Gallery

One year teaching French in Fiwasaiye Girls Grammar School, Akure and I was pushed on to Owo to take over St Catherine’s at a time when there had been a male acting Principal holding the office after Miss Smith had to go home for cancer treatment! At least I had visited the school the previous year with Miss Pelly to take over some science equipment.

Life was so simple in those days – 9 teachers, 6 classes and 180 girls some of them already young ladies! The prefects were quite mature, capable of running the boarding house successfully, without too much staff involvement. The telephone worked, I could call Akure if I needed a bit of advice or information, the staff was very cooperative and everyone was dedicated to learning and teaching. How things have changed!

In the early 60s, St Catherine’s had some problems; the first 2 sets did not complete their education here due to inadequate staffing while the issue of Principal had apparently been solved with advent of Miss Smith. It was sad that she was forced to leave and not allowed to return because of the cancer. However, I know that she recovered full and was able to hold posts as Headmistress in big schools in UK., as shown from her regular Christmas cards sent to me for many years. Mr. Omoju stepped in from St. John/Mary’s Teachers’ College and managed the school for the rest of that session.

In the 70s, double stream was established; boarding was consolidated with extension to Oleander (Red) House, and the construction of Morning Glory (Blue) House. The Biology Laboratory had been built in the late 60s, and the Physics and Chemistry laboratories soon followed. The Prep-Room behind did double duty as classroom for sometime too, until we were able to build the block of 5 classrooms next to the laboratories, where we also had a bigger staff room for the first time. 1977 was a really good year in many ways, another block of 5 classrooms, a typing room with furniture and typewriters, then the Administration Block, The Fence, all one and a quarter miles of it, was another longed for facility that materialized, and the Chapel had been growing slowly but adequately to be blessed for worship albeit unfinished. Treble stream had been granted, and then an unwanted 4th stream was “granted” which meant our expanded facilities were once more inadequate!

Two years later, the story changed dramatically! Free education was implemented in 1979, and for four years we existed on our own resources, no fees, no grants, just PTA’s best efforts and sales of our now partially unused boarding equipment. Even expatriate allowances were all cancelled in 1982, so one had to find one’s own way home on leave! Of course salaries were often somehow delayed, so no one was very happy. Yet we survived, and by 1986, when I was transferred, things had recovered to some extent, but the damaged was done, really everything had become shabby and run down. Yet the spirit continued. Teachers continued to work, to take pride in their students’ effort and successes.

Although the much larger numbers of students had its own effect on discipline and on the overall results achieved, I know from my time in Ondo and later Akure how hard it was to keep up the efforts to maintain discipline, moral and ethical standards, as well as the morale of the teachers. But we all survived to tell the tale and St Catherine’s has continued to produce worthy young ladies. I am quite sure to follow in the footsteps of the wonderful students I had during my own time here.

I have to acknowledge the tremendous support I had from different Chairmen of the Board of Governors, from the PTA Chairmen, Parents in and outside Owo, from the students over the years, from Owo people generally. I lived in this compound for 20 years and enjoyed it from beginning to end. So many of you have contributed to the happy memories, although the problem peculiar to girls’ schools has made it difficult to keep up with most of you, you all changed your names!

I wish St. Catherine’s Girls’ Grammar School more and more success in the next 50 years, the Staff as they come and go, the succeeding generations of students, their parents, everybody associated with the school. Keep up the name, the standards, and the progress that those in the past laboured for all girls, past and present. It is your school, without the students, no staff, nothing. You also have to move on; the world is changing daily, shrinking through the enhanced contacts now possible, we are indeed becoming a global village!

To my old girls present, student past and present, staff teaching and non-teaching, to all their families, God is with you to guide and direct you. He is there to keep and protect you always.

Miss J. Steward
Former Principal, January 1966 to October 1986