Jamaica College (abbreviated J.C. or JC) is a public, Christian, secondary school and sixth form for boys in Kingston, Jamaica. It was established in 1789 by Charles Drax, who was the grand-nephew of wealthy Barbadian sugar planter James Drax.
It provides traditional classroom education to its students in a variety of subject areas and caters to students aged 10 to 18 years. First established as a boarding school for boys, it has remained a single-sex school with the boarding facilities removed, but later re-opened in 2016.
During the 18th century when Jamaica prospered as a sugar colony of the British Empire, several large donations were made by wealthy slave owners for the funding of schools. The objective of these bequests was usually to provide free education for the poor of the parish to which the benefactor belonged. Jamaica College is a product of such a bequest. The school is widely known for both its academic and sports achievements, and has produced many influential members of Jamaican society.
History
Drax Free School Jamaica College was founded in 1789, making it the sixth oldest continually running high school in the Jamaica, after Wolmer's Boys', one of the Wolmer's Schools (1729), Manning's School (1738), St Jago High School (1744), Rusea's High School (1777) and Titchfield High School (1786). It was first known as the Drax Free School in the parish of Saint Ann, and was founded by Charles Drax, a planter of that parish, who was originally from Twickenham, England. Drax came to Jamaica from Barbados, and as a white slave-owning planter, he was elected the representative of Saint Ann in 1702, the now-defunct parish of Saint David in 1707, Saint Mary in 1708, the now-defunct parish of Saint George in 1710, and the parish of Saint James in 1719. He died in 1721, and his estate was valued at nearly £9,000, including 307 slaves, of which 167 were male and 140 female."Legacies of British Slave-ownership", University College London https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146640585 Retrieved 1 November 2020.
Drax left money in his will to establish a charity school in Saint Ann. The school was intended for the education of eight boys and four girls, most of whom were white and poor. The will stipulated that two female black slaves on the Drax Hall estate would be used to keep the school "clean and neat". The will stipulated that the children were to be taught "reading, writing and arithmetick".
There was some delay and legal proceedings before the money was handed over to the Saint Ann vestry. With no one to probate the Drax will, and with the theft of some of the money, Jamaica College in its original form did not start until 1795. Then it was decided that Jamaica College would be a high school and an outpost of the University of London. It was in 1802 that the sum of £5,200 ($10,400 at the time), was applied by an Act of the Legislature to the endowment of the school.
Jamaica Free School The Jamaica Free School was established at Walton, near Moneague, in the parish of Saint Ann. The property at Walton Pen was bought for the site of the school, purchased in 1806. A year later, another Act of Legislature gave the school the name, Jamaica Free School. Both the names Drax Free School and Jamaica Free School had nothing to do with the concept of free tuition for attendees, but meant that the school was for the children of free people, both white and free black and mixed race. The Free School was not intended for black slaves, though his will did make an exception for his "slave Robinson", who was to be admitted and "placed out as one of them". The Free School was typical of a number of institutions set up during that era.
Jamaica High School The school had its name changed 73 years later. In 1879, during the governorship of Sir Anthony Musgrave, a provision was made by law for the Jamaica Free School to come under the jurisdiction of the Jamaica School Commission. The institution was now to be known under a new name, Jamaica High School. All classes at the time were free so there was no longer a need to call the school Jamaica Free School, but the purpose of the school remained the same until 1903. This law also authorized the removal of the school from Walton Pen in St. Ann in 1883, and classes were conducted at Barbican Great House until mid-1885. The school then had a new headmaster, Reverend (later Archdeacon) William Simms.
The buildings on Old Hope Road were opened on 9 July 1885, by the then Governor of Jamaica, Sir Henry Wylie Norman, and the first classes took place in September of the same year. In September 1890, a college was opened in connection with the school, known as University College. The site at Old Hope Road was also the tropical outpost of the University of London. It was therefore decided that the purpose of the school would be to give secondary preparation to potential students of the University of London who happened to reside in Jamaica. The name revision reflected this change, which became the school's second purpose. Until 1902 there were two separate names for the school's units. Subsequently, Jamaica High School and University College were amalgamated under the name Jamaica College. Therefore, during its history, the school has changed both name and location four times.
Jamaica College Given that the sole purpose of Jamaica College from 1903 onwards was to train potential university students in the days when the University of the West Indies did not exist, in practice most students did not go further than fourth or fifth forms. That was considered sufficient education for just about any managerial or clerical job in Jamaica. It was also considered uneconomical to run a school of less than eighty boys, and therefore a deliberate attempt to expand the school to include those of parents who were able to afford the fees was embarked upon. By the 1930s, the student population rose to over one hundred and fifty.
In 1957, the elected government of the day introduced a system of Common Entrance to all High Schools in Jamaica. After some amount of initial resistance by the school board, Jamaica College, previously accessible only to the elite and a few academically extraordinary boys who won government scholarships, was opened up to the masses of Jamaica. The school now provided one of several outlets for secondary education in Jamaica.
Jamaica College developed as a boarding institution until 1967, when that system was removed. Up to that period, the school population was primarily composed of boys from affluent families and heritage. Today, as a day school, it comprises students from a wide cross-section of the community. Its Old Boys continue to play important roles in the religious, political, business and professional services, of Jamaica.
Notably, in 2011, Jamaica College was awarded to be the most innovative high school in Jamaica which is a reflection of the many achievements and special development programmes that have been implemented at the institution in recent times.
The award was received through the Unearthing Innovations Project education competition.
Jamaica College Museum To continue preserving the rich history of Jamaica College, a museum has been established on the grounds of the institution. The museum boasts scores of poster boards, which chronicle the history of the school, and secondary education in the country in a systematic and comprehensive manner. The museum also boasts several video screens, which will allow users to find the articles they need speedily. Photographs of original buildings of the institution, as well as schoolboys enjoying or participating in various sporting disciplines are also on display in the facility.
Campus The Jamaica College campus is currently owned by the Jamaica College Trust which is chaired by Derek Jones.
The campus of Jamaica College was selected as the site for a new outdoor electrical lighting pilot project being led by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica in the organisation's efforts to promote renewable energy sources.
Historic buildings Since 19 June 2000, four buildings on the campus have been declared National Heritage Sites by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust.
Simms building
Built in 1885 of masonry and timber, the Simms building exhibits a combination of Gothic and Georgian features; the projecting central tower and wings are reminiscent of Georgian designs, while the façade's soaring verticals, griffins, and pointed arch openings, are Gothic. The building at Hope was designed at the time to accommodate boarders as well as day students, and was large enough to hold the whole school without difficulty. It now houses the administrative offices, staff room and sixth form classrooms. For over a hundred years, Simms Hall has been the core of the Jamaica College buildings, its strength and durability repeatedly demonstrated by its resistance to hurricanes and earthquakes, including the disastrous Kingston earthquake of 1907.
Scotland building Erected in 1889 of brick, mortar, and wood, with iron detailing on the balcony railings, the Scotland building combines a variety of architectural styles including palladian windows on the west elevation, a lower arcaded wrap around verandah, and a steep-pitched cedar shingled hip roof. It was first used as a dormitory, and it now houses classrooms.
Assembly Hall Constructed in 1913 of concrete block and steel, the Assembly Hall is wrapped by an arcaded verandah which helps to keep the interior cool. Its hipped roof of cedar shingles is partially concealed by parapet walls. It was originally used as an assembly hall, and it now houses classrooms.
The Chapel The chapel was built in 1924. Its walls are constructed of reinforced concrete and concrete breather block. Along the north and south elevations a stepped roof creates a clerestory level for ventilation and diffused lighting. The east and west windows of the building are of stained glass. The west window is said to be a replica of St Dunstan's window at Canterbury Cathedral in England. There is a war memorial which commemorates the memory of the 17 Jamaica College Old Boys who sacrificed their lives during the First World War.
Karl Hendrickson Auditorium Since 2006, the Jamaica College Trust has embarked on a 5-year school improvement and renovation programme. One of the projects included the construction of a multi-purpose auditorium. Named after Hon. Dr. Karl Hendrickson, a Jamaica College alumnus who contributed heavily to the construction project, the new Christian auditorium is poised to host the school's formal events, including graduations, prize giving ceremonies, morning devotions, general assembly and theater and music productions. Jamaica College will now be able to comfortably host various indoor sporting events such as basketball, volleyball, badminton and table tennis in the 11,000 sqft structure. The auditorium was opened on 22 November 2010.
The Phillip Gore Building During the summer of 2011, four classrooms were refurbished and a fifth constructed on the Jamaica College campus. Because of the contributions of Phillip Gore to the construction of the classrooms, the building has been officially named "The Phillip Gore Building". The building was dedicated to the school on 30 September 2011.
The Frank Hall Gym A naturally lit and spacious gymnasium for the athletes of the Jamaica College was renovated and dedicated in 2013 in and named in honor of Olympian Frank Hall, who graduated in 1953. The gym was fully stocked with a plethora of world class equipment all donated by the Jamaica College Old Boys of New York. While the Frank Hall Gym will primarily support the students who compete and represent Jamaica College in various sporting disciplines, the gym is open to the entire school population and serve as a platform to reinforce the importance of staying active and to establish a fitness routine.
Ashenheim Stadium