EDITOR, The Tribune.
In recent days, much has been said about the politicians who contributed to the achievement of Majority Rule Day – January 10. Names have been called, but no one has mentioned Samuel C McPherson, MP whose efforts saved Government High School (GHS) from closure.
When Mr A C Burns presented a Bill to the House to close GHS and remove its headmaster because “it was a drain on the treasury and an unnecessary institution,” Mr McPherson objected and was able to garner sufficient support to defeat the Bill.
As a result, GHS is still open thus making it possible for many persons, including well-known politicians such as the late Hon Lynden O Pindling, the late Hon Paul Adderley, Sir Orville Turnquest, Dame Ivy Dumont, the Hon Bernard J Nottage, and many others to attend GHS.
Admittedly, the Government named a school and street after Mr McPherson, and he was recognised by Jones & Co in his book, “The 100 Most Outstanding Bahamians of the 20th Century”, as one of the outstanding Bahamians, but not many Bahamians are aware of his many contributions to the development of The Bahamas.
I daresay that many of the sitting members of Parliament don’t know anything about him.
I am fortunate to have known him. He was my neighbour – a most unassuming, humble, dignified, quiet gentleman, financially poor but rich in talent.
His contributions are too many to mention here, but in addition to saving GHS, he also played an important role in the establishment of St John’s College.
It is indeed unfortunate that in our society, Bahamians tend to cater to and recognise only those high profile individuals, past and present while the more productive and low profile individuals are overlooked. The rewriting of history is a common trait.
Having known Mr McPherson (Mr Mac) personally and being aware of his contributions to the Bahamas, it bothers me that he is overlooked and I feel it necessary to remedy the situation.
Thanks to him, I was able to attend Government High School (Class ‘65). Thanks to him, GHS is still alive, and thousands of Bahamians have since passed through its doors; albeit as a public school, and not the prestigious government school it used to be.
I wonder how many proud GHS graduates and current GHS students know that their school would have been closed had Mr Mac not taken the position he did on that fateful night in the House of Assembly.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I confess that I’m married to his grandson, Franklyn “Mackey” Williams, who has written about Mr Mac in some detail in his latest book, “McPherson Street & The Folks Who Lived There”.
There are also snippets of information about him on www.bahamasnationalarchives.bs/BahamianEducators.
Perhaps he will be remembered in the future, by those who govern, when we once again celebrate important milestones in Bahamian history.
CELESTINE C WILLIAMS, Ed D
Nassau,
January 10, 2013.
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