James Walsh is spending his first term in 39 years not in charge of Brown’s Town Community College and away from it with no responsibility there. And, he’s not going back.
Mr Walsh who joined the college on the first day it opened in 1975 rose to become principal of the multi-disciplinary, multi-campus college is on pre-retirement leave.
The college and friends put on a smashing dinner party for him on Saturday night at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios where Mr Walsh, sometimes slipping into the present tense about his tenure at the college, said “I enjoyed every moment of my work at Brown’s Town Community College” He said he looked forward to every day that he had to go there to work.
In a long reply to many tributes, he challenged teachers to believe in the capacity of students to organize and to excel. “If you give students responsibility you will be proud of them,” he said. He said he didn’t really do the work but got the students and the staff to perform. He praised the cadre of staff that was attracted by the college, first under the leadership of Burchell Whiteman, and said they were exceptional people. “The secret is to find the right people and enable them to find the right things to do.”
Mary Simmonds, acting principal, read a citation extolling the qualities of Mr Walsh. It came after other tributes and greetings brought by Custos Norma Walters, Senator Wentworth Skeffrey (representing the Minister of Education); Delroy Redway, on behalf of former Board Chairmen of whom he was one; Beverley Campbell , from the college; Christopher Charley, former Board chairman and Lloyd Hines, oast student and Board member. But the best of them was a witty, irreverent and brief tribute by Karen Kennedy, principal of Portmore Community College. In them the profile emerged of Mr Walsh as a humble man, compassionate person, dedicated educator, brilliant academic, community volunteer and leader and family man
Chairman of the evening’s proceedings was Dr Michael Whittingham, Board chairman. A stellar rendition by Claudette Martin, BTCC choir director added to the entertainment provided by Andre Campbell and Michelle Black.
Guest speaker, past student and supporter of the college, Irwin Clare reminisced on his days at the college and extolled Mr Walsh’s leadership and teaching skills and advocated that a scholarship fund be named in his honour.
Prayer was said by Sharon Lalor, acting vice principal, admin and academics and Joan Brown-Clarke did the vote of thanks.
Among those attending were: R.O.Walters, former Custos of St Ann; Mayor of St Ann’s Bay Desmond Gilmore; Mayor of Montego Bay, Glendon Harris and Mrs Harris; PNP General Secretary, Paul Burke; Dr Horace Betton, Leon Gordon and Mrs Gordon, Donovan Johnson and Pansy Johnson, vice president at Noranda and a past student and Howard Isaacs, principal of Moneague College.
