Roger Anthony Fitzgerald Alleyne:
A black eye, curiously disjointed yet immensely poignant, stares sadfully out at passersby in the corridor outside the art room. To those brave enough to broach its insistent gaze and enter the art room, it is like entering into a new world. Gone are the seascapes and still lives of fruits and flowers, which once adorned the walls. The whole room seems darker, more sombre somehow.
Roger Anthony Fitzgerald Alleyne, the new Art and Craft teacher at Presentation, was born at Meernt Street, St. James in Port-of-Spain Trinidad, 43 years ago. He attended St. Agnes E.C. School, Osmond High and St. George's College. He worked at the Port Authority before leaving for New York to study Mechanical Dentistry at the New York School of Dental Technology, from which he graduated in 1969.
In 1971 'Rafa' Alleyne became the first Trinidadian to graduate from the Jamaican School of Art, earning a Certificate and a credit in Ceramics. He is the holder of a Certificate in the "Restoration of Ceramics - PreColumbian and Colonial", from the National Institute of Culture in Panama. (Sculpture Post graduate).
No social, cultural or artistic field seems safe from this man. Not only is Mr. Alleyne a teacher, but also a free-lance Journalist; the Editor of Six Entertainment Magazines and Daily News Papers in Jamaica as well as Guardian Newspaper in Trinidad; a Poet (one of whose works can be found elsewhere in this magazine); a volunteer social worker both in New York and in Jatnaica; and the Founder/President of Collective Bush Artists (CBA) in Jamaica, a group committed to moulding a "definitive theory of Caribbean Art" by "consciously blending our African tradition with our diasporan experiences to determine a more positive and relevant future for arts and artists in the Caribbean."
It seems silly to ask such a man what his pastimes are, yet our new art teacher lists music and sports as his hobbies. Another one of his recreations seems to be the writing of letters to the daily newspapers, as is evidenced by a recent correspondence to the Trinidad Guardian explaining the 'Yoruba' origins of David Rudder's 'Bahia Girl'.
Mr. Roger Alleyne is an artist in every true sense of that much maligned word. It is an educator that he comes to us at Presentation College, bringing his expertise and experience gained from stints in three secondary schools in Jamaica, to the task of nurturing an artistic consciousness among our students.
Hemat Balroop graduated from our sister Presentation College in Chaguanas, with six Ordinary Level passes. He completed Advanced Levels at Chaguanas Senior Comprehensive, before coming again to Presentation College, this time in San Fernando.
Our new lab technican has faith in the lab equipment and has proven his true worth under fire, with noisy students in an overcrowded lab on a sultry afternoon.
He lists swimming and cycling as his hobbies and would like to see more of the world in future and particularly those countries where English is not spoken.
At 21, Bakoop has plans to become an Aeronautical Engineer technican.
Our new chemistry lab assistant, Kameel Mohammed-Ali, attended the Chaguanas Junior Secondary and Senior Comprehensive schools where he attained "A" level passes in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Accustomed to the excellent facilities provided at these schools, he was shocked at the deplorable conditions existing in a chemistry lab, badly in need of renovating and repairs and in a library, bearably crowded during lunchtimes.
He js impressed, however with the Presentation staff, whose dedication, he observes, gives students that extra edge to perform to the best of their abilities.
So impressed is he, in fact, that he is even thinking of becoming a teacher when his lab days are over.
Rick Soomai teaches Chemistry to the lower forms and considers his students to be an intelligent group of people who are mostly well behaved, though a small minority, he admits, can become a bit rough at times.
He comes from Point Fortin and attended the Vessigny Secondary School and Naparima College. After obtaining three"A" level passes, he completed first and second year courses at the University of the West Indies. He plans to complete his studies in the future.
So far, he has enjoyed working with the staff and was particularly impressed with the high level of unity among them.
Mr. Soomai professes a keen interest in astronomy and astrophysical theories and owns his own telescope. He plays chess, reads a lot with a preference for scientific articles and keeps in shape hiking, camping and playing badminton.
Though he teaches science, our new member on staff harbours literary ambitions and hopes some day to publish a few books of short stories and poems.
