One hundred and forty-four years – it is the birthday of the (RC) St. Augustine school and the school did not let it by without a celebration which lasted throughout the morning from 10.30.
Although the celebration marks 144 years of the school it the belief is that it has been
recorded that Catholic education began as far back as 15 years earlier around 1860, with no school building but with classes being held in the church building in Plymouth.
It was inn 1875 under the direction of Fr. Gagneux a small school was built which
was later named the Roman Catholic School, known today as the St. Augustine
Roman Catholic primary school, with a history known with plans for a Secondary
school, but perhaps for Hurricane Hugo and Soufriere Hills volcano.
A brief history of the school appears under the authorship of Cathy Buffonge in a 125th Anniversary booklet in 2000 under the title “To God be the Glory – St. Augustine School – 1875 – 2000. There you will find the motto of the school “No
varum te no varum me”, “To know God and to know myself”.
The celebration to mark officially the 144th anniversary began with a roll call at 9.00 a.m. the usual hour of the beginning of a school day; Career Pathways (Grade K – 2/5-6); a Treasure Hunt “Know Your School”; and the mini-rally from Cheap End to the basketball court (multipurpose) on the school compound in Woodlands where it has been since the relocation from Plymouth in 1996, (the volcano of course.)
A celebration assembly began at 11.45 a.m. where Respect Certificates
The program went through with the break for lunch, and witnessing the children thoroughly enjoying themselves in such disciplined fashion was captured and worth seeing. There were winners of Respect awards and the Know your school quiz. A Career Fair took the day ending in time for school dismissal at 3.00 p.m.
