my saying, on their and on my own behalf, an affectionate thank you and a sorrowful farewell to a truly special person, Ms. Daphne Rogers.
Sincerely,
Christopher Ram
