Notes on Nellie Robinson
 Back Home Up


 NOTES ON NELLIE ROBINSON

Nellie Robinson, the founder of the T.O.R. Memorial School, affectionately known as Miss Rob, was a remarkable woman. At the age of 18 years, she was the first person to bring secondary education within the reach of non-white children. Born on December 7th, 1880. Miss Rob took up what she considered to be the challenge to lift the social status of the local children through higher education. She began her school in her parent's home   on   Newgate   Street   in   1898   with just     FOUR   children.

THE    THOMAS    OLIVER    ROBINSON     MEMORIAL     SCHOOL HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS

 

MISS ROB BEGAN HER EDUCATION IN THE KINDERGARTEN AT COKE COLLEGE HERE-IN ANTIGUA WHERE THERE WERE ENGLISH TEACHERS, FROM WHICH SHE PROGRESSED TO THE COLLEGE, AT WHICH SHE CONTINUED HER EDUCATION UNTIL IT CLOSED IN 1898.

 

AFTER THE COLLEGE CLOSED, MISS ROB COMPLETED HER STUDIES AND SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THE SENIOR CAMBRIDGE EXAM.

 

By any standard, Miss Nellie Robinson was a remarkable woman, born 36 years after the abolition of slavery, She founded the T.O.R. memorial school when she was just 18 years old;

 

she was AN EXTRA-ORDINARY INDIVIDUAL WHO DECIDED TO ACCEPT THE ENORMOUS EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES OF HER DAY. IT. TOOK A GREAT  DEAL OF COURAGE FOR ANYONE TO CHALLENGE THE INJUSTICES AND INEQUALITIES WHICH EXISTED IN 1898 - JUST 64 YEARS AFTER EMANCIPATION. FOR A WOMAN OR MORE CORRECTLY AN 1 8 YEAR OLD GIRL TO DO WHAT SHE DID, IT TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF GUTS. 

since the T.O.R. memorial school gave access to secondary education to the socially disadvantaged its very existence could be regarded as a bold challenge to the social order of the day. 

IT WAS ON THE ADVICE OF HER BROTHER THOMAS OLIVER ROBINSON, THAT SHE STARTED THE SCHOOL IN 1898 WITH 4 PUPILS.

AT FIRST, MOST OF THE STUDENTS AT T.O.R. WERE MULATTOES. THIS WAS NOT A DELIBERATE PLAN TO EXCLUDE BLACKS. IT WAS A SIMPLE ECONOMIC FACT OF LIFE THAT MOST BLACKS JUST COULD NOT AFFORD A FEE-PAYING SCHOOL.

AS THE SCHOOL DEVELOPED, SCHOLARSHIPS WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO POOR BLACK CHILDREN AND AS THE REPUTATION OF THE SCHOOL GREW, CHILDREN FROM ACROSS THE SOCIAL SPECTRUM WERE ATTRACTED TO THE SCHOOL AS PAYING STUDENTS ALONG WITH THE RECIPIENTS OF SCHOLARSHIPS.

MISS ROB WAS A VERY .STRONG DISCIPLINARIAN. SHE NEVER TOLERATED NONSENSE AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY RESPECTED HER.

I HAD THE HONOUR OF BEING HER GOD-DAUGHTER AS WELL AS HER PUPIL, SHE INSTILLED VALUES IN HER STUDENTS INCLUDING HONESTY...

 

THE RESPECT OF ONESELF AND OTHERS AS WELL AS TRUSTWORTHINESS,  SHE NOT ONLY CATERED FOR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO FOR  THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS.  SHE WAS HEADMISTRESS FROM 1898 UNTIL 1950.WHEN SHE TURNED THE REINS OVER TO MISS INA LOVING.

 

MISS NELLIE ROBINSON DIED IN 1972.