Customer Reviews

The Grenada Boys Secondary School Hostel: Reminiscing on a boarding school life in Grenada

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Phillips recounting of his GBSS HOstel days brings back memories of friendship,sports,challenges,fair play,dedication and discipline.
For those of us who were not part of the GBSS Hostel scene(either too young or too old or otherwise), we all benefited vicariously from the lessons learned by older brothers,other relatives and friends who went out of their way to inspire as they impart the positive results of their hostel experiences to relatives and friends and to the community as a whole.
Thanks Bobby for an enjoyable journey back.

The book recaptures with great storytelling, a period of Grenada's education system where boys from the countryside resided and schooled on the grounds of the Grenada Boys' Secondary School on Tanteen at a time when transportation to and from the outskirts of town was very limited. Rather than a stoic historical account of facts and figures, this is a story told by your Father/Grandfather/Uncle/A Family Friend with warm recollection - of friendships, mischief, responsibilities and achievements in an environment away from home that was both thrilling and challenging with a high expectation of every youngster. I thank Dr. Phillips for having written this book about a Grenadian Education Experience those generations after his risk never really knowing about unless we read and talk about it with those who lived it. The stories made me reflect on my own unique, wonderful and challenging secondary school memories that I hold so dear.as do so many of us. It's a good read for any one of any age!

What an endearing set of memories. As an outsider, I began to understand how this great unbreakable bond between these boys was formed. I laughed at the pranks and shook my head at the nicknames, that only a belonger can understand.

All GBSS Alumni should read the book. The accuracy of events, people and places made me wonder whether Dr. Phillips
was planbning to write the book when he was at the hostel. I kept wishing that I was a student supervised by Ma Braf.
That community spirit was well captured. There was so much to the hostel experience that was related that Grenadians
should sieze the opportunity to learn of an outstanding period in the history of the school that is well preserved.

Even the account of Mr. Hoyte's unpopular period as hostel master was well handled.

John P.A. George MD
(Biggles)
GBSS (1953-1959)

Reading this felt that reliving a life fullfilling experience with memorable events that help to build a well rounded personality with love and respect for mankind and an appreciation for the communal spirit that allowed the Boys Hostel to florish.

"A breach of common sense is a breach of Hostel Rules"

Read the above and contemplate the effectiveness of the only written rule at the GBSS Hostel. I don't think this reviewer will ever recover from the wisdom of the Hostel Rule.

The Grenada Boys Secondary School Hostel [GBSS Hostel] was the boarding arm of the Grenada Boys Secondary School. Dr. Winston Phillips was a Hostel member from 1953-1960. The book is his keen memory of a school environment that produced great scholars, great athletes and disciplined young men

Dr. Phillips estimates that 70% of the boarders were from rural areas, from parishes beyond St. George's. They were known colloquially as `country bookies'. The `Cayak' boarders were 28% from sister islands Carriacou and Petite Martinique. From the town of St. George came 2% of the boarders.

A friend and fellow classmate of Dr. Phillips, one Mr. Leon Wells said: "So many of us came to the Hostel as brash, crude, `ignorant', unhewn base metals, and left as polished gems."

The Hostel regulated itself, in effect, with structure, boundaries and limitations. There were penalties and one could dip into the lore of past punishments relayed from one's fellows to imagine what was in store for your ignorant self. There was no written schedule; solely a consistent routine. A bell was the prompt for most activities except awakening. The prefects roused you out of bed at 5.30 a.m. for a half-hour of physical training. There was compulsory school, study periods, dress code, manners, church attendance, physical training and, bless the curriculum-makers, Latin.

Authority figures were the Headmaster who was school-based and the `final straw' in discipline; the Hostel Master who was a young adult taking a father role, and the Prefects who were select fellow students chosen for peer guidance as examples and encouragement to do good. Prefects sometimes referred discipline infraction by fellows to the Hostel Master; most times advising their fellows. There was the Matron - `Ma Braf' - whose role was to manage the kitchen and meals. She was responsible for teaching social graces, for example:

"Ma Braf also encouraged the breaking of bread with the fingers rather than tearing it apart with the teeth like ravenous jackals over a dead carcass."

The stories in this book are treasures. Two examples:

Dr. Phillips' Headmaster was Mr. K.L.M. Smith, M.A., better known to the students as `Sarkies'. For example, "To a boy who brought a goat to school and into a classroom, he announced: `Take him right back where you found him; we have place here for only one goat, and that's you!'" Known for his sarcastic remarks, `Sarkies' was observed to have scrutinized GBSS boys at a table, "scrambling over the odd cake."

Twelve boys, including the author, plus the Hostel Master Mr. Bertram Callender and Matron Ma Braf spent the night under the strong, oak dining tables in the Middle building the evening of 25-26 September 1955 during Hurricane Janet. The roof peeled away, nearby St. George's Pier sank and the warship docked there sent up flares causing a scare of a fire burning. "We told jokes, sang songs, prayed for the safety of all, and lapsed into long periods of quiet."

Guidelines for giving young boys [and girls] room to grow to young adults is the concern of educators of our present day. During their formative years, it was authority, regulations, responsibility, creativity, engagement, learning, enjoyment of learning, and expectations for achievement which helped the hostel boy grow into confident, courteous, knowledgeable adults.

A former GBSS Hostel boy, Hostel Master, and later Governor-General Sir Paul G. Scoon would say:

"Please and thank you cost you nothing".

Relationships and interactions of hostel boys, according to Dr. Phillips, was based on a structure that enhanced the continuity of friendships. "A substantial part of the solidifying ethos of the Hostel was the dynamics of relationships as groups of boys transitioned from small boys to seniors," according to the author.

The physical environment of the school and hostel is described; a glossary provided; seven endearing class photos identify students, and a partial list of Hostel Boys 1940-1970; all are included.

"So is there a Hostel thing?"

Believe it. `The Hostel thing' will draw you to renew old friendships, to want to know more about the process that causes the strong bond to Grenada Boys Secondary School.

Recommended for educators, librarians, Grenadians, non-Grenadians and GBSS alumni of all years.