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| Simon Clarke |
Simon
Alanzo Clarke was born in Colón in the Panama Canal Zone, on January 5, 1935.
His father, Frederick Alanzo Clarke, was a Jamaican, born in Bunker’s Hill,
Trelawny. He migrated to Costa Rica in search of “a better life” and later went
to reside in Panama, where he eventually became president of the Garvey
Movement in Panama. His mother, Amis Campbell-Clarke, was from St Lucia, but
her father was from Logwood, Hanover, Jamaica.
In 1926, Clarke’s parents got married in Panama and the union produced five children Albert, Iris, Phyllis, Simon and Ruth, all of whom grew up in the Panama Canal Zone, which was run by the United States government. They worshipped at the Cristobal Colón Baptist Church, now First Isthmian Baptist Church in Colón.
At a time, when Panama was a highly segregated society, Clarke attended Basic and Elementary School there, but his parents sent him to Jamaica where he could access a higher level of education than was available to Blacks in Panama. He attended Central Branch School in Kingston. In 1948, he enrolled in second form at Calabar High School, where he was an ardent sportsman. He returned to Panama and got involved in many social groups including the United Negro Improvement Association. A couple of years before Clarke’s father’s retirement, his father sent his family to Jamaica, to which he intended to return to reside eventually. The family secured a house in the Jones Town area to be near Calabar High School, that was then on Studley Park Road, and Christ Church – the Baptist Church in Jones Town. Clarke returned to the student body of Calabar, where he became head boy in 1954.
After Calabar, Clarke went to teach at Mannings High School for a year. Then, he joined the staff at Calabar, where he taught History. He soon enrolled at the University College of the West Indies. He pursued further studies at the University of London and at Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Clarke got married to Fay Smith, a nursing student. Three children were born to the couple in quick succession – Andre, Paul and Janice.
From his youthful days in Panama, Clarke had been exposed to the YMCA and the Garvey Movement and these two organizations were close to his heart. Unsurprisingly, he was appointed an Executive Director of the Kingston YMCA, and was sent to start a YMCA club in Montego Bay. Soon, he also joined the staff of Cornwall College where he became head of Coke House. At this College, Clarke was an inspirational leader and mentor. His kindness, enthusiasm and integrity made a deep impression on both his students and the wider community.
In 1969, he was appointed first principal of Green Island Junior Secondary School and he served as such until 1975. He forged a strong bond between the school and the community and introduced many transformative programmes and initiatives that made the school a trendsetter. His innovations led to changes in the Jamaican education system. Clarke developed a reputation for innovative leadership.
In 1974, he became the first Coordinator of the National Youth Service. A year later, he was appointed principal of Granville Teachers’ College and served as such until 1985. As the inaugural principal of the College, he initiated the process whereby the name of the College was changed to Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College. Clarke served with vision and, through tireless effort, introduced many new initiatives and programmes at the College. He was a pioneer, mentor and coach and was appreciated for his approachable and humble manner.
Clarke’s service to Education extended beyond his teaching career at Mannings and Calabar and Cornwall and his principalship at Green Island and Sam Sharpe’s Teachers’ College. He served as chairman or member of several school boards, notably the St James High School.
After the years at Sam Sharpe, he went to serve at Creative Productions and Training Centre (CPTC) in Kingston. From 1978-1985, he was producer and presenter of the radio series “Panorama on Education” and from 1981-1987, he was moderator of the popular talk show “Public Eye” on the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) radio station.
From 1986-1987, he was a Senior Director of Air Jamaica. While working with Air Jamaica, he started serving as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Education Adviser. In 1989, he became UNESCO’s Representative and Director for the Caribbean. After retiring from UNESCO, he was appointed to the Executive Board of the organisation. Two years later, he was appointed Vice President and Chairman of the Administrative Commission of the International Bureau of Education in Geneva.
Back in Jamaica, he served on several Boards, on most of which he was Chairman. A few examples are Mutual Life Assurance Society; Jamaica Movement for the Advancement of Literacy (Jamal) Foundation; the Police Services Commission; The Advisory Council, Jamaica Constabulary Staff College; the Broadcasting Commission; the Institute of Jamaica; Jamaica Cultural Development Commission; Jamaica School of Dance; the National Council of Education and the National Library Service, Council of the Institute of Jamaica, Council of Voluntary Social Services, the Hanover Parish Probation Committee, the Social Development Commission, the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC). He served as Senior Adviser to the Minister of Education, and later as Senior Adviser to Jamaica’s Governor General, Kenneth Hall.
A man who had competencies across several fields, Clarke is widely published on subjects related to education, management, and social and community development. He was a recipient of numerous awards in Jamaica and internationally. Over many years, he served as a Justice of the Peace for St James and, in 1975, he was awarded a national honour – Order of Distinction for services to Education.
Clarke grew up in a Christian home. His parents were deeply involved in the Sunday School and youth formation ministries of the Baptist Church in Colón, where his father was also a deacon, and later in Christ Church, Jones Town, Jamaica under Rev. Menzie Sawyers. Walking in his parents’ footsteps, Clarke immersed himself in the life of Christ Church, Burchell Memorial and Calvary Baptist churches. At the latter, he became a member in 1975. He was deeply involved in the process of relocating the church’s worship centre from Market Street to Corinaldi Avenue in Montego Bay. In 1996, he played an integral part in the preparation for the celebration of the church’s 150th anniversary.
In their tribute to Dr. Clarke, the Calvary Baptist Church described him as a member, a counsellor, a mentor, a lay preacher, and a deacon of the church, – a man of selfless dedication. He gave unselfishly of his time, gifts and energy to a wide range of causes. The St James Baptist Association named him among its first Parish Awardees for his contribution to church and community.
On May 15, 2023, after battling cancer for several years, he died of cancer in his 88th year. Clarke had been an exemplary educator who contributed immensely to the growth and development of Jamaica. A man of the media, education and culture, he courageously modelled and promoted excellence in all things. A visionary leader, pioneer educator, and true friend, he was strategic and deliberate in his effort to inspire. Humble, he was always identifying gifts in others and searching for room for the expression of these gifts.
A man of faith, this stalwart provided a model of caring for those who are often ignored on the roadside of life. He showed them how much God had invested in them and how much they could contribute to help make the world a better place.
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