In late 1933, a Jamaican delegation consisting of the island’s Director of Education – Mr. B. H. Easter, the Principal of the Farm School at Hope (later JSA) – Mr. J. W. Howe and Mr. E. B. Rodgers of the Government Industrial School, Stony Hill, visited, among others, vocational institutions in the United States. Among the vocational institutions visited were; The Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in Virginia, Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama and The Penn Center, St. Helena Island, South Carolina. The visit was sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
The US visit and a grant of US$37,500 (£7,500) from The Carnegie Foundation sponsored the establishment of the HOLMWOOD Vocational School/Practical Training Center for Boys in early March, 1936, under founding Superintendent (Principal) – Mr. Edgar B. Rodgers. The institution of Holmwood Vocational school was to propel the establishment of three others (one for Girls and two for Boys) by August 1940.
In July 1939, the first residential/classroom 2-storey building on the Holmwood campus, funded by said Carnegie Foundation (a la Tuskegee), and built by foundation students and staff members Walter Bailey and Edwin Coley under the overall supervision of Mr. Crawford, the Superintendent of Works of the Government’s Public Works Department was erected.
Over the decades of the institution’s existence as a Practical Training Center, and now a Technical High School, thousands of lives have been nurtured. These lives have gone on to impact millions of people globally.
Likewise, it has created thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities. The institution has evolved tremendously and in its current state has fifteen hundred students and one hundred and thirty staff members on its roll.
The institution continues to dominate in areas of academics, sports and co-curricular activities.
On this the 85th year of existence, let us thank God for His creation and sustenance of this our Holmwood Technical High School.
“Deeds not Words”