Kingston University College, 1888-1902
'University College . . . commenced as an institution housed in the school — in September 1888 and materialised In a separate building in September 1890; and that both it and the Jamaica High School were merged into the present Jamaica College last year . . .'
Canon Simms, Headmaster, in The Jamaica College Magazine, 1904
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Attempts were made in the 19th century to give Jamaica a tertiary educational institution aspiring to university status,
but they failed to survive.
ORIGINS
What is known today as Jamaica College was opened in 1789 in the courthouse as the Drax Free School in the parish of St. Ann using a bequest from Charles Drax, a planter in the parish. He had come to Jamaica from Barbados in 1721 and when he died left money for the establishment of a charity school in St. Ann. Legal proceedings had delayed the handing over of the money to the St. Ann Vestry. In 1806 Walton Pen was purchased as the site for the school, which was given the name the Jamaica Free School by the Assembly in 1807.
In 1879, while Sir Anthony Musgrave was Governor, a law was passed to bring the school, then to be called the Jamaica High School, under the control of the recently constituted Jamaica Schools Commission. A new headmaster was appointed, the Rev William Simms, and the school was relocated from Walton Pen to Kingston in 1883. It was temporarily housed in the Barbican Great House, but in 1885 moved to the new buildings on Hope Road, which were opened on July 9 of that year.
Daily Gleaner, August 23, 1884
The removal of the Jamaica High School, referred to in our last report, from Walton to the premises temporarily secured at Barbican in the Parish of St Andrew, was effected by the beginning of the Lent Term of 1883, when the Rev Wm Simms, whose appointment was referred to in our last report, took charge for the first time.
With the view of extending to the whole of Jamaica an equivalent to the advantages offered to the people in the neighbourhood of Kingston, by the weekly boarders scholarship, the Commissioners agreed in April, 1883, that the scholarships of £10 per annum should be offered for Term Boarders, subject to the conditions m sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Rule as to weekly boarders scholarships. No steps, however, can be taken for carrying out the arrangement until the school is moved into tho new building.
As it appeared towards the end of the year that by the expenditure of about £15 or £20 in improvements and alterations to an outbuilding at Barbican, increased accommodation could be afforded for ten more boarders, the Commissioners authorized the improvements and alterations to be made. There would thus be accommodation at the beginning of 1884, by which time it was expected that the changes would be completed, for the full complement of Foundationers, viz, 23, and for 3 paying boarders.
The annual examination provided for by the amended rules was held at Midsummer by the Inspector of Schools the Rev Dr Robb, and the Rev H M P McDermott, when some improvement was noted though the standard attained was still more far from satisfactory.
During the year the Commissioners had under consideration the case of a boy who appeared unable to profit by the studies of the school. This view was confirmed by the report of the examiners at the Mid summer Examinatiation and the Commissioners were therefore under the necessity of making arrangements for his withdrawal.
In view of the benefits that might be expected to arise from a promotion of the game of cricket amongst the boys, the Commissioners voted a sum of £5 towards the expenses of a Cricket Club, considering that most of the Foundationers would be unable to contribute anything towards its maintenance.
The necessary steps for filling up the vacancies have been already taken by the Commissioners and will be referred to at more length in the report for the current year.
The Government grant of £500 which, by sanction of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Sir Anthony Musgrave had promised to place on the annual estimates of the colony in aid of the erection of the new buildings, and until the loan to be raised for this purpose had been extinguished, was duly received during the year. Of this £178 1s 11d was spent on building account, and the remainder £321 18s 1d , on account of furniture with the Governor's sanction. The salary of the Headmaster at the rate of £400 per annum from 1st January, 1883, was also duly paid from the general revenue of the colony, under the sanction of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, out of the vote for education
Tenders for the erection of the new High School buildings were advertised for during the year, and arrangements were finally completed with Mr W Lang who secured the contract for the price of £6400. The plans were originally executed by Mr W Clunie, whom it had been in contemplation to appoint as Architect, but that gentleman having left the island Mr George Messiter, who had served under Mr Clunie was appointed Architect and prepared fresh plans which were eventually approved by the Commissioners
His Excellency Sir Anthony Musgrave, who had taken great interest in the High School, laid the foundation stone of the new buildings at Hope on the 16th April, 1883, shortly before his departure from Jamaica.
On the removal of the school from Walton that property was sold by auction and the amount realized, viz., £1,220, was carried to the building account of the Commission. The arrangements made for the raising by loan of the remainder of the amount required for the erection of the buildings will be referred to at length in the report for the year 1883-4. It may, however, be mentioned that tenders at one half per cent, premium were received for nearly three times the amount of the first installment, viz., £1,790 of the loan which was issued at 4½ per cent per annum, and that in all tenders were received for five times the amount then required.
