User:OdsanCombined/sandbox

The Beginning
When Odsan Combined School officially opened it was called the "Odsan Government School."

The initial construction phase of the Odsan Government School began very early in 1967 with the introduction of heavy equipment on the proposed site. The few dozen residents of the Odsan and Wellsan community had never seen such machinery before in ther rural community.

The land and site for the school was donated by Geest Estates, with the full recommendation of the Manager of the Estates at the time, the late Mr. Abel Ghirawoo.

Completion of the two walled-structures was in time for the official opening of the new school year in September 1968. The official opening ceremony took place on the last Sunday of August in 1968. The official Master of Ceremony was the late Mr. Albert Nathaniel. Unbeknownst to the audience at the time, this gentleman had already been designated and chosen as the Principal for the Odsan Government School.

The first Monday of September in1968 was opening day for the school and the first day for student registration. It was advertised earlier that only students between the ages of 5 to 12 would be accepted by the school. Older students had to continue to attend Bexon, Ciceron and La Croix Maingot Combined schools in neighboring communities.

The student population at first was minimal, less than one hundred students attended the school. Of the two buildings present, only the main, larger one was occupied with students. Classes were held solely there for the first two years the school was open. The smaller annex building was used as a play area, since there were no playground constructed for the children. Thus students played where they could, including the stony school yard and on the pavement in front of the main building.

The main building consisted of an open hall with a stage at towards the southern end. The principal's office and a kitchen were at south end of the building, past the stage, in a separate room. The northern side consisted of a pit latrine with six separate rooms: two for the teachers, two for the boys and two for the girls.

The water was supplied by a five thousand gallon iron tank which was fed by water collected from the school roof. The tank was taken from an old sugar estate and was donated by Mr. Abel Ghirawoo.

The first group of Odsan Government School  Staff was composed of those  individual  teachers,  namely: Mr. Albert Nathaniel (deceased), Ms.Catherine Albert, Mr. Allan Weekes, Ms. Precillia James, Ms. Lera Pascal, Ms. Flood (a one), Ms. Helen Joseph-Esnard, Ms. Julietta Remy-Fanis (deceased), Mr. Lucas Marshall, Mr. John Vitalis (deceased).

There was a Board of Management headed by Mr. Abel Ghirawoo and included the Principal Mr. Albert Nathaniel among others.

Mr. Albert Nathaniel was Principal from September 1968 to July 1977. Ms. Catherine Albert  became  Principal  from September 1977 for the next twenty years.

Awards and Certifications
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