The Dorothea Hughes Simmons

School of English

      Haile High is pleased to announce the addition of a new course to be administered by Ras Jason “Skitta” Rose: Classes in English Composition, Using Computers will begin in mid December.
      In each class, students will be told a short story in English. They will then write their version of it in patois and type it on the computer. Next, with the guidance of their teacher, each student will reconstruct their own words according to the rules of English and type this version into the computer. Finally, each student will share their patois and English versions of the story with the rest of the class.
      The purpose of writing their own patois version allows each student to develop an understanding of English based on their own translation from the language they use at home. With this background, they will better understand English as they go on to higher education or into the job market.

Each one, Teach one

      Haile High is initiating this program in response to the recognition of the needs of its students. Recently this need has also been expressed in Commentaries in the Jamaican Gleaner. Former Member of Parliament, Heather Robinson, states in the Gleaner on October 29, 2004, Each one, teach one; “Last week, I spoke with one of my primary school friends who told me the experience of our schoolmate who teaches Grade 7 in a rural high school. This teacher of many years was very distressed with some of her students who could not read ‘This is a boy’ and ‘This is a girl.’”
      Robinson goes on to suggest a national program of “Each one, teach one”. She recommends that “Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) needs to initiate a programme that utilises workers to teach one child to read at the Grade 4 level each year.”

      At Haile High, in addition to our new English Composition class, we have computer programs in English, science, and math at all grade levels to supplement the instruction students receive at their regular schools. Encore Elementary Advantage 2005 includes: Spelling, Reading, Writing, Basic Math, Fractions, Critical thinking, Social Studies, Earth Science, Beginning Typing and Foreign Languages. At the Middle School level the programs include: Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading, Science, Typing, Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Geometry and Foreign Languages. The High School Advantage program includes: Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Foreign Languages, Composition and World History.

      Working with a computer encourages students to put their thoughts down in English. All students at Haile High begin learning computers by writing a letter in a simple word processing program such as Notepad. Using the computer in the English class gives each students additional experience in operating word processing technology. Advanced word processing programs indicate errors in grammar as well as spelling errors. With the computer as a guide students have fun while improving their English composition and computer skills.
      With the new English Composition class and the computer learning programs, the initial experience of writing a letter on the computer will guide Curriculum Director, Cleo Reid, in her evaluation of each student’s English proficiency. She can then recommend a starting point for each student with the English aspect of the computer programs and place students together so each one can teach one.

Why Dorothea Hughes Simmons?

      Haile High has named its new program in memory of Dorothea Hughes Simmons. Though born in America, Mrs. Simmons spent much of her adult life in Jamaica. She was a Quaker and was well known for her work in social services. Education was of great interest to her and she served on the Board of Governors of Happy Grove School for over twenty years.

A Tribute to a Great Woman

From the Gleaner at the time of Mrs. Simmons’ death

      Quakerism suffered a heavy blow on November 27 when American-born Dorothea Hughes Simmons, 61, died suddenly at her home, Castle Daly, Walkerswood in the hills of St. Ann, where she had elected to live as a Britisher in her adopted Jamaica.
      Well known in both hemispheres for her Christian services and her philanthropies, she had in early youth served as a nurse in spite of the comfortable surroundings and ample means of her family in Boston. She gave generously of her mind, her spirit, her physical resources as well as of her time and money for the demonstration of Quaker thinking in at least three areas.
      Mrs. Simmons was largely responsible through the Friends Service Council of London for the support of an educational effort in Greece.

From another tribute by a childhood friend, Rose T Briggs:

      Hers was a vivid and vital personality, coupled with an enormous sincerity and earnestness. Yet she never lost the whimsical sense of humor which was so characteristic of her. She would look at one with her head cocked quizzically on one side, her nose wrinkled ever so slightly and her brown eyes full of mischief and amusement. Then would come forth a remark or comment such as no one but she could possibly think of: - sometimes exasperating, often very shrewd, but always original.

      She brought zest and tenacity to the many forms of public service which she undertook as she grew older. Her inheritance and early training taught her to look on some sort of work for the good of others as an obvious and natural duty. Her own nature made it one of the absorbing and exciting interests in her life.

      She had many projects – I don’t think ANY of us knew about all of them! I have seen her at work on some of the things that interested her in Jamaica, after she married and settled there, and the love and respect of the people towards her. Among other things, she was interested in education, and was on the boards of several schools. She was interested in land development for small holders. She was interested in cottage industries.

      The winter I stayed with her and David at Sombra there was gas rationing, and when the car was not available we sometimes started off before dawn and caught the local bus, along with all the market women and their hens, eggs, and other produce, so that Dorothea might visit Highgate, Rose End or Kingston to look after her various projects. She was a veritable patron saint to the loving people in the Island and they looked to her to solve all their troubles. Her memory will live long among them, and it is not too much to think that her name will become a legend.

      As a school girl she thrilled to stories of chivalry and adventure… “To ride abroad redressing human wrongs”… seemed to her the most exciting and desirable life that could be imagines. She never lost that taste, but translated it into a life-long knight-errantry of philanthropy and friendship.

      Haile High would like to hear from anyone who was a student of, or an acquaintance of Mrs. Simmons.