Saint Mary's College (Saint Lucia) Explained

Saint Mary's College
Motto:	Summum Attingitur Nitendo
Motto Translation:	The top is reached by striving
Country:	Saint Lucia
Other Name:	SMC
Schooltype:	Secondary School
Principal:	Neal Fontenelle
Grades:	Form 1 - Form 5 (5 Years)
Gender:	Male
Age Range:	11-16
Authority:	Ministry of Education
Houses:	Presentation, Rodney, Tapón, Abacombie
Colours:	Black and White

Saint Mary's College is an all-male secondary school located in Vigie, Castries, Saint Lucia.

History

Saint Mary's College opened on 20 April 1890, founded by Rev. Louis Tapon as the first secondary school in Saint Lucia.^{[1] [2]}

In 2022 there was a legal case after the head sent a student home because he had a full head of hair. Judge Kimberly Cenac-Phulgence granted an injunction obliging the school to admit the student while the dispute was settled.^[3]

Notable alumni

• John Compton, 1st prime minister of Saint Lucia^[4]
• Derek Walcott, poet, dramatist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature^[5]
• Arthur Lewis, economist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics^[6]
• Philip J. Pierre, 8th prime minister of Saint Lucia^[7]
• Dunstan St. Omer, painter, muralist and designer of the national flag^[8]
• Emile Ford, singer^[9]
• Hunter J. Francois, lawyer and politician
• Vladimir Lucien, writer, critic and actor^[10]

Notes and References

1. Web site: History of St. Mary's College . Saint Mary's College . 27 January 2022.
2. News: Leonce . Francis S. . A historical account of SMC detailed in C. George's New Book . The Voice . 16 June 2019 . 27 January 2022.
3. Web site: Hair dispute: SMC student back at school after court injuction Loop St. Lucia . 2024-04-24 . Loop News . en.
4. News: Wayne . Rick . Rick Wayne . The More Things Change . . . Looking Back! . St. Lucia Star . 3 June 2017 . 27 January 2022.
5. News: Grimes . William . Derek Walcott, Poet and Nobel Laureate of the Caribbean, Dies at 87 . . 17 March 2017 . 27 January 2022.
6. Book: James, Louis . Caribbean Literature in English . 41 . . 30 July 2014 . 978-1-317-87122-4 .
7. 8 August 2014 . Philip J Pierre- Building a New St. Lucia, One Person at a Time . Kreol Magazine . 27 January 2022.
8. News: UWI's Tribute To Sir Dunstan St. Omer . The Voice . May 18, 2015 . 27 January 2022.
9. News: Emile Ford, singer – obituary . . 18 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160813090243/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/05/18/emile-ford-singer--obituary/ . 13 August 2016.
10. Anthony . Rae . Vladimir Lucien – Sounding Ground . Yo! Magazine . 29 May 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201030111417/http://yomagazine.net/2015/05/vladimir-lucien-sounding-ground/ . 30 October 2020.