{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\uc1 \deff0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times New Roman;}{\f4\froman\fcharset0\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times;}
{\f668\froman\fcharset238\fprq2 Times New Roman CE;}{\f669\froman\fcharset204\fprq2 Times New Roman Cyr;}{\f671\froman\fcharset161\fprq2 Times New Roman Greek;}{\f672\froman\fcharset162\fprq2 Times New Roman Tur;}
{\f673\froman\fcharset177\fprq2 Times New Roman (Hebrew);}{\f674\froman\fcharset178\fprq2 Times New Roman (Arabic);}{\f675\froman\fcharset186\fprq2 Times New Roman Baltic;}}{\colortbl;\red0\green0\blue0;\red0\green0\blue255;\red0\green255\blue255;
\red0\green255\blue0;\red255\green0\blue255;\red255\green0\blue0;\red255\green255\blue0;\red255\green255\blue255;\red0\green0\blue128;\red0\green128\blue128;\red0\green128\blue0;\red128\green0\blue128;\red128\green0\blue0;\red128\green128\blue0;
\red128\green128\blue128;\red192\green192\blue192;}{\stylesheet{\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \snext0 Normal;}{
\s1\qc \li720\ri720\keepn\widctlpar\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin720\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext0 heading 1;}{
\s2\qc \li0\ri0\keepn\widctlpar\faauto\outlinelevel1\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1036\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1036\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext0 heading 2;}{\s3\qc \li0\ri0\keepn\widctlpar\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 
\b\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext0 heading 3;}{\s4\ql \li0\ri0\keepn\widctlpar\faauto\outlinelevel3\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\ul\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext0 
heading 4;}{\*\cs10 \additive Default Paragraph Font;}{\s15\qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f4\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext15 Body Text;}{\s16\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar
\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f4\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext16 header;}{\s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 
\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext17 Body Text 2;}{\s18\ql \li720\ri720\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin720\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext18 Block Text;}{
\s19\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext19 Body Text Indent 3;}{\s20\ql \fi720\li0\ri2896\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin2896\lin0\itap0 
\fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext20 Body Text Indent 2;}{\s21\qc \fi-1440\li1440\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 
\sbasedon0 \snext21 Title;}{\*\cs22 \additive \sbasedon10 page number;}{\s23\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 \sbasedon0 \snext23 footer;}}{\info
{\title Narrative III: Introducing Kultya Calypso, Educational Pioneer}{\author Dennis Conrad}{\operator Michael Hutchison}{\creatim\yr2005\mo7\dy4\hr18\min16}{\revtim\yr2005\mo7\dy4\hr18\min16}{\version2}{\edmins0}{\nofpages7}{\nofwords3888}
{\nofchars22162}{\*\company  }{\nofcharsws0}{\vern8269}}\widowctrl\ftnbj\aenddoc\noxlattoyen\expshrtn\noultrlspc\dntblnsbdb\nospaceforul\hyphcaps0\formshade\horzdoc\dghspace120\dgvspace120\dghorigin1701\dgvorigin1984\dghshow0\dgvshow3
\jcompress\viewkind1\viewscale100\pgbrdrhead\pgbrdrfoot\nolnhtadjtbl \fet0{\*\ftnsep \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\chftnsep 
\par }}{\*\ftnsepc \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\chftnsepc 
\par }}{\*\aftnsep \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\chftnsep 
\par }}{\*\aftnsepc \pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\chftnsepc 
\par }}\sectd \linex0\endnhere\titlepg\sectdefaultcl {\header \pard\plain \s16\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640\pvpara\phmrg\posxr\posy0\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f4\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 
{\field{\*\fldinst {\cs22 PAGE  }}{\fldrslt {\cs22\lang1024\langfe1024\noproof 7}}}{\cs22 
\par }\pard \s16\ql \li0\ri360\widctlpar\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640\faauto\adjustright\rin360\lin0\itap0 {
\par }}{\*\pnseclvl1\pnucrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl2\pnucltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl3\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl4\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta )}}
{\*\pnseclvl5\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl6\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl7\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl8
\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl9\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain \s21\qc \fi720\li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 
\fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\fs24 Becoming a Mausican: Ma Cuffie-A glimpse of herstory
\par }{\fs18 By Dennis Conrad, Mausican, Fairhaven, 72-74
\par }\pard \s21\ql \fi720\li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fs24 \tab \tab  
\par }{\i\fs24 
I was honored, on two occasions in 1999, with the privilege of interviewing Daphne Cuffie, BA(Honors) , MA, M.O.M (Gold).  I felt deep emotions for this mother figure to many former and active teachers across the Caribbean, USA, Canada, and the UK . . . i
n
deed across the world. There were many twittering birds that provided background music, along with a secretly welcomed distraction to my emotive inclinations. The coolness and calm of the front porch where we sat offered a comfort that afforded reflection
. Daphne Cuffie is a woman who has given her life\rquote s service to the educational}{\fs24  }{\i\fs24 
community at national and regional levels. She is all that is culture, all that is teacher education. She is an institution in her own right. Earning two government scholarships,
 she started as an elementary school teacher at her alma mater, then went on to teacher\rquote s college as lecturer, dean and principal. She is a model teacher in the truest sense of the word. \'93Ma Cuffie\'94
 is deeply loved by educators spanning four decades of her service. She continues her contribution to the community through her involvement in the church and as a connoisseur of the local culture.
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 \tab 
Daphne Cuffie was conservatively but simply dressed. She was very conversational in her style, but reflectively so, taking her time to respond. She was born on 6}{\fs24\super th}{\fs24  of January, \'93in the 1930\rquote s\'94 in northwestern Trinidad. }{
\b\fs24 
\par }\pard\plain \s17\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 
We had all become so accustomed to seeing the sea. As children, we grew up with looking out, from the house, on to the city and harbor of Port of Spain. At nights we could look out and see. We saw when the ships were coming into the harbor. }{\b\fs20 

\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 \tab 
She identified her mother as her first leader and mentor. Her mother, she describes as being a very religious person, having a Methodist upbringing but an Anglican practice.
\par }\pard\plain \s18\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 
She became an Anglican out of circumstances, because there were no Methodist churches in St. Anns. The nearest Methodist church was Tranquility, and in those days we did not have taxis and buses running like now. She [her mother] was forced, if I c
ould say so, to send us to the Anglican school and the Anglican Church. She died an Anglican in a way, but deep down inside her orientation was her Methodist faith. She liked her Methodist hymns and she would be singing all day long over her washtub.

\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 \tab Ma Cuffie reflected on her childhood experiences as being a \'93very responsible\'94
 one, where she was one girl among five boys for a long time. 
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {
And then at the tail-end came three sisters, one after the other. Because of that, among other things I was regarded as a different specimen. I got preferential treatment, which means I got many more don\rquote ts than do\rquote 
s. [When] my sisters were born . . .  I was already a teenager. I was godmother to them in more senses than one. I was at their baptism. But in addition to this
, I helped my mother with them in many ways: nurturing them, nursing them, combing their hair and so on. I got the name Nennie. Up to now the girls and the boys refer to me as Nennie. One of the ways by which we call godparents in Trinidad is Nenen. Your 
godmother is Nenen [or] Nennie.
\par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\tab 
That she was a girl meant that she had unique responsibilities and roles, as perceived and determined by her mother and grandmother, who were adamant that girls had to be different from boys: \'93Girls were generally expected to be seen and not heard\'94
. She testified further:
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {
I was not supposed to climb trees. People believed in those days that if a girl climbed a tree, the fruit would become sour. So girls were not supposed to climb trees. But you would know that a lot of the pl
ay that we did included climbing trees, swinging on the branches, and that kind of thing. 
\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 \tab 
Whereas her brothers were sent to school, regardless of the circumstances, she was kept home from school at times to stay with her grandmother, who had been recovering from a stroke.
\par }\pard\plain \s17\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 The fact [was] that I was  . . . to apply myself to my schoolwork and to 
be obedient. I think many of these things helped me to advance; [having] the large family too, helped me to be able to deal with people. A significant amount of my time was spent on home management responsibilities, supporting my mother. 
\par I was expected to be on hand to help my grandmother and to help my mother . . . with the smaller ones; rock them to sleep, give them their feed and to attend to their needs. So I was made to be properly much more responsible than my years.
\par }\pard \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\tab Cooking was a central role in the household. Ma Cuffie remembered \'93starting to cook before I could even manage the weight of the pot\'94
, and she associates cooking with sharing food: \'93You always shared for everybody and made sure you put a piece of meat in everybody\rquote s plate.\'94 She associate
d fun with food and sharing. She relates this to the strong sense of sharing and family bonding of her childhood and considers this positively. A broad smile enveloped her when she recalled:
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {We used to have the cook-ups and so on. My mother believed in the
 power of food, of eating and drinking and dining and so on. It works wonders in a number of ways that family atmosphere, family service.
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fs24 \tab Helping her mother wash clothing was another important function that occurred late at nights, \'93because in those days 
people worked long hours.  I remember my mother having to wash and our having to hold the flambeaux for her.\'94 Household chores took up most of her time and because her mother and grandmother frowned at \'93play time\'94
, this was scarce. She was particularly grateful when there were adult visitors to the home.
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {
When they had guest or adults we were supposed to be out of the way. We were not supposed to be listening to people\rquote s conversation and the first thing they would tell us is \'93go and play.\'94 
\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 \tab These \'93go outside and play\'94
 opportunities allowed her some creativity in finding ways to play, although the best opportunities for play and the most exacting prices she paid for playing, were found at school. 
\par }\pard\plain \s18\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx7200\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 I remember getting quite a number of \'93beatings\'94 for staying on
 at school to play.  I remember overstaying my time and then getting big stones and throwing them over my head. You were told if you did that you wouldn\rquote t get  . . . hot bakes and chocolate [flogging] . . . when you got home. [Nevertheless]  you
\rquote d get the flogging and you would still go back and do the same thing. In my time too, one could play at hours and in places that you can\rquote 
t play now. You could play on moonlight nights; we could play in the streets because the sight of a car was the exception rather than the rule, even bicycles [were scarce]. Children scooted to school [a child\rquote 
s foot operated vehicle made with a narrow footboard mounted between two wheels, with an upright steering handle]. We had the roads to ourselves. 
\par }\pard \s18\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx1080\tx7200\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {\fs20 \tab In my teens we used to play \'93Rounders\'94 and \'93Skip\'94
 [a rope-jumping game] every day at break time. To me the 15 minutes break looked so long. If you got out late you were sad. We did it everyday. So that even though my mother did not believe that I should play, I got in quite a bit of 
play. One thing I have never learned to play, however, are games of chance. My mother was a Methodist and she did not believe that girls in particular should play cards, so I never learned to play those games. Up to now. I might buy a lottery now and agai
n.
\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 \tab 
Ma Cuffie included childhood fears as factors that have contributed to her personality. She shares her earliest recollections, one being her early experience of carnival, and its costumed individuals. 
\par }\pard\plain \s18\ql \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 We, as children, were really afraid of the mas [car
nival]. They [the masqueraders] really used to put on masks on their faces. They made some foreboding sounds and did some spectacular acts. I really remember running between my mother's skirts. 
\par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\tab Ma Cuffie also spoke about the apprehensiveness and foreboding she had of death:
\par }\pard\plain \s18\qj \li720\ri720\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin720\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 
As children we were also afraid when somebody died in the village. So when you were passing near to where a person lived, you would pass on the other side of the road. You would really be afraid that you might see this person or that t
he person might come and pull your foot. People did not take their dead to funeral homes. The dead [person] was kept in the family home. You would keep the \'93Wake\'94
 there; you would do everything there; and the body would be taken from there. So that the dead were closer to you than it is customary now. 
\par }\pard\plain \s3\qc \li0\ri0\keepn\widctlpar\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {{\*\bkmkstart _Toc467566852}School Days{\*\bkmkend _Toc467566852}
\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 \tab 
Ma Cuffie shared some of her earliest experiences as a learner. She loved school life and relates stories with such enthusiasm, joy and graphic details that it is often 
hypnotic. She described herself as being an avid reader from an early age, thanks to the tutoring of her mother.
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {
By age five I could read anything. Some words I mispronounced when I started to pronounce them phonetically. I remember saying \'93Durby\'94 for \'93Derby\'94 pronounced \'93Darby.\'94
 But she saw to it that I went to school from age three and by age five I could read anything. I know definitely [that] my ability to read stems [in] part from my childhood. When people can stop you from going outside to play, they can\rquote 
t stop you from reading. My love for reading, my ability to read and understand, and get through language, developed apace. In my day, we had essay-type questions. In my exams, I often did well because they were essay type and [involved] the ability to 
express myself in language. We did not have so much of the multiple-choice as nowadays. We didn\rquote t have intelligence tests as such.
\par }\pard \s20\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fs24 \tab Many of her stories centered on punishment not that she was particularly troublesome, but because the emphasis was on discipline. 
\par }\pard \s20\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx7200\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {Sometimes you would reach to school late too because we had to walk to school. We never got up late . . . but some of the things we had to do before going to sch
ool, we had to fetch water. I remember going as far as Coffee Water St., they call it DeGannes St. now. I remember having to go there for water. We would have to sweep up the whole yard and in those days the yard had trees. We would [also] have to look af
ter the chickens. So that some mornings, I remember reaching to school late and finding the school gates either closed or the head teacher waiting there, to give you \'93hot bakes and chocolate.\'94
 Of course, children made the distance on foot, we didn't have buses and maxi taxis [mini-vans used for public}{\fs24  }{transportation] and cars and bicycles, as children now have.
\par }\pard \s20\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fs24 \tab Sometimes she would be punished for breaking school rules:
\par }\pard \s20\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {I got licks for playing games. You were not supposed to play \'933A\'94 in school. 3A was played with stones. [Other games were] \'93One-zey, two-zey, three-zey\'94, \'93
Silence\'94, and \'93Toc Toc.\'94 Some of the games you played could not be heard but when you played \'93Toc Toc\'94 . . .[it was heard]. You had to take the stones and hit them. So he [the principal] hea
rd. He came and gave us a licking for playing with stones. 
\par }\pard \s20\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fs24 \tab Being punctual was a very serious matter and facing the wrath of the head teacher was an exercise of courage. Ma Cuffie told a story about a schoolmate.
\par }\pard \s20\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx7200\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {I remember a [childhood friend] who turned
 out to be an illustrious colleague of mine. I remember him, for fear of getting flogged for reaching late, [spending] a whole morning under the school. Remember I told you that buildings in those days were on \'93pillow\_trees\'94
 [stumps from tree trunks] and he spent the whole morning hiding under the school rather than getting flogged. But when he came out, he was caught. They caught up with him, because cobweb was in his hair. So he still got \'93hot bakes and chocolate\'94
 (laughing) for coming late and hiding under the school.
\par }\pard\plain \s15\qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f4\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f0 \tab Punctuality also extended to the home situation.
\par }\pard\plain \s18\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 
School dismissed at 3 o'clock. You were supposed to be home at a certain time. Also, all of you supposed to come home together. So that anytime you got home singly, you had to give an account
 of your stewardship. My parents did not believe that children should do too much playing. Playing was a waste of time. Apart from that, they had their own little jobs lined up at home for you to do. So when you came home late, you upset the apple cart. T
hat is another thing. I remember getting flogged, on more than one occasion, for reaching home late. 
\par }\pard \s18\qj \fi720\li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {\fs20 My mother, I remember her sometimes meeting me on the way, not waiting until I reached home, [but] coming down the road to look for me. When she met me it 
was licks until I reached home. Those were some of the realities in those days. When they [parents and elders] sent you on a message, they had a tendency to say [that] they would spit and you must come back before that spit dries. If you did not reach bac
k
 on time you had to give an account of your stewardship. Hmm . . . Of course you would always find things to distract you on the way. You would meet other children, from other schools and stop to play. You would be attracted to a laden mango tree or you m
ight see a caterpillar . . . and be distracted by it.
\par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\tab Ma Cuffie spoke of her discomfort at having nothing to do and of perceiving leisure as wasting time. 
\par }\pard\plain \s18\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 I was not the kind of person who could [just] relax and lime [to socialize for the fun of it] like s
ome people can. Everyone might say I was a workaholic. In modern day leadership, you have to learn to relax and you know, socialize. I was not brought up to relax. To relax was \'93wasting time.\'94 
\par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\tab Regarding her public education, she acknowledged the contribu
tions of her primary school experience, which prepared her \'93very well for secondary school.\'94 
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx7200\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {I had  . . . teachers who were really concerned about a child\rquote 
s learning. They did everything to make sure that I succeeded, including giving me of their lunch. T
hey would look up the papers or what have you, and make sure they knew all the scholarship exams that were going and send me to the various scholarship exams. They gave me lessons free of charge. All they wanted to know is that I applied myself. So that w
hen I left primary school and I went to secondary school I had mastered, I would say all the writing skills. I had done a lot in mathematics.\tab 
\par }\pard \qj \fi720\li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx7200\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {I started music in the primary school. He [the teacher] used to teach us hymns. Some of the hymns I still know, an
d know them by heart. I was fortunate to have a lady teacher --in those days, I didn\rquote t know I was so fortunate\emdash 
who was among one of the first women who were into pan and folk music. She was a pianist and pannist. In addition to this, she was the first woma
n to start a panside. Almost all the players were teachers. Her mother allowed her to have the practice sessions at her home, because in those days playing pan [the steel pan: the National musical instrument] in public was frowned upon. I didn\rquote 
t think she 
could have done it on the school compound. [I went to] an [Anglican school] and in those days it was one of the largest and most modern. She [also] used to teach what we called the Martiniquan dances [local dancers dressed as Martiniquan dancers]. She use
d to do the choreography and play the music. [I] couldn\rquote 
t join that [panside]. My mother would not allow that. Although I could not, in truth and in fact, join the steelband [panside], nor could I participate because my mother said she could not afford to. 
As an onlooker, I imbibed this atmosphere. The school was a singing school where culture was an important thing. From early I came to realize that the creative arts: singing, music, dancing, and recitation were important aspects of education. 
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fs24      }{\fs24\ul Secondary education. }{\fs24 Ma Cuffie\rquote 
s educational journey, through secondary education reinforced her leadership potential through a broad curriculum with its sense of history. The many social and cultural activities with which she was involved developed her ap
preciation of music and culture.
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {
I met another outstanding [music] teacher. The music was more expansive [here]. I stated having some difficulty, because music was also a subject on the curriculum. When I told my mother, she went right down to the primary 
school and told the teacher in the infant department; who subsequently sent and called another teacher and relative and told him to give me piano lessons, so that I could cope with the music. He promptly agreed to give me piano lessons free of charge. 

\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx1080\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {\tab I 
have never paid a cent for my education, primary, secondary or higher, and so I find it difficult to exploit people as far as giving [private] lessons are concerned. As I said, teachers taught me for the very love of it. 
\par \tab At the secondary school you were taught to be careful and caring. No child dared tear a page out of an exercise book. You would get an \'93Order Mark\'94
 [a negative point recorded against you]. You could not get a new exercise book if your old one was not completed; and to prove it was complet
e you had to take it to the form prefect. She would check it out, then she would go and get you a new exercise book. And so your parents could be as rich as I don\rquote 
t know what, you could not go bending up your book [or], tearing out pages to make kites. You
 could not do that. Up to now, I still have some of my exercise books from there. They imported them; they were specially made books for the school. It meant you could always look back and see what work was done and this made it unnecessary to get extra l
essons. 
\par \tab The school had what was called a primary section and a secondary section. In my days the school was one of the few schools that did the Higher School Certificate, what you call \'93A levels.\'94
 So it was in a way comprehensive . . . and therefore . . .
 you met a wide age range of children. There were little ones that you could baby, and help to look after; there were the people in sixth form and to me the sixth formers in those days looked like giants in school skirts, and you looked up to them. One of
 the essential things about that time, when you started school, you could have come to that school [normally] from kindergarten. I went in from \'93transition\'94
 [form 1] and I remained up to sixth form. You had to obey, to respect the prefects. In turn I became a prefect. 
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri1440\widctlpar\tx360\tx1080\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin0\itap0 {\tab }{\fs24 As other students she had her disagreements with the establishment. 
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx1080\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {
For instance, there were certain trees on the compound that students were not allowed access to. We could not go under those trees. The mangoes were falling on the ground. W
e were told that they belonged to Mrs. Rice. School children were not supposed to go there. There was a gate that it is still. The general body of the school could not pass through that gate. Only if you were a prefect could you pass. That means you were 
in fifth form. Only prefects could pass through that gate. There was a way of getting from the office to the hall by going through a sort of lobby. The general population of the school could not pass through. 
\par \tab Nobody stole your things. You knew that you could go and look in lost property. To get it from lost property you would have to pay a fine. That money at the end of the term was used to give to charity . . . }{\fs24 
\par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\tab She continued with a description of experiences that made her proud to be a student at that secondary school.

\par }\pard\plain \s18\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 The school had a sense of history. Every year you would observe St. Anns\rquote 
 Day. You knew who founded the school, and why it was founded. Then there
 was the question of, well, religious and moral education, because all the children were not Anglicans by any chance, but we all had prayers every morning. The Catholics used to have their prayers by themselves, but they would come and join us by the end 
o
f assembly. Every form had to take assembly once a term, every class [correcting herself]. I am not saying form because some of the classes were not forms; like the babies. Of course you would go and get assistance from your form mistress, with what hymns
 you\rquote re going to use. 
\par }\pard\plain \s20\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 \tab Ma Cuffie\rquote 
s secondary education accommodated much creativity, diversity, music, and participation by students, despite the strictness of some teachers. 
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {There were Guides and Brownies. I did not join any of those things. I was too . 
. . what I would call too homebound. My mother would tell me she couldn\rquote 
t afford so and so. Many of the things I did not participate in actively, but as an onlooker. I learnt a lot and I would say I was not subjected to anything like racial prejudice. }{\b\fs24 
\par }\pard\plain \s2\qc \li0\ri0\keepn\widctlpar\faauto\outlinelevel1\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1036\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1036\langfenp1033 {\b\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033 Early Professional Life
\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24 Upon graduating from High School, Ma Cuffie was recruited to teach Spanish at her Alma Mater.
\par }\pard\plain \s18\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx7200\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 
The first thing I was asked to do was to teach [using] a Spanish book that I had never heard about. They told me they only wanted me to teach
 the fifth and sixth forms. I told them that I had never taught at that level before [but I did not refuse]. You never refuse. I went to the children and I told them. I said, \'93
I have never done this before but give me a few days and I would study it and work with you.\'94 That was our attitude. As a trained teacher you were asked to [teach any subject]. 
\par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\tab Following her initial teacher training, she was sent to teach in the rural south for a short while. 
\par }\pard\plain \s18\qj \li720\ri720\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin720\lin720\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs20 
With my Claxton Bay experience, I had to travel [and] get up early on mornings. I never complained. As a matter of fact, I hid it from my mother that I had to go that far [for a while]. She felt that I was sent that far . . . as punishment . . . because I
 was a naughty person. 
\par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\tab 
Ma Cuffie was soon brought back to her first school at St. Anns and earned another scholarship to the regional university. On graduating, she was appointed as a lecturer to one of four Teachers Colleges.
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {When I went to the [Teachers] College, I had my degree in French, French Honors, and Spanish subsidiary. I don
\rquote t have any university qualification in English. I did not do English for my degree. I had intended to do English, French and Spanish, [but] then I switched, and decided to d
o French honors and Spanish. So I had no university English qualifications, but I\rquote ve never been afraid to teach English. I have had a certain confidence in teaching English because of the foundations I got at [my high school]. }{\ul 
\par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24\lang1036\langfe1033\langnp1036 \tab }{\fs24 Eventually, the principal of the teachers\rquote 
 college retired. He was also one of Ma Cuffie\rquote s primary mentors. The rapid promotion of the next senior educator at the College to the Ministry of Education\rquote s Central Office brought Daphne Cuffie to the position of principal.
\par }\pard\plain \s20\qj \li720\ri720\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin720\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {Yes, this ment
or reached retirement age. He had been through the gamut of the education system. He had been teacher, and principal with various responsibilities. [When] he retired Mr. Osborne became the principal. He got promoted to the Ministry. Many people including 
Mr. Osborne felt I was the logical successor. 
\par }\pard\plain \s17\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\tab She did not feel threatened by the responsibilities of leading a mixed college: \'93
I was accustomed being in a household where there were more males than females.\'94 Nevertheless her heart and spirit remained in teaching. Indeed she confesses:
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {
I can say that I enjoyed my days as a teacher more than my days as principal. As a principal I did a considerable amount of teaching . . . and supervised the students on Teaching Practice . . . what I considered the most important aspect of the students
\rquote  life. That was their most stressful period. I made sure that I went out  . . . and supported them.
\par }\pard\plain \s4\qc \li0\ri0\keepn\widctlpar\faauto\outlinelevel3\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\ul\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\ulnone {\*\bkmkstart _Toc467566863}On Success and Successors{\*\bkmkend _Toc467566863}
\par }\pard\plain \s19\qj \fi720\li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {For Ma Cuffie, her successes and accomplishments correlated with the lifest
yles and commitment to the community that her former student teachers and prot\'e9g\'e9s demonstrated, and their readiness to go that extra mile. She identified some of her primary achievements:
\par }\pard\plain \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {The fully residential training made them [the student teachers] blo
ssom, and even those who have left teaching have carried that spirit into their various walks of life.  Many of them have left teaching, but they have not left education,  . . . not left leadership . . . not left self-development. The residential experien
c
es helped them to see how they could help other persons, and what life is really about . . . a community. I think teachers training should aim to help teachers understand human nature, to socialize, appreciate diversity, and so on. There should be provisi
on for people to be partly residential, so probably a year . . . or a term in residence. 
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx360\tx720\tx1080\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {\tab 
I am proud of so many of them [former students] . . . they have been able to launch out, whether it is in teaching or elsewhere . . . wherever they go, I think they h
old their own and they aspire to be dynamic leaders. I am not sure if all of them are contented [smiling] followers, but they certainly hold their own. I have tried to encourage their sense of responsibility to and relationship with the community, and I s
e
e that in evidence. Also there is certain compassion, a certain fellowship that they foster and cherish. Some of the values that they cherish--the question of the humane side of things--that is one of the things that stand out. Not simply the brainwork on
ly, the headwork, not only the headwork but also the handwork, and the heart work. }{\fs24 
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx360\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\i\fs24 Ma Cuffie had shared of herself fully. She had taught me . . . she had encouraged and supported me as a late bloomer and average academic achiever. Thirty years after she ta
ught me, I still cherish this wonderful dynamic caring and challenging teacher leader. I could feel her emotional exhaustion. Yet as I thanked her for her time--as if driven--I asked: Is there a message you might have for former students of yours? For a f
e
w moments, this stalwart of teacher education became very, very quiet. I recalled the heightened awareness of the birds chirping, and a dog lazily getting up from his nap in the middle of the roadway. The dog barked reluctantly and grumpily at a courier, 
whose van awoke him. Ma Cuffie gave a long sigh}{\i . }{\i\fs24 
\par }\pard \qj \li720\ri1440\widctlpar\tx7200\tx7740\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin720\itap0 {
Take time to smell the roses. Enjoy [your] work while you are working . . .and play while you play . . . try to get others to derive some enjoyment too. That will help to lighten the load and that will help you to avoid burnout. 
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri1440\widctlpar\tx7200\tx7740\faauto\adjustright\rin1440\lin0\itap0 {
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fs24 ________________________________________________________________________
\par }{ABOUT THE AUTHOR
\par Dennis Conrad teaches at the State University of New York, at the Potsdam campus. He served as teacher, special education teacher/teacher educator, and school principal in Trinidad}{\fs24 .
\par }}