Allen Sammy recently threw a challenge to me. Try to define the ‘Naps Spirit’, he said. What makes the “Naps Boy” so different from other secondary school graduates?
I thought about this question but could arrive at no easy answer. So I sought help by discussing it with Naps graduates I happened to meet. I was amazed at the variety of suggestions they made.
- High on the list was “Dormitory Life” and the fact that students from various parts of the country had to learn to live together. A kind of bonding took place and blossomed into life-long friendships. Tales of the exploits and experiences of dormitory boys became legend. Brotherhood of the Dorm, indeed.
- Canadian Mission:
It is no secret that the Canadian Presbyterian Mission came to Trinidad to minister to a particular section of the community, a disadvantaged section where poverty and deprivation were widespread. Education was the key to upward social mobility. The opportunity for progress, the chance to make something of themselves, was grasped with both hands by the Indian Community (as well as by other poor boys like myself). The motivation was strong and therefore application, hardwork and dedication were the result. - Religion:
Nowadays with increasing violence and deviant behaviour plaguing even the schools, there is much talk of introducing religion into schools. Naps was always a deeply religious school. Religion was part of the atmosphere part of the culture. Religious knowledge was on the curriculum and the daily ritual of morning worship was a vital part of school life.It is significant that the first Principals of the College were priests. Note too that when the time came to appoint a local Principal, Rev James Seunarine was chosen to continue the tradition.These priests were men with a mission. Probably conversion was at the back of their minds and so they preached the liberal values of the Christian ethic in particular the core Christian doctrine of love as well as honest work.
For these Principals the College was a home away from home and they came to regard the students as family. In those early days the Rev. V.B. Walls and his wife, Marion, were ‘in loco parents’ to the students. They created at the school an atmosphere of caring. Rev. Walls seemed to have developed over his twenty-five year stewardship a personal relationship with each student. He had a phenomenal memory of the name of each of his students and nothing can replace that kind of intimate contact between teacher and student. I remember in particular, Rev. Walls keen sense of humour. He was always telling jokes. He was one of the most popular and beloved of principals at Naps.
- The Staff:The influence of the Principal, the leader who has the vision the leader who knows the kind of student not detract from the influence of the staff in general. As Lara has found out, teamwork is the answer.
During Rev. Walls stewardship Naps was fortunate to have the support of two outstanding stalwarts, the legendary Ivan “Doc” Bissessar and James Sammy their talents complemented one another. I call them the great triniavirate. They “ruled” Naps for over twenty-five years and so provided in those early days the kind of stability necessary to establish long-lasting traditions and values and build the Naps Spirit.
Many Naps students will remember these three gentlemen for their loving kindness, their caring, their discipline and the leadership characteristics they presented as respected role models. Men of strength, they towered over us like giants. Mr. Sammy fathered eight (8) boys and Mr. Bissessar had no children but they both performed their duties with affability or sterness as required. To hear Naps graduates talk, it would seem that their fondest memories are the “strokes” they got from Doc.
The staff were a mixed bag of characters that students will remember for this or that oddity men like Hassanali, Best, Hall, Paray Ramnarine, Ramdath Ramkissoon, Sam Naranjit etc.
Devoted teachers who all had an impact on the students. An important element on the staff was the immigrant teacher whether from Canada, Jamaica, Barbados or Guyana. These men brought colourful variety to the teaching staff. There also developed a strong tradition of recruiting to the staff outstanding Naps students. This system provided continuity of teaching methods and approaches to subjects.
Another element was the presence of a few female teachers like Wilma Samlalsingh, Joyce Meghu and Mrs. Lute. These ladies brought to the staff a touch of female graciousness that has always been welcome at Naps.
- H.C. Girls:
The young ladies who came from Naparima Girls High School to take their ‘A’ Level Exams at Naps managed to exercise a strong influence on the Naps spirit far in excess of the smallness of their numbers. Naps boys are not at all deficient in their appreciation of beauty.One of the things that most graduates remember is undoubtedly the “doubles” tradition. Some graduates have even made a remarkable claim that “doubles” was a Naparima College invention. - Football:
Another striking memory was the football chants- the razz a taz zim boom bah and especially the one, “we go win next year”.Recently I attended a farewell service for Roy Jagroopsingh, retiring Physical Education Teacher at Naps. His contribution to the Naps spirit was duly extolled. He succeeded in changing the chant “we go win next year” from one of defeat into one of triumph. - Site:
Some graduates even claimed that where Naps College is situated had something to do with the creation of the Naps Spirit. In early days Naps was at the South West boundary of the town a rustie setting. We remember the woods we explored and how we came upon the mysterious “Sa Grado Tomb” as well as the “dungs” and guava trees. We remember o Flat Rock where many Naps boys learnt to swim. So Naps was always close to nature. On a clear day we could see Venezuela across the Gulf. The sunsets here were awesome alsa! Encroaching urbanisation has changed all that. The view from Naps hill were inspiring. On one side lay the San Fernando Hill and the town nestled around it. On the other side the vista opened up to the distant world. Inward to the community outward to the world. - Our Motto:
Life at Naps has always been a rich “callaloo” of experiences which have made their contribution to the shaping of the Naps spirit and which have therefore made the task of pin pointing what exactly the Naps Spirit is very difficult indeed. For my part, I would like to develop the idea of the significance of our school motto: A Posse Ad Esse, whoever chose that motto encompassed in four words the whole challenge and opportunity that lie at the heart of the meaning of education.
Education is a creative process. We are challenged to develop our minds, our feelings, our imagination, our talents, and our character in order to make ourselves the best human being we are capable of becoming. It is a creative enterprise, an adventure, a lifelong search for the abundance that life offers us. At Naps faced that challenge. Naps boys are challenged to imagine the rich possibilities and to grasp the opportunities that make their lives.
We who passed through Naps were lucky to have met teachers who realized the importance of the development of the whole personality. Not only the cognitive skills but also the social and artistic.
The extra-curricular programmes have always been strong and active. I remember the old senior Literary and Debating Society which give students the opportunity for self expression as well as experience in group dynamics, leadership and in the organising of events.
Naps has always stressed the cultivation of voice and speech. Every year students participate keenly in the Oration and Elocution contests. I remember the Blue Circle Network and supplement, the in-house radio and newspaper institutions. The training and experience some students received here stood them in good stead in later careers in the media. [Congrats to Sir Trevor Mc Donald].
The there was the Shakespeare Festival which helped produce budding dramatists like Errol Sitahal, Ralph Maraj, Tony Hall, Devindra Dookie, Errol Fabien, Melville Foster, David Sammy and Shane Bickram.
Long before other schools jumped on the Carnival bandwagon, we at Naps had our annual Carnival and Calypso competitions. Art and Music have always been on our curriculum. And the Indian Arts have not been neglected. (Hail Rikki Jai).
So there are numerous influences, many ingredients in this thing called the Naps Spirit. We experience it. We feel it. We see it at work in Naps and the wider community. Could it be just a myth? If it is, it is a myth that is well worth believing and sustaining. Thank God there are institutions like Founders Day Celebrations and the Old Boys Association, which help to continue, maintain and perpetuate the myth. Wherever we may roam, Naps will always be our home.
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