Talk:Hannah Benka-Coker

Her life and goals (http://www.fssgukbranch.com/our-history/)

THE HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOL

The first quarter of the 20th century was a period of much educational awakening in the Crown Colony of Sierra Leone, which included the capital of Freetown. Many people of similar religious or cultural leanings came together and formed different “Committees of Citizens” having as their goal the opening of schools. Some focused on the elementary level only, others on an “all age” institution – i.e. kindergarten through high school. It was in this spirit of educational fervour that the Freetown Secondary School for Girls (F.S.S,G),was born. One of the leaders in the group that established the F.S.S.G, was Miss Hannah Luke, who had just returned from studying in England. Miss Luke was full of ideas for the education of young girls, very much along the pattern of her experiences at the Portway Institute in England, where she had been trained. (pas trouvé de réf.)

Miss Luke put together a group of immediate family members and close friends, to plan for the establishment of the school that would provide a full and complete educational environment for girls of all ages, Included in this group was Mrs. Maisie Osora, the English born wife of a Sierra Leonean Anglican clergyman, Mrs. Osora had been teaching at the Annie Walsh Memorial School, a secondary school for girls founded by the Church Missionary Society, the evangelical wing of the Church of England.

With 20 people contributing £25.00 (twenty-five pounds) each, an educational vision became a reality, when on January 20′th 1926, the Freetown Secondary School for Girls opened its doors in a building at the corner of Garrison and Gloucester Streets (at the entrance of Victoria Park), with 20 girls as the foundation pupils. Mrs. Osora was appointed Principal, and Miss Hannah Luke, as Vice Principal. The F. S. S. G was for many years, the only school that provided an educational programme from Kindergarten through Secondary School. This flexibility allowed the school to admit boys in the nursery and kindergarten departments.

Miss Luke, (who later became Mrs. Benka-Coker when she married a Barrister from the Gambia), took over the reins as Principal, when Mrs. Osora returned to England during the upheaval in Europe leading to World War II.

Mrs. Benka-Coker emphasized African Culture, and actively recruited pupils from all over West Africa, regardless of tribal or religious affiliation. Students came from not only The Gambia, but also The Gold Coast,(now Ghana), and Nigeria. Because of the presence of so many foreign students, the school also operated a boarding facility, and as a result, more spacious accommodations became imperative. The then Colonial Governor allowed the school to occupy unused military buildings at Tower Hill, one of the foothills overlooking Freetown.

The onset of World War 11 made it necessary for the military to requisition the buildings, and in 1938, the school was forced to move to less spacious quarters. The new temporary home was located at Oxford Street between George and Gloucester Streets, almost adjacent to St. George’s Cathedral, the seat of the oldest Anglican Church in West Africa.

This did not allow for dormitories as well as classrooms, and the enrollment dropped precipitously. The school continued to operate literally on a shoe string, and It is believed that for many months, the salaries of the teachers were paid by Mrs. Sarah Luke, the mother of Mrs. Benka-Coker.

Due to the resolve of Mrs. Benka-Coker, and her then Vice Principal Miss Loftie Hazeley, conditions slowly improved, due in large part to the school’s reputation for quality education and the dedication of the staff.

It began acquiring adjacent buildings, and the enrollment increased in proportion.

“My resolve” wrote Mrs. Benka Coker then, “God being my helper, is to prepare all pupils, whatever their gifts may be, to use these gifts towards being more intelligent citizens, to offer their intelligent citizenship, and work toward the goal of becoming responsible adults, May they continuously develop intellectually and spiritually toward that ultimate end-complete, “responsible citizenship.”

All during this period, Mrs. Benka-Coker’s dream was to acquire a permanent home for her school. As a result of her irrepressible and indomitable spirit, she was able to secure a long term lease on an unused piece of waterlogged land (commonly called ‘Frog Pond’) in the Brookfields area of Freetown. Construction of the school buildings was financed with a grant of 924,000 from the British Colonial Office, and loans of L.24,000.

On Easter Monday, April 14th, 1952, the then Governor of Sierra Leone, Sir George Beresford-Stooke, formally opened the buildings. On this historic occasion, Mrs. Benka-Coker ended her address (the only one she made at the new school), with the challenge: “Expupils, this is a heritage I am handing over to you. Are you ready to receive it?”

Mrs. Hannah Benka-Coker passed away on June 17th, 1952, a mere eight weeks after realising the culmination of her llfe’s work.

As a testament to the character and discipline instilled in the pupils who went through the school, the Ex-Pupils took up Mrs. BenkaCoker’s challenge, and through various fund raising efforts, a block of six spacious classrooms were added. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Als33120 (talk • contribs) 22:56, 15 January 2016 (UTC)

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