By LARRY SMITH
METHODIST minister Rev Neville Stewart died yesterday after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was a transformational headmaster of Queen’s College in Nassau from 1964 to 1971.
The school had moved from Charlotte Street downtown to the new campus off Village Road in 1962 under the leadership of Rev Geoffrey Litherland. Rev Stewart worked to integrate the school and was considered close to former PLP education minister Cecil Wallace Whitfield and fiery Baptist preacher H W Brown.
He was forced to leave the Bahamas following Whitfield’s split with the Progressive Liberal Party in 1970 and a rift in the Methodist movement. As an employee of the Methodist Church his outspokenness led him into conflict with more conservative ministers like Rev Edwin Taylor. After being fired from Queen’s College he set out to start a new school in collaboration with Whitfield, but Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Hanna famously asked how he would get a work permit. He was replaced at Queen’s College by Rev Hayden Middleton (1971–79).
Earl Deveaux, who was head boy in the late 1960s and later a cabinet minister in the Ingraham government, described Rev Stewart as “a friend, mentor, adopted father and towering influence on my life”. He said Rev Neville was instrumental in his education and later development. “I started QC in 1965 on a scholarship. He sparked my conscious in church and in school when he accused Richard Copper, Donald Archer and me (among others) of being soft on social problems, unlike young people across the world, who were fighting for freedom. His influence, mentoring and friendship lasted throughout his life.”
After leaving the Bahamas Rev Stewart became headmaster of Deerside High School, in Queens Ferry, North Wales (1971-92). He later moved to Mold in North Wales, where he lived until his death. Following his retirement he consulted in various colleges throughout England and Wales for two years.
He contracted ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and later Parkinson’s disease, which limited his ability to work and travel. He last visited the Bahamas in 2001. Born in 1927, Rev Stewart married Joyce in 1955, and she was at his side when he died.
“Rev Nev” obtained a BSc in chemistry from Salford University and later a graduate degree in divinity at Trinity College, Cambridge.
He is also survived by four sons, Duncan, Neil, Gareth and Graham, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
His funeral will be held in Mold on Friday.
Comments
The_Oracle 9 years, 7 months ago
Not the only educator run out of the country by the PLP. Joan Lonsdale was another, Given 2 weeks to pack up and go. Disgraceful, after what they gave the children of the country, far beyond their pay grade. And look at the state of education today, a direct result of politics and Bahamianization.
Reality_Check 9 years, 7 months ago
Joan Lonsdale will always be fondly remembered by many of her Bahamian students as a tough no nonsense fair minded dedicated educator. She was driven by her great desire to see all of her students develop and learn to their maximum potential ability. Obie Pindling was a student in her 5th grade maths class at Q.C. and is one of a countless number of Bahamian students who benefitted from her excellent teaching skills. Joan never gave a student's skin colour the time of day and all of her students knew it.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 7 months ago
Arseholes like Sean McQueeney benefitted immensely from such highly principled educators as Stewart who gave enormously of themselves to better the minds of so many Bahamians only to be so horribly mistreated by unprincipled idiots like McWeeney QC who were hellbent on dumbing down Bahamian voters for generations to come to suit their own selfish political desires, not to mention their own greedy pocket books down the road. Stewart went to his grave comforted by all he had accomplished in life. The same will not be said for many like McWeeney QC who have made it a point to betray the entitlement of Bahamians to the first rate quality education that they themselves received on the backs of such highly principled educators! You can take that apple Sean and choke on it as you so rightly deserve!
Observer 9 years, 7 months ago
That right there, Well_mudda, is 'below the surface'. Raise the standard higher.
The_Oracle 9 years, 7 months ago
All of the ruling elites children went to QC, a few to St.Andrews, Funny how they would dismantle the system for the rest to follow. There are a few good teachers left, no doubt, but by and large, not dedicated, 9 to 3pm at best. Hell, they get more days off than anyone else, Including "grading days"! Teachers back then did homework grading the Kids homework, on their own time!
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