CHAPTER SIX

MEMORABLE ROUTINES AND EPISODES

Routines

Adisadel College was until 1959, a day and boarding School. Both boarders and `day boys' were admitted. Boarders were interned at the School while the latter stayed with parents and guardians in the town about six kilometres away and managed to attend school at the College. As a result of this facility, day boys tended slightly to out-number the boarders in former days. The School fees for a day boy was in our time £4 and those for the boarder, £12 per term.

For the boarders, the day began at 5a.m., when the school bell awakened them from sleep. There were then general cleaning in the dormitories, followed sometimes by physical exercises. After that, the boys took their bath, put on their uniforms ready for classes for two periods before going to the Dining Hall for their breakfast. The day boys followed a similar routine at home before setting out for the School.

Normally, school began at 7:30a.m. each week-day, with an assembly of the whole school in the Canterbury Hall, in the presence of the headmaster and his staff who sat on the raised platform. After one or two hymns had been sung, prayers were said and rounded off with a benediction by the Headmaster. The boys then dispersed to their respective class rooms to begin the day's work.

Usually, before dispersal, there were pronouncements of forthcoming events such as a cricket or football match with a sister school and so on. Examination results or the outcome of the previous days match and such like events in which our teams had given good accounts of themselves were, as a rule, received by the school with full-throated applauses. Similarly received were news of outstanding achievements or commendable deeds by Old Boys in their various spheres of activity that tended to add lustre to the name of the School. The morning spell of work was interrupted by a short break of about 20 minutes duration. Work then resumed until 1:30p.m. when school finally closed for the day.

As a rule, the boarders assembled in the dining hall soon after for lunch, and thence to their dormitories for a short nap (siesta). On the other hand, the day-boys, of whom I happened to be one, had to walk all the way home barefooted, of course, as shoes were then more of a luxury than a necessity. In the heat of the day, we often reached home feeling tired, with beads of sweat trickling down our faces. Some times half way, we would suddenly be caught in a squall or in the pelting rain, reaching home with weather-beaten faces, drenched to the skin and shivering with cold.

The bus and the `trotro' as we have them today, were practically unknown in our school days, even though as a matter of fact, there were some old, jerky wooden lorries which not only emitted so much smoke but also made some frightful noises like the Puffing Billy (the first steam locomotive). These lorries which plied the dusty roads linking some of the towns along the coast, served as transport for both passengers and goods.

And as for the saloon cars they were a novelty for they were so few as to be objects of both fascination and curiosity to us. Generally, saloon cars were then the exclusive possessions of the high European officials in the service and only the very few most privileged of our society, could afford to own such luxurious means of transport which, to our then youthful imagination, were contrivances wonderful to behold'. The bicycle, then in vogue, was the status-symbol of the chief clerk!

Our lot as day boys was not an easy one, so that naturally we envied the boarders not so much because of the facilities for work and play at their disposal as for their apparently easy circumstances! Nevertheless, the inconveniences that we had to face almost daily however seemed to pale into insignificance in the face of the immense pleasure that we had in having the opportunity to acquire a sound education at Adisadel, a rare and most prized possession in our time in much the same way as it is today.

Play

In the afternoon, between the hours of 3 and 5:30p.m., the scene at Adisadel presented a lively, almost kaleidoscopic picture. Studies gave way to play. Almost all the boys clad in motley sports attires generally, reflecting the School or House colours would descend on the playing fields down hill. It was fascinating to watch tender and strong boys engaging themselves in various forms of sports and games. Some of the boys would be seen in moods of sportive gaiety, cheering their favourite teams or sportsmen during Inter-House football matches or similar encounters on the field of play.

We, the day boys, made sure to be present in our numbers whenever our School was engaged in matches against any of our sister schools in order to give moral support to our team and spur them on to victory. Those other boys who were not inclined, for one reason or other, to be on the held of play would be seen relaxing with novels or rambling leisurely in the woods nearby, so as to be close to, and enjoy the beauties of nature.

Then at 6p.m. the College compound which had earlier been deserted would spring back to life. After taking their bath the boarders would dress themselves up, go to the dining hall for supper and thence to the classrooms for "prep" (evening studies). Finally at 9.30p.m., there would be "Lights Out" and the boys would retire to bed for the night.

That was all in the day's work, so far as the boarders were concerned. On the other hand, we, the day boys, more or less, followed a similar pattern of work at home, though often we chose to keep late hours, revising our lessons and preparing ourselves seriously for the next day's work. The routine hasn't changed much for present day boarders except that there is an insignificant number of day-boys.

Special Days At Adisadel: Founder's Day

Adisadel College observes special days during the year. One of them is Founder’s Day, which normally falls in March each year.

It is perhaps during the Founder's Day celebrations that the Old Boys demonstrate their love for, as well as their loyalty and devotion to, their Alma Mater in a special way. On such an occasion, it is customary for Old Boys to vie with each other in doing honour to their Old School. Many Old Santaclausians usually come to the celebrations sporting the "Old School Tie."

The celebrations were, in our school days, rounded off with what was then known as "Cement Party". Happy memories and amusing incidents were recalled, which tended to add much humour and gaiety to the celebrations. Usually, during the occasion prominent Old Boys of the School have the opportunity of addressing the students on the significance of the occasion and exhorting them to keep before them the high ideals and traditions of the School, learn hard and be of good behaviour whilst, at the same time, making the most of their opportunities so that after their education at Adisadel they would go out into the world as responsible members of the society.

On the occasion that I was privileged as a student of Adisadel, to witness the Founder's Day celebrations for the first time, the speaker was the late Dr. J. W. de Craft Johnson, M.A., D.C.L., Barrister-at-Law, the first Head Prefect, who was also a tutor of the School from 1913 to 1919. He was then well-known as an accomplished musician lawyer, author and patriot. (Dr. de Graft Johnson was in fact, a man of many qualities and gifts. Law and music were his forte and he is fondly remembered by many of his admirers as the first full-blooded African not only to take a doctorate degree in civil law in tile United States of America but also to give pipe-organ renditions in West Minister Cathedral in London. For his dexterity and skill, remarked a contemporary of his,' he was given a standing ovation by an appreciative mixed audience.) Among those present were the Venerable C. H. Elliott, the "first fruit of Orders" and Dr. C. A. Ackah, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.G.S., also an Old Boy and a former tutor of the School, who became the first Ghanaian Principal of the University College of Cape Coast.

Speech And Prize-Giving Day

Another memorable occasion in the life of the School, much looked forward to by both the students and the Old Boys is what was known in our school days, as "Visitation Day", now the Speech and Prize-Giving Day. This is usually a day when parents and guardians have the opportunity of seeing for themselves something of the life and activities at the School, and satisfying themselves about the progress so far made by their children and wards.

In those days, Founder's Day was celebrated, as already mentioned above, around March 10, while the Speech and Prize-Giving Day was held in December, which then marked the end of the academic year. This is in contrast with the present practice whereby Speech and Prize-Giving Day is celebrated together with Founder's Day on the second Saturday and Sunday in March each year. A special feature on such occasions particularly during the days of Father Knight, was a Latin Oration, by the School Orator, represented by one of the Sixth Form classicists. The Orator received popular acclamation and his oration was heartily applauded by the students, even though as a matter of fact, most of them particularly the new comers, did not understand a word of the message that the dignified orator sought to drive home to the audience.

As part of the Speech and Prize-Giving Day celebrations, a solemn but impressive ceremony marking the "End of Year Service" was held in the School Chapel. After the outgoing Head Prefect had given his validictory speech the Sixth Formers were given divine blessings. The Head Prefect-elect who had earlier been handed the Head Prefect's staff, the symbol of authority by the outgoing Prefect, was formally invested at the Service. The brief ceremony was as solemn as it was touching. Many of the Sixth Formers were near to tears visibly moved by the thought of having to leave Adisadel, perhaps, for the last time.

Important personalities, often Old Boys of the School, who have distinguished themselves in public life or other outstanding public figures are often invited as Guest Speakers, or to occupy the Chair and address the gathering on Speech and Prize-Giving Days.

The Speech and Prize-Giving Day in 1955, has an important historical significance for Adisadel. For in that year, the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the First President of Ghana who led the country to independence in March 1957, then in his capacity as the Prime Minister of the Gold Coast, was the distinguished Guest of Honour on that occasion. Apart from distributing prizes himself, the Prime Minister delivered a key-note address to the great gathering of people from all walks of life who thronged the Great Hall. Dr. Nkrumah exhorted the students to study hard and make the most of the opportunity offered them at the School, to prepare themselves well to be in a position to serve their country to the best of their abilities in the future.

He reminded the students that the country was on the verge of being launched on a new course as an independent and sovereign state in the Comity of Nations. Undoubtedly, the speech had a tremendous effect on the students: it keyed, them up as if for the greatest adventure of their lives. If anything, the presence of the Prime Minister and some of his principal ministers of state who are Old Boys, particularly K. A. Gbedemah, the Minister for Finance, Kojo Botsio the Minister of Education and Social Welfare both of whom actively participated in the celebrations, not only gave the students real pride and satisfaction but also served to instill into them a sense of national consciousness never before experienced by the students of the School.

Initiation Of ‘Homos’

There is also a time-honoured ceremony of initiating new boys into the School. The new boys who are known as ‘Homos’ are put through a week-long series of trials also known as "ragging". The rationale behind it all is to "toughen" up the boys and make them proud arid worthy members of the happy Santaclausian Family. And although usually the boys find the going somewhat nerve-racking, nevertheless, they cheerfully face the situation for the accolade of 'Santaclausian' is tempting and well worth striving for by all new comers to the School.

Here is an interesting account of an initiation ceremony (which of course varies from year to year) given by D. K. Wellington a former student of the School. It is humorously described as the "1969 Kenkey Battle".

"As homos our initiation began on the first Saturday of the- Advent Term. Throughout the week, which seemed to be "seven, grueling years" we were faced with the biggest problem of our stay at ADISCO. From morning till night time, we were the butt of teasing, sneers and what have you. However in the midst of all these seemingly "cruel times" we felt proud for we knew that we were on the verge of becoming part and parcel of the great Santaclausian Family which is both a privilege and an honour to belong to. "As the Homo's Week neared its end we had to show that we had been toughened up sufficiently for the final battle. "Initiation Day, October 3, 1969 was heralded with joy by us as it was to be the official ending of our "woes." At 4 p.m. in the afternoon, we were put on a route march through the "principal streets" of ADISCO, with our shirts turned the other way round. Likewise, our shoes or sandals.

"At Katanga some discarded things were thrown at us and we were subjected to all sorts of funny pranks until 6p.m. when at a Mini Homos Dinner of meat stew and kenkey we were made to “bear the palm”. Most of our kenkey balls were however taken away from us by the seniors for reasons which puzzled us. "After: the dinner we got ourselves clad in our white bed sheets with our-pillow cases serving as our "headgear". From the Acropolis where we collected candles we went on a sort of Candle Light Procession to the Canterbury Hall where the Battle Royal was to take place. "On our way to the "battle field", the Canterbury Hall, some of us came into "confrontation" with the Santaclausians (we were not as yet Santaclausians then).

“In the 'Canterbury Hall, in the presence of the Santaclausians we, the Homos, were obliged to give displays interspersed with singing and dancing. Our shoes and tables served as musical instruments in the process.

"Then in the midst of the display a ball of kenkey unexpectedly flew on to the stage and that was the signal for the "Kenkey Battle" to begin. We were shot with cannon balls of kenkey from all sides. While some of us scurried for cover, others tried to hit back. Two "Homoguards" were kidnapped during the battle, and were released only the intervention of the Entertainments Prefect.

We heaved a sigh of relief when a truce was called and the battle ended. There was fortunately no serious casualty except that many "arms" (balls of kenkey) were destroyed. The end of this battle signaled the end of our initiation into the Great Santaclausian Family.

We left the battle field in peace, not in pieces. Many of us could not help laughing at ourselves for the hair-raising experiences we went through. But nothing buoyed up our spirits and armed us to the hilt for our stay at ADISCO more- than the idea that we had become fully-fledged - SANTACLAUSIANS!"

These experiences are by no means exceptional or peculiar. They are the general pattern with perhaps slight variations here and there over the yeas. Nonetheless as an age-old tradition of the School, it serves to add much fun and interest to life at the School.

Popularity

Santaclausians, young and old, usually have their own special reasons for choosing to attend Adisadel College in the first place. The reasons may be religious, personal, sentimental or even accidental. Be that as it may no Santaclausian has ever been known, to have regretted or bemoaned his lot for having attended Adisadel, at any time if at all.

Characteristically, the generality of Old Santaclausians, whatever their conditions or circumstances prides themselves in their associations with the School. Not a few of them can even vow that they could not have attended a School much more congenial to them than Adisadel. The kindred spirit, the proverbial `Adisadel Spirit', is to all Santaclausians, something inestimable, so intimate and sustaining to them in their daily life and activities. What then is there to beat the Old Santaclausians' fond, indeed, nostalgic attachment to their Alma Mater?

It is relevant to recall that in former times, denominational considerations were factors usually taken into account or reckoned with in the choice of schools for one's children in the country. The few existing schools (both elementary and secondary) were mainly missionary enterprises, established to provide education for the children of members or adherents of those respective churches concerned. In this context, Adisadel College was then more or less the `preserves' of the Anglican boys in much the same way as Mfantsipim School was almost exclusively for those boys belonging to the Methodist Church. St. Augustine's College favoured mostly Catholic boys as was Aggrey College for those of the A.M.E. Zion Church. Achimota was then non-denominational though, basically, Anglican in concept.

Following the establishment of many secondary schools in the country and the keen competitions for places by the large number of prospective students who were eager for education, the selection of students for the various schools on denominational basis proved to be illogical and untenable under the circumstances. Now in vogue is a centralised system of examination for entry into the secondary schools, conducted by the West African Examinations Council. The examination is known as 'Common Entrance Examination' and is taken by pupils mostly in middle Forms Two to Four in the local middle schools and similar grades of the Preparatory Schools.

Successful candidates in this examination are admitted into the schools of their own choice, subject to their performance and the availability of places. This replaces the former system by which the mission schools and colleges conducted their own examinations, interviewed the candidates and selected those found most suitable for admission into their respective schools. Now the local secondary schools and colleges are largely controlled by the Government through the Ghana Education Service which is under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education and Culture. Among most Ghanaians, particularly, Anglicans, the view is generally held that Adisadel is a great and progressive school with a fine tradition of learning and achievements behind it and is therefore one of the most popular and well-sought after among the older well-established secondary schools in the country.

The School's advertisements rest not so much on its academic, sports and other achievements scored over the years as on its impressive traditions, coupled with the active and buoyant spirit of the students and the Old Boys of the School. These serve to attract many eager boys of various tribes and creeds from all over the country to the School each year.

Characteristically, Adisadel College seems to have the `knack' for achieving the "best" and attracting almost the best to herself at all times. Herein lies the essence of the popularity of the School.

Reminiscences and Recollection

Against this background, Adisadel touched and influenced me in a dramatic manner in my boyhood to decide to attend the School. When attending the Cape Coast Government Boys' School, I happened to watch the boys from Topp Yard (where St. Nicholas Grammar School was then housed) holding their Inter-House Athletic Spurt; at the Victoria Park. It was a colourful spectacle and the sporting spirit and sportsmanship of the boys impressed me tremendously. I made it a point to observe the boys at work and play. Almost everything about the School fascinated me particularly the School blazer with the School crest embroidered on the breast pocket, as well as the hat band and belt in the colours of the School. The tune of the School 'Ode' was to me most thrilling! I felt enthused too as I watched the boys walk, several of them barefooted, all the way through the thickets via Aboom to Adisadel hill where they busied themselves in their school building project. The boys were divided into groups, each assigned various tasks, such as clearing the land digging, carting sands and stones and making cement blocks. It was fascinating to see some of the boys actually putting up the building under the direction of enthusiastic volunteer foremen works from Asuantsi Trade School.

Determination was written large on the faces of the boys. The boys sang the School "Ode" as they laboured and toiled in the sun seemingly unmindful of all inconveniences to themselves. This daring spirit of the boys excited my imagination and made me long to become a student of the School. It seemed to me great to participate in such an adventure.

But what actually helped to put a seal on my interest in, and love for, Adisadel College was the impressive Greek Plays staged by the School which I had the opportunity to watch. The Antigone presented to my 'youthful imagination a wonderful scene never to be forgotten.

So after my elementary school education my obvious choice of a secondary school was, of course, Adisadel. I sat for and passed the college entrance examination. In January 1937, I started schooling at Adisadel as a `day boy'. The School had just been transferred from Topp Yard to Adisadel. I felt myself lucky to be counted "with the first" to start schooling in the "New Jerusalem".

Clearly, it was Father Knight's inspiring leadership as headmaster of St. Nicholas Grammar School, the forerunner of Adisadel College, that kindled and sustained my interest in the College. So, naturally, when I started school there, I looked forward to coming under his benign influence. But alas that was not to be! Just at the end of the very first term, Father Knight bade us "Goodbye" to return to England purposely to campaign for more funds for the College building project. He was never to return to continue the good work he had so well began!

I was among a group of about 30 eager boys who were placed in Form Two Upper. This class proved to be a tough one, one of the best in the School for some of the boys were holders of the enviable Standard Seven Distinction Certificates!

Classes, then as now, ran from Form One to Form Six. Each form was divided into two streams, "Upper" and "Lower." It was reckoned that the Upper classes were the preserves of the brighter students so that during terminal examinations there were keen struggles and jockeying for good positions so as to escape relegations! This served to keep us all mentally alert and always on our "toes".

We were to be prepared for a course of study leading up to the Senior Cambridge School Certificate Examinations. The first hurdle we had to clear before reaching that goal was the Junior Cambridge Examination. Both examinations were conducted by the Cambridge Overseas Examinations Syndicate.

Subjects

Subjects of study for the Junior Cambridge embraced English Language, English Literature, History (British Empire/European/Ancient) Elementary Mathematics (Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry) Latin, Greek or the Vernaculars (Fanti/Twi/Ga) Geography and Religious Knowledge (Acts of the Apostles and a selection of the Gospels). The duration of the course was two years, in the first instance, and that examination was to be taken later in the Fourth Form.

A candidate had a wide choice of subjects. The maximum was eight, the minimum being four. The subjects were in groups of four or at most, five. At least, one subject in each group had to be chosen with an option for alternative subject. English Language was compulsory for all candidates. A candidate was deemed as having failed in the whole examination if he failed in the English Lanauage papers, no matter how well he performed in all the other subjects. The English Language papers comprised a test in Composition or Essay, and Comprehension including precis and elements of grammar. English Literature covered Shakespeare's selected works and that of other English authors. Although English . Literature was optional it proved to be a popular subject for most of us, for it helped to broaden our knowledge and understanding of English, tile mastery of which was then recognised as a mark of scholarship and erudition. In any case, a good grounding in English Language and Literature had the effect of standing us in good stead in our chosen careers.

Although I fared well in my studies generally; some of the subjects proved to be hard nuts for me to crack, at the beginning. Geometry and Algebra, for instance, drove me almost to the point of distraction as I could not, at first, grasp their working principles thoroughly. However, I did not allow myself to be ducked under by the initial difficulties. So I `burned the midnight oil' and succeeded in mastering the subjects as far as I could. My hard work was rewarded when I scored good passes in those subjects in the Junior Cambridge Examination. These subjects eventually turned out to be among my favourites later at the School.

The other subject that I did not relish much was, ironically, Fanti. It seemed strange that although I am a Fanti, I could not bring myself to study the Fanti language thoroughly. Not that it was beyond my comprehension or that I had little regard for my own mother tongue.

This irony is explained by the fact that I was born at Kaduna in Northern Nigeria, a predominantly Hausa town, where I spent most of my early years. I had been accustomed to speaking Hausa most of the time there and all my playmates then were Hausa children. As a result, when I returned home to my native land I had become almost a stranger to my mother tongue. I had only a smattering knowledge of the Fanti language and could hardly express myself clearly, let alone, putting the language into writing.

And strangely enough, Fanti was one of the subjects I entered for the Junior Cambridge Examination. The study of Latin and Greek was then a tradition in the School. I was therefore obliged to concentrate more on those Subjects and much less on Fanti. So it was obvious that I was ill-prepared in Fanti to be able to give good accounts of myself in that subject in the examination.

As should be expected, I found myself at sea in tackling the Fanti papers, so much so that I gave up writing the Fanti papers at the first shock! My answer papers were never submitted for collection by the invigilator. I secretly shelved them under the desk and when all seemed clear, I destroyed them! I used to wonder what would have happened to me had I been caught in that very act! Luckily for me, I was saved from failure in the whole examination by the fact that I did sufficiently well in the Latin papers to compensate for my negligence.

Results

The results of the Junior Cambridge examination, our first public examination, at Adisadel were an impressive one. We registered about 85 per cent passes, not a small achievement in those days. This served to strengthen our hopes and brightened our prospects for the future. We felt that with little more efforts we could achieve the best in our next hurdle, the Senior Cambridge School Certificate examination, just two years away.

While we patted ourselves for our successes in the Junior Cambridge exams, we were at the same time, much encouraged by the performances of some of our seniors, the Sixth Formers, in their Senior Cambridge examination. We were delighted to learn that some of them had passed creditably and obtained exemptions from London Matriculation, Cambridge Previous and Oxford Responsions, all rolled in one! Much as we were impressed by this fine show, we felt all the same, that the outcome was a challenge to us, a gauntlet had been thrown down, which we were expected to take up!

It was with this at the back of our minds that we started classes in Form Five Upper at the beginning of the academic year. So great was our determination not to be outdone in class that it all seemed as if the battle was already half won!

Things seemed to go on well with us when as ill-luck would have it, financial difficulties started to dog my steps. I had to be sent home now and again for non-payment of schools fees to the extent that I was kept away from school for over a year (My dad then in the Nigerian Government Service had unfortunately died at Zaria, leaving our widowed mother to struggle to care for us, her seven children!) Really, I was sorely disappointed though but I did not lose hope. I was convinced that there was always silver-linings behind even the darkest clouds. Like Micawber, I hoped against hope that something positive would turn up in my favour in due time.

To enable me to save some money to meet my school fees, I offered my service to the Observer Press, printers of the "Gold Coast Observer", owned by C. F. Hayfron-Benjamin, an able barrister, who incidentally was the head prefect of the School in 1918. My work there gave me an insight into journalism and nurtured my interest in the art of writing newspaper features and poems. (My flair for writing was inherited from my uncle the late Magnus J. Sampson, M.B.E., M.A., then the Secretary of the Joint Provincial Council of Chiefs which he also represented in the Legislative Council. He was himself a writer and author of "Gold Coast Men of Affairs", among several others, and one-time a member of the College Board of Governors).

In the midst of this interesting and absorbing work, fortune unexpectedly came my way. A sympathetic and kind-hearted gentleman who apparently had been reading with interest my articles in that paper, hearing about my plight, offered to finance my education to the end. He even offered to send me to Achimota, but I declined it in favour of continuing at Adisadel. The benefactor in question was no other person than the late Kofi Bentsi-Enchill, then the District Manager of the United Africa Company, Cape Coast.

When I resumed at Adisadel my original classmates had passed on brilliantly, leaving me behind! That was a great blow to me, but the thought that I had been given the opportunity to make good what I had missed gave me no small comfort. In fact, it was a sufficient recompense for me.

I was fortunate to be numbered among the final Class of 1944, when I returned to School. I visualised fortune smiling on me so I resolved to make the most of the opportunity at my disposal. To this effect, and in order to make assurance doubly sure, I decided to "kill two birds with one stone", by entering for both the Senior Cambridge School Certificate Examination scheduled for December 1944 and the London University Matriculation examination billed for January 1945.

For the Senior Cambridge School Certificate, I took a maximum of seven subjects and the usual five for the London matric exam. It so happened that after writing the school certificate exams at Adisadel, I had to travel to Accra a week later for the matric exams.

Both examinations, it should be noted, took place at the height of the Second World War. The answer papers had to be sent by sea to Britain for marking. Under the circumstances, there were considerable uncertainties regarding the safety of the examination papers, as ships then ran the risk of being torpedoed and sunk by enemy action on the high seas often, with great losses of lives and properties.

It took six months for the results of both examinations to be announced. When the results of the Cambridge School Certificate examination came in with the news that I was one of the successful candidates, I started to wonder as to what was in store for me in the next, though I was optimistic as to my fate in the matric examination. Just the following morning, I had an express telegram from the Education Department, Accra, informing me, much to my delight, that I had also passed that examination and congratulating me on my success. My cherished dreams had been realised! I hugged myself over my successes, pleased that I had not disappointed my benefactor, who was naturally happy about the out-come.

Scare

In those days, examinations used to give many candidates a scare, more so when one happened to be a private candidate. It was considered something of a feat to be able to pass London University examinations confidently by one's own effort. The London Matriculation was highly prized for it served as a passport, an "open sesame" to the University and the professions so that it was much sought after by the ambitious students with a career or a profession in view.

Among those students of Adisadel who were also successful in the matric exams held in 1945 were H.V.H. Sekyi (who went on to obtain a First in Classics in the then University of the Gold Coast) now Ghana's Permanent Representative at the United Nations and Vice-President of the UN. Economic and Social Council (He was formerly Ghana High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland) and Enoch K. Edusei (Jnr) now Judge of Appeal and Chairman of the Volta River Authority.

It is remarkable that several members of the final classes of 1942 and 1944 to which I was privileged to belong have proved to be outstanding scholars and responsible members of the community today. The 1942 Group included the following top engineers: W. F. Coleman who became the first Director-General of Broadcasting and is now Telecommunications Specialist for Africa, E.C.A. Addis Ababa,. Ethiopia, C.K. Annan former Managing Director of Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation and E. Q. Hayfron-Acquah, also the first Managing Director of Electricity Corporation of Ghana. P.E.N.K. Archer, now Judge of Appeal and Chairman of the Law Reform Commission; E. Hornsby-Odoi, now Managing Director, Tema Development Corporation and S.K.B. Taylor, an experienced chartered accountant now Director of Kobina Taylor and Company, a firm of Accountants and Auditors are among the 1944 group.

We were fortunate while at Adisadel to come under the tutelege of a band of enthusiastic and dedicated teachers, both African and European. Through the hard work and encouragement given us by those teachers, we were able to achieve our ambitions at Adisadel and that set us on the road to the realisation of our life's work in which many of us are happily engaged today. We owe our devoted teachers undying debts of gratitude. Those of them who are now no more and whose memories we fondly cherish include the versatile D. Jackson-Davies, J.T.O. Gyebi, E. F. Andrews-Ayeh, Isaac Essilfie, Albert A, Sam; C.J. Buckman and A.M.L Taylor.

The rest who are happily with us at the moment include Albert Hammond B.A., Dip. Ed., Maxwell Awotwi, T. M. Kodwo-Mercer, B. Com., E.B.O. Azu-Mate, J. V. M. Ntow, B.A. LLB. Robert Tachie-Menson. C. W. O. Sackeyfio, B.A., J. R.. Amponsah, B.A., Arid J. Ade Sawyerr, M.A. who became a Regional Education Officer.

We also remember with great affection our genial expatriate tutors, the Revd. R. C. Hastie-Srnith. B..A. (Oxon) our Chaplain and Sport Coach and John Dixon, B.A. (Cantab) both Britons; G. E.- Davies M. A. a Sierra Leonean and E. O. Bababunmi from Nigeria. They were all a helpful band of teachers whose diverse talents combined to enrich the intellectual life of the school and gave Adisadel College a distinct character of her own. ' The study of Elementary Science was then making a headway in the School under the direction of E. O. Bababunmi, a keen science teacher whose enthusiasm stimulated the interest of many students in the study of the subject. Bababunmi was fortunately assisted by a group of equally enthusiastic young undergrads fresh from the Science Department of Achimota College, who came to teach in the School prior to leaving to further their education in medical school, overseas. They were: J. S. Mante (who later qualified as a dental surgeon in Britain) F. C. Grant, P. K. M. Kemavor and Kwesi Bentsi-Enchill, all of, whom are now medical specialists. Dr. K. K. O. Bentsi-Enchill, B.A., M.B., Ch.B., B.A.O., FRCOG., is currently Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra.

The other teachers who also taught at the School, at one time or other in the forties were: K.A. Sekyi, (deceassd) who taught mathematics A.K. Kitcher, M.A. who rose to become Greater Accra Regional Director of Education and J.H. Sackey, B.A., now Principal Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Victor Owusu B.Sc., LLB. Barrister-at-Law, who became Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General in the National Liberation Council (NLC) regime and later Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of the late Dr. K. A. Busia also taught at the School, prior to leaving for Britain to study law. Likewise, A. Q. Acheampong, LLB., Barrister-at-Law, now a private legal practitioner.

Influence

During the period that we spent at Adisadel we were fortunate to come under the beneficent and enlightened influences of two expatriate and two Ghanaian headmasters. The expatriates were Father Knight and Father R. D. Hudson both of whom were then clergymen of great intellect and immense personal charm. The Ghanaians were S. R. S. Nicholas and E. N. Agbettor both of whom held the fort during the interregnums.

How sad that both Father Hudson and Stephen Nicholas who at one time worked so admirably together as comrades-in-arms and E. N. Agbettor have now gone to their eternal rest. Though no more, their sweet memories and those of our departed teachers are enshrined in our grateful hearts.

It must be said to the credit of our headmasters that in their days they managed even in the midst of great stress and strain, to steer the good ship Adisadel College clear of dangerous shoals safe to port. Their lives and works remind us as Henry Longfellow asserted that no matter how humble our stations in life may be, with dedication and zeal we are capable of rising to great heights and departing leave behind us footprints on the sand of time. As beneficiaries of their toil and sacrifice, their fine examples will continue to inspire and animate us, as long as we live.

Before concluding, I must not forget to mention also G. A. Woode, with whom I was privileged to stay and who took good care of me for the most part of my days at Adisadel. His nephews Reuben and Raphael Woode, both were my school mates and close companions and we did almost everything in common. Alfonso Woode, then the Chief Municipal Inspector of the Cape Coast Town Council and now known as Pastor K. E. Duah, a retired minister of the Church of Pentecost is the brother of the late Samuel Woode who introduced the Boy Scouts Movement into Ghana, then the Gold Coast. Incidentally, scouting was then my chief delight.

Episodes

That boys will always be boys is an undisputed fact of life, human nature being what it is. Although, the tone of the School was generally all that should be desired, nevertheless, the College had to experience some trying moments at certain periods of her existence. The youthful impetuosities of some of the daring boys, particularly during the late 1940's, occasioned the School authorities many anxieties and troubles. One of those petty troubles of the boys, at one time, erupted into a serious strike. As a result of the disorder that followed, some of the students found themselves face to face with the law. They were prosecuted at the court for breach of the peace. One or two of the students were found guilty and fined. The case created a sensation and it was the general feeling that those unfortunate boys had blighted their future by their own thoughtless actions.

But in life, good often comes out of seeming evil as this unhappy incident turned out. The court trial seemed to have had a salutary lesson for the boys. Those `trouble-shooting' boys who had a brush with the law, by sheer misadventure, were apparently fascinated by the power and majesty of the law; and obviously, they were also awed by the uncompromising course of justice that manifested itself after the trial, despite the brilliant defense put up by their counsels. The judicial setting, the seemingly austere proceedings and the public interest that the trial generated all registered on the impressionable minds of the boys. The end result was that some of those boys were guided in their choice of a career to settle for law after leaving school.

The fruits of that experience are happily reflected in the fact that several of those bright boys who through youthful exuberance, had a brush with the law, are today numbered among the legal luminaries, adorning the Ghana Bench and Bar! Others are occupying positions of responsibility in other spheres. What a splendid irony of life!

1945 General Disturbances

The year 1948 will ever be remembered by many students attending the various colleges and secondary schools in the country, particularly those at Cape Coast. There were then widespread discontents in the country. The prices of consumer goods were rather too high and countrywide boycott of such goods had consequently been organised by Nii Kwabena Bonne III, the Osu Alata Mantse, who became known as "Boycott-hene".

Then, co-incidentally, came the February 28 Christiansborg Crossroads incident in which a contingent of unarmed ex-servicemen on a peaceful demonstration to the Castle to present a petition to the Governor, to draw attention to their plight, clashed with armed Policemen with tragic consequences. There occurred widespread riots, looting and burning of stores etc. in the capital and other places.

Six leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), a national movement, then fighting to secure Self-government, within the shortest possible time, for the country, were arrested and detained by the colonial government on suspicion of being the ringleaders behind the disturbances. The leaders in question were: E. Akuffo-Addo, Dr. J. B. Danquah, William-Ofori-Atta, E. O. Obetsebi-Lamptey, E. Ako-Adjei and Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who was the General-Secretary. George Alfred Grant, affectionately called "Paa Grant" was the founder and first President of the UGCC. A timber magnate of considerable influence in the country, Paa Grant had a long and distinguished public career, and became known as "the Father of Gold Coast Politics".

The students of certain colleges at Cape Coast notably those of St. Augustine's and Adisadel apparently peeved by the arrest and detention of the country's leaders, took courage in their hands and went on an all-out strike to demonstrate their sympathy and solidarity with "The Big Six", as those leaders came to be known. Evidently, as a reprisal, both students and masters alike, who were suspected to be responsible for, or involved in, the strike were expelled from their respective schools. Of course, Adisadel boys were in the vanguard and had their share of the dismissal. Incidentally, all those boarders dismissed were senior Prefects of the School.

But thanks to Providence, those brave new generation of students were not to suffer in vain. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who proved himself to be of the stuff of which patriots are made, came back to the rescue. With a paltry sum of ten pounds sterling, the equivalent of about twenty cedis (C20.00) in local currency, he opened a new school to absorb some of the dismissed boys. The new school - Ghana College - has since grown to become the magnificent Ghana National College.

The timely opening of Ghana College at Cape Coast helped to save some of those dismissed students from pining away in grief or frustration and becoming a liability to the country. The new school afforded them the opportunity not only to continue their education but also to prepare themselves to serve their country. Thus, in the words of Thomas Gray, many a `flower' of the nation's youth was saved from "blushing unseen and wasting its sweetness on the desert air". Many of those boys of Ghana College are today serving in various responsible positions in the country. One of the fine products of that school is Dr. F. K. Allotey, M.A., Ph.D. F.R.A.S., D.LC., Professor of Mathematics, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.

The stand taken by the students however helped to accelerate the momentum of the struggle for independence, resulting in the birth of Ghana, the first British colony south of the Sahara to reach nationhood. This event established Ghana as the "Lodestar of African Freedom and Independence" and opened the way for the process of decolonisation in Africa.

Those students and their tutors deserve praise for the great sacrifices they made in the interests of the country. Mention should be made in particular of the late Kwesi Plange, the first headmaster of Ghana College (who incidentally- was the youngest (27 years old) in his time to enter Parliament as the municipal member for Cape Coast and who gallantly fought to have the franchise, the voting age, pegged at 25 years, a singular achievement for his age) H.. P. Nelson, B.Sc., MPA., who rose to become Principal Secretary and is now Managing Director of U.T.C. (Ghana) Limited; and J. J. Mensah-Kane B.Sc., Dip., Ed. who for many years was also the headmaster and President of the Association of Headmasters of Assisted Secondary Schools. The three regardless of their own plight (they were among those teachers summarily dismissed) displayed exemplary courage and conduct that inspired the boys under their charge and helped to infuse life into the new school. As pioneers. they were instrumental in charting the course of the school and strengthening the base of its foundation.

The role played by Dr. C.A.. Ackah as headmaster in the formative years of the school also deserves mention. Dr. Ackah came to the rescue of the new school at a critical time. His presence saved the school and gave it a new lease of life. He placed at the disposal of the school his two-storey villa, located on a hillock near Siwudu, a suburb at Cape Coast. This enabled the school to settle down to serious work until it moved into its permanent buildings situated in a beautiful wooded area, just outside the town. Albert Hammond who followed Dr. Ackah as headmaster helped to diversify the activities of the school giving it greater dimension.

Ghana National College having as its motto: Pro Patria, literally, "For our Country" is today a "giant among giants", a national monument symbolising the national spirit.

Exuberance

Youthful exuberance had yet another interesting episode which needs to be recounted here for the moral lesson that it underlines. At Adisadel village and along the road to the town there were abundant coconut fruits and of course the traditional palm wine. At week-ends during `exeats', some of the boys trooping down to the town were often tempted by the heat of the day to refresh themselves with the cool juice of the coconut fruits. There were then no cool packaged milk or soft drink such as fanta or ice cream as we have them today.

It was not unusual that sometimes when coconut fruits ran out of supply some of the senior boys took shots of the palm wine, of course …….

[missing text – pages 49 and 50 in the source book. Contact webmaster@adisadelOnline.com if you have these pages in the original book]

……. make-shift arrangements have been adopted to meet the religious needs of the students belonging to the various religious denominations in the School. The Chapel itself, the Canterbury Hall, the Library etc. are all deployed to serve the religious needs of the students, by way of providing morning services and Evening Songs on Sundays. Priests and ministers of religion from the other denominations regularly conduct services at the School for members of their respective churches.

Two full-time resident Chaplains see to the religious needs of the students. The Chaplaincy Board, assisted by the Scripture Union and the S.C.M. organise regular Sunday Schools for the children of the staff and those of the Ridge residential area, who attend services in the Chapel. The Board also encourages the boys to be Servers and Choristers in the Chapel, thus enabling them to dedicate themselves to the service of God. Some of the Old Boys who have now became active priests of the Church were led to make a decision for Christ, that is, to serve in the Lord's Vineyard in this remarkable way.

Sports And Games

It is a maxim of universal acceptance and application that "all work and no play make Jack a dull boy". The ideals of work and play as the basis of education for the promotion of a sound mind in a healthy body form the salient feature of life and activities of the School. Sports and recreational facilities are available. Athletics, soccer, boxing, table tennis, cricket, hockey, basketball etc. are not only popular but are actually organised as competitions among the various School Houses and against other schools and colleges in the country. The sporting reputation of Adisadel has largely been built up on the playing fields. Adisadel in fact, has become famous and is much admired for the fine, plucky sportsmen it has produced for the country and especially for its tradition of sportsmanship built up over the years.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the annual Inter-College Athletics Competitions were the most outstanding sports events in the calendar of the School and the spirit in which the competitions were held was as keen as it was impressive. Indeed so keen and earnest were the competitors in the struggle for honours that in most cases the very existence and the reputation of the competing schools were staked in the games. The spirit of the competitions can best be illustrated by the fact that at one of those competitions held at Achimota in 1934, one of the competitors from Achimota Ellison Dogbatse - fell and died for the glory of his school. This rare spirit of sacrifice displayed on that occasion has been immortalised by memorials in the form of two illuminated Lamp Posts erected on either side of the entrance to the Administration Block of Achimota College, to the memory of that gallant young athlete.

The Inter-College athletics competitions in those days, more often than not tended to be almost neck-to-neck race between Achimota and Adisadel, with Achimota in most cases, having the edge. In 1934, Adisadel College (then St. Nicholas Grammar School) succeeded in winning for the first time the coveted "Aggrey Shield" in a dramatic manner and thus broke the virtual monopoly of Achimota in the competitions. The architect of Adisadel's victory was the late C. J. Buckman whose all-round performances especially in the sprints were crucial and helped to make that victory conclusive. Chas Buckman was captain of the School's Athletics team from 1932 to 1934 during which he was the Victores Laudorum.

Chas Buckman later joined the staff and in addition to his regular teaching work, he also worked hard as Sports Master of the College. He did much to promote sports and sportsmanship and his sportive walking gait was much admired by all. As a typical Old Santaclausian, he will ever by remembered for his infectious humour and particularly for his catching phrase – Obeye Yie - which he used to buoy up the spirits of his boys and encouraged his numerous friends and admirers to face the vicissitudes of life cheerfully and with sporting spirit.

Other outstanding sportsmen who were Victores Laudorums in their days include: J. M. Bentil (1937-1938), J. M. Amuah (1941-1942) Charles Van-Dyck (1949-1951) H. O. Nyarko (1953-1955) K. B. Ampratwum (1962-1963) G. B. Solomon (1964 and 1966) A. K. Sam (1967-1969). H. O. Nyarko and Willie E. Kwarteng (1956) were among the Ghana Sports Contingents to the Commonwealth Games held at Vancouver, Canada in 1954.

Current School Terms

The School has three terms in the year, namely:

ADVENT or lst Term - September to December, formerly 3rd Term'
LENT or 2nd Term - January to March, formerly 1st Term
TRINITY or 3rd term - April to June, formerly 2nd Term
LONG VACATION - June to August formerly from December to January

Sports Calendar

The Inter-House Athletics and Hockey Competitions are held during the Advent term. Hockey at the beginning and athletics towards the end of the term, in November.

The Second or Lent term is mainly a Football season at Adisadel, whilst Trinity is for basketball, volleyball and cricket.

Inter-Schools Regional Competitions

Hockey competitions between schools are held in the first term. More often than not, Adisadel emerges winners in the Cape Coast District. In recent years, not less than a third of the star players making up the Central Regional Academicals Hockey team are students of Adisadel College. Some of them also feature prominently in the Cape Coast Hockey Club.

The Inter-Schools Athletics competition takes place in February. Adisadel almost always comes out "either the first or with the first."

In the Inter-Schools Football competitions, held in Trinity term, Adisadel is always one of the best in the District.

Scholarship And Bursaries

In those days, scholarships and bursaries were very few and not easy to secure as they appear to be today with the establishment of the Sixth Form courses and Universities in this country. The few existing secondary schools were mostly missionary enterprises and the headmasters were, individually, clerics of the various church missions concerned. The graduates on the staff were few indeed, and were nearly all expatriate missionaries.

Facilities available for studies were limited and not as accessible as they are today; so that it was considered something of a feat to be able to pass confidently external examinations leading to a London University degree locally, more so when one happened to read as a private candidate.

Nowadays, an ever-increasing number of students who satisfy the entry requirements of our Universities at Legon, Kumasi and Cape Coast, luckily avail themselves fully of the opportunities at their disposal to study in the various disciplines, in the Arts and Sciences, coming out with various degrees in their chosen fields of study, as graduates or professionals in law, medicine, engineering, economics, etc. The School grants scholarships and Ad Hoc bursaries to deserving but needy students.

Teachers

The College has almost always been fortunate to secure the services of good teachers, many of them experienced men who are in love with their work and are devoted to their students. At present, Adisadel has a teaching staff of about 50, mostly graduates of the Universities of Ghana, Legon and Cape Coast, some of whom are women.

Among those fine teachers in our days, the following deserve mention: D. Jackson-Davis, T. J. O. Gyebi, E. F. Andrews-Ayeh, Albert Hammond, J. M. Awotwi, T. M. Kodwo-Mercer, Robert Tachie-Menson, J. Ade-Sawyerr, Alex A. Sam, Isaac Essilfie, C. W. O. Sackeyfio and A.M.L. Taylor, a mathematics prodigy. There were also our plucky Sierra Leonean tutor, G. E. Davies. M. A., from Fourah Bay College who used to take us, as it were, on excursions into the exciting realms of classical civilisation and E.O. Bababunmi, a talented musician from Nigeria, whose musical performances were a treat to us and served as spiritual refreshments that relieved us of our otherwise humdrum life of intensive studies. (Albert Hammond and T. J. O. Gyebi, at one time or other served as editors of the bi-weekly paper, West African Monitor then printed and published by Mfantsiman Press Limited, Cape Coast, established by D. de Graft-Aidoo, one time Chairman of Cape Coast Municipal Council, and Warden of Christ Church,)

The staff of the School were however, not entirely Africans. There were also European graduates, mostly from Britain. The friendliness of those Britons and, in particular, their readiness to give us a good knowledge of the English Language, Literature and History, among others, served to acquaint us as well with the way of life and culture of the British people. This helped to foster in us racial understanding, co-operation and co-ordination of efforts at the School, something vital to the promotion of the universal brotherhood of man.

Generally, the expatriate tutors taught in various classes and in several subjects in which their knowledge and expertise were most helpful, especially in the upper forms. Besides, in sports, they were fine coaches. Two of them, from whom many of us were fortunate to have the benefits of their guidance in our studies were: the Revd. R. C. Hastie-Smith, B.A. (Oxon.) and John Dixon B.A. (Cantab.). The former, an Oxford Blue, who got us up in English Language and History, always beamed with vitality and his ready smiles were, to say the least, disarming! The latter was a jovial fellow, with a baritone voice, who even though he used to be serious with us in our lessons in Mathematics yet had a knack for sending us all reeling with side-splitting laughter in the best of moods! The lively dispositions of those two expatriate tutors helped to make our studies more of a pleasure than a bore.

Teacher/Student Relations

There has existed in the School over the years, a fine team spirit symbolised by a fruitful teacher/student relationship. This trend has given Adisadel a dynamic and progressive image and outlook. It underlines the marvelous successes and achievements that the School has scored in various fields.

The teaching staff has always been a loyal, conscientious and hard working lot who have always the well-being of the students at heart. The staff are aware that the successes of the students both in the academic, sports and other fields reflect favourably not only on the School but also on themselves; that the successes or achievements of the students serve as an index of the devotion, competence and industry of the staff themselves, individually and collectively.

Besides, there has existed, at all times, good working relationship reflected in mutual understanding and co-operation between the headmaster and his staff on the one hand and the stair and the students on the other. Of course, the success and progress of a school worth its salt depend, to a large extent, on the diligence and skill with which the teaching staff handle both the curricular and the extra curricular activities of the school otherwise very little by way of results can be achieved. Happily, the tutors of Adisadel are always alive to their responsibilities in this direction and they hardly, if ever, grudge their services to the School.

The good relations between the staff' and the students have much to commend them. Both the masters and the students work, play and sing together-doing practically everything in. common, sharing common interests, ideals, hopes and aspirations, as members of the same family. This healthy trend fosters a spirit of comradeship, mutual respects, cooperation and co-ordination of efforts which are the essence of team work and success.

Activities engaged in to strengthen these healthy relations include the traditional annual football match between the staff and the students and that between the staff and the prefects. These are regular annual features that have almost become an institution in the School.

The exuberance of the teaching staff also manifest themselves in the production of annual staff plays and choral contribution. The popular annual staff Quintet serves to add much interest and thrill to the Speech and Prize-Giving Day celebrations, quite apart giving clear evidence of the zeal and enthusiasm of the staff at Adisadel.

Parent - Teacher Association

A Parent-Teacher Association has recently been formed in the School. The association has the objective of bringing together the teachers and the parents and guardians of the students to discuss matters of common interest and also seek solutions to problems, so as to promote mutual understanding and co-operation for the effective education and training of the students.

This means, in effect, an effective co-operation between the Home and the School for the development of the capabilities and character of the boys.
 

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