[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen I was first informed of the passing of my dear long-standing friend “Kiak” my mind automatically switched to that famous motto of my alma mater, St. Mary’s College—Summum Attingitur Nitendo— the top is reached by striving. Kiak was the embodiment of that motto. His father Bill Mondesir was brought up at a time when a secondary education was available only to those of means, and so did not attend St. Mary’s College, then the only secondary school on the island. He was, however, fully aware of the value of education, and when it was discovered by Matthew George St. Clair that “Kiak” was a bright boy, Bill strived hard to obtain the school fees to send his son to St. Mary’s. Kiak, in turn, strived hard at opportunities afforded at St. Mary’s and eventually rose to the top as the headmaster of the renowned Institution. What better example of the essence of that motto?
Michael Clive Mondesir was born in Castries on November 17, 1939. He grew up as a typical Water-Works Road boy, participating in youthful activities like fishing for zordormay and zangie in the Castries River, but more particularly cricket, which was oftentimes played at the famous Test Match Grounds, under the Caks (Cocoa) at Clavier’s Estate.
Kiak attended the Castries Roman Catholic St. Aloysius Boys’ Primary School, under the headmastership of that strict disciplinarian and deliverer of the strap, Matthew George St. Clair, affectionately known as “Abby”. (He was an uncle of recently deceased Gandolph St. Clair.) He evidently infused into Kiak the school motto, “Not only for school but also for life”. He would spend almost half a century, 1952 to 1998, in association with St. Mary’s College; first as a student, then as a Master and finally Principal. This included a period when he actually lived at the college hostel and served as hostel master with Leonard Alfonso (now Reverend Alfonso). Incidentally it was during this period that he made maximum use of the nearby tennis courts and blossomed into an accomplished lawn tennis player.
In 1952 he left the St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Boys’ Primary School, crossed the lane, and entered the portals of that renowned institution, which we considered to be like a lodge, and which we always had our eyes on from our perches on the verandah of the R. C. Boys’ School overlooking the college. We stayed at the original St. Mary’s at the corner of Micoud and Broglie Streets until September 15, 1952 when the younger students were transferred to the Old Officers’ Quarters Building on the idyllic site on the Vigie peninsular. Kiak exited St. Mary’s College as a student in December 1958.
During his seven year stint as a student he received a typical English Grammar School education which included a mixed bag of subjects: English Language, English Literature, Latin, French, History, Geography, Mathematics and General Science. At the college, being a Catholic institution, we also studied Religious Knowledge up to Form V and Apologetics in the Sixth Form. On completion of his Cambridge Senior School Certificate, Kiak was one of a small group of boys who continued at the Sixth Form level to pursue studies for the Cambridge Higher School Certificate examinations.
At the time, the Sixth Form was divided into two divisions—Arts and Science. In 1957, for the first time, the Sixth Form was dominated by the Science stream with students like Leslie Lewis, Ronald Lewis, St. Clair Theobalds, Felix Mederick, Lionel James, Pancras Theodore, Villard Vitalis and your humble servant. Kiak opted for the Arts stream which comprised two other students: Hilary Carasco and Vaughan Lewis. Kiak studied Latin, French, Geography and World Affairs for the Higher School Certificate. He and Vaughan Lewis were inseparable. Vaughan admired him for his patience, determination and good manners.
During his school days Kiak participated fully in a whole range of extra-curricular activities including athletics, football and cricket. He was a superb player who made the 1st XI Cricket Team as an all- rounder. He opened the batting with me and was also a good wicket-taker. He was a spin bowler with a vicious off-break. He was a member of the Inter-School Tournament Team that toured Dominica in 1958. He was a member of the Cadet Corps and was one of the few boys who was an ardent member of the Legion of Mary. He was also an active and fiercely loyal member of Rodney House and contributed significantly in its battles towards the attainment of the Davidson-Houston Championship Trophy which was the highest prize for both academic and extra-curricular pursuits. During this period he also participated in community activities and was a second pan man in the HAIL 60 Steel Pan Group of Water-Works Road.
On leaving school in 1958 Kiak could only land a job as a time-keeper at the Public Works Department. However, the father of one of his schoolmates, who was recruited as an assistant master at SMC, persuaded headmaster, Bro. Ignatius Flahive that it was infradig to have a Higher School Certificate student of his college working as a public works time-keeper. Bro. Ignatius agreed and hired Kiak as an assistant master. As they say, the rest is history.
The year was 1959. Michael Clive Mondesir first taught Latin, French and Geography to the Junior School. Kiak later taught West Indian history to both the junior and senior forms. Michael Clive Mondesir then became a dedicated History Teacher par excellence throughout his long association with St. Mary’s.
He was awarded a Caribbean Organisation Scholarship to the Inter-American University in Puerto Rico and graduated with a degree magna cum laude in Economics. After his sojourn in Puerto Rico he returned to his alma mater as a Graduate Master and taught West Indian History with a remarkable measure of success. During this period he furthered his studies and was awarded a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education from the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies.
When the position of headmaster at St. Mary’s College became vacant in November 1980, Michael Clive Mondesir was duly appointed. He created history, as the first Samarian and Saint Lucian to be so appointed. For the record it must be stated that Earnest Theobalds (uncle of Bernard Theobalds, Tedburt Theobalds and Vaughan Lewis), Harold Haynes and Girard Glace had been at the helm at St. Mary’s but only in an acting position. To a certain degree Kiak was the ideal candidate for the position. He had been a thorough, meticulous, tireless and indefatigable Master of very long standing and thoroughly seeped with the rules and regulations and traditions of the institution.
In addition he had been taught by Headmasters like Canice Collins and Ignatius Flahive and worked alongside Headmasters such as Ignatius Flahive, Marcus Donavan, Donatus Brazil, Liguori O’Mahony and Joachim Stack, and so was exposed to varied approaches to the management of the school, which must have been of inestimable value to him. He also equipped himself for the task of leadership by undertaking a course in Secondary School Management in Sydney, Australia.
As Headmaster of St. Mary’s College Mr. Mondesir made a sterling contribution to the upliftment of secondary school education in Saint Lucia. It is worth noting that Mondesir plunged into the headship of St. Mary’s at a turbulent time in the modern history of Saint Lucia, when two Samarians from different epochs were engaged in a fierce political battle for the Prime Ministership of the Country. Then Archbishop of Castries, His Grace Kelvin Felix was fully aware of the environmental conditions that engulfed the Principal of the College and in his message, “Looking, Forward with Confidence”, wrote: “Life has its ups and downs and St. Mary’s College as a human institution is subject to its normal pattern of human experience.”
If the Academic year 1981-1982 was considered to have been a year of ‘downs’ when things were bad in the areas of punctuality, lack of discipline, low productivity, bad student/staff relationship etc, one must not view these problems in isolation but within the broader context of the entire Saint Lucian society.
Truly, our schools reflect the mood, the spirit and attitude of the society. The young are so impressionable that they react spontaneously to the pressures that are brought to bear on their homes and families. If we stop to reflect and analyse the societal situation we would quickly come to an explanation and understanding of why students behave the way they did.
Michael ‘Kiak’ Mondesir passed away on February 28 and I had the honour to eulogize him at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on March 15.
