Dinner Dance Press Release – October 2013 • Alpha Academy Alumnae Toronto Chapter is 34 years old and as part of this celebration – a dinner/dance dubbed a “Black & White affair” will be held at the Thornhill Community Centre for October 26th. Tickets can be had by e-mailing [email protected]. • Convent of Mercy Alpha started out as an orphanage in 1880 by the then Jessie Ripoll a Jamaican of mixed ancestry part French, part Portuguese and part black. It has been documented in Sister Bernadette Little’s book “She Did It Unto Me” that on May 1, 1880, Jessie Ripoll holding the hand of a little orphan girl walked up the path to the cottage on the property on South Camp Road of 40 acres and a cottage which she named “Alpha” purchased for 800 pounds sterling, monies provided from the pockets of Jessie, friends, and a stipend allowed by the Vicar as well as from Josephine Ximines and Louise Dugiol who later joined Jessie. These ladies were social workers committed to serving God through the work of the orphanage. • By 1863 things in the island of Jamaica had become so bad, former slaves getting adjusted to the new found freedom, rain spoiled crops, price of imported food especially of salted fish and grain on which the peasantry relied had risen steeply because of the civil war raging in the United States. So it is understandable that out of this grew orphans who had to fend for themselves. So when these three ladies started caring for these orphans they petitioned relief from the then Vicar Apostolic who approached the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland to form a congregation in Jamaica to which these ladies later entered and became nuns. Jessie Ripoll later became Sister Peter-Claver subsequently Mother Peter Claver of the Convent. • The orphanage expanded to include boys and girl. • The Alpha Boys School came into existence in 1891. Boys were admitted from the age of 2 up to 16 years of age. Both groups attended classes for half the day and then for the other half were engaged in some manual activity. The boys pursued mostly agricultural pursuits while the girls did laundry and or domestic work. • Shortly thereafter Mother Winifred on hearing that a Mr. Wellesley Bourke was making a trip to England, commissioned him to select and purchase instruments for the boys. At the outset the boys learned to play their instrument by ear as the school could not afford to hire a bandmaster. • Over the years among the notables coming out of Alpha Boys School are, Don Drummond, (Skatallites) Lennie Hibbert, Yellowman, Tommy McCook; Eddy Thornton (Boney M) to name a few. • “It was the Alpha Boys School that gave birth to the Private Secondary Schools Cricket, Football and Athletic Competitions, starting with the Harrison Cricket Competition named for that great Jamaican gentleman, Sgt. Walter S. Harrison who from 1911 to 1965 was Physical Instructor for the Alpha Boys” (excerpted from Sr. Bernadette’s Book– “You Did It Unto Me.” • “The legendary Sister Bernadette was an Alpha girl, former Head Girl, gifted teacher, and a veteran Alpha Principal, visionary educator, Fulbright awardee, and a mentor for thousands of Alpha graduates, and a revered former Superior of the Mercy Community in Jamaica.” – excerpted from the Foreword by Jean Lowrie Chin. • Alpha continued to expand and the establishment of an infant, elementary and High School as well as a “Business College” which later followed • Convent of Mercy “Alpha” has established alumnae chapters in Florida, Tri-State (NY, NJ and Connecticut) as well as an alumnae chapter in Jamaica – who co-incidentally will be celebrating their “Women of Excellence” award on Friday October 25th at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. This award is presented to an Alumnae graduate. This year’s recipient is Pamela Lowe Chang – a 1968 graduate for Distinguished Service in the field of Business. • The Toronto chapter has partnered with the Immaculate Conception High School alumnae as well as the St. George’s College Old Boys Association and there is general interaction between these alumni at each other’s fund raising events. • The Toronto chapter is a member of the Alliance of the Jamaican Schools Association. Sister Bernadette’s book which was reviewed by MP Ronnie Thwaites, Minister of Education in Jamaica gave an excellent description of the contents of the book. This is an excerpt from MP Thwaites review “This is the background of the detailed and engaging narrative chronicled by Sister Bernadette Little RSM of the several schools founded by that Roman Catholic congregation of women, the Sisters of Mercy over more than 100 years. Her title bespeaks the motivation of these brave women. “You Did It Unto Me…” echoing the Gospel’s admonition to service. The book tells one of the many stories of how the churches largely founded and sustained Jamaican education. “You Did It Unto Me” describes the intense activity of Roman Catholic missionaries in 19th and 20th century Jamaica. Sr. Bernadette’s narrative is the intriguing story of Irish, Maltese and American women, with the charism of Mercy, who came to Jamaica, some never returning home to share life, faith and education with our people.” Here is a link to the article printed on June 2, 2013 in The Jamaica Gleaner. http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130602/arts/arts4.html Executives of the Toronto Chapter - 2013- President Gillian Amos Vice-President Marguerite Latibeaudiere Secretary Marcia Williams Treasurer Jacklyn Francis Asst. Treasurer June HoLung Public Relations Pat Campbell Members-at-Large: Vern Leach, Pauline Beverley, Josephine Ho Lung. Immediate Past President Karen Yee We will be hosting our annual brunch in May 2014; you will receive further information as the time approaches. .