| St. Martin's Catholic High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| , | |
| Information | |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic, Congregation of Christian Brothers |
| Opened | 2009 (reopened) |
| Closed | 1989–2009 |
| Enrolment | 280 (2010) |
| Athletics | Basketball, soccer, volleyball |
| Alumni | Torchbearers |
St. Martin's Catholic High School (SMS) is a Roman Catholic secondary school in Gbarnga, Liberia. It is sponsored by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, and is considered one of the best high schools in Bong County. [1]
During the First Liberian Civil War of 1989–1996 the school was forced to close. The class of 1990, with 49 students, was unable to graduate due to the growing unrest. [2]
The school reopened in 2009, six years after the end of the Second Liberian Civil War, with the support of the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Torchbearers, an association of former students who were supposed to graduate in 1990. [2]
In 2010, for the first time in the school's history, the titles of valedictorian, salutatorian, and the third-place student were all female, out of 70 graduates. [2] This was considered notable because in Liberia, only 35 percent of 12th-grade students were female at the time. [2]
In the 2010s, the school began to struggle, mostly due to the effects of the West African Ebola virus epidemic of 2014–2015. [2] [3] [4] This was augmented by a vocal outcry by parents of students enrolled at the school in 2013, who protested "exorbitant fees", saying that the school was exploiting them. [5] The Christian Brothers, who sponsor the school, responded with a fundraising campaign under the auspices of Edmund Rice Development, a Christian Brothers organization. [2] The Torchbearers, an alumni group, organized an online crowdfunding campaign to raise money for scholarships, describing the school as being in "dire straits". [3] In addition, St Mary's College Preparatory School in Crosby, England, a Christian Brothers school, raised £1,300 for St. Martin's, which it said had an "uncertain future". [4]
The school has basketball, soccer, and volleyball teams. [6]
The school's basketball team was an informal activity until the late 1960s, when members of the team asked Joe Jauregui, a foreign educator doing mission work, to be their coach. [6] He agreed, and organized a more formal basketball program including games with teams from other schools in the area, including Gboveh High School, and W.V.S. Tubman Junior High School (named after William Tubman). [6] The tournaments grew in popularity, but were discontinued after the outbreak of the First Liberian Civil War. [6] In 2012, Liberian Youth and Sports Minister S. Tornorlah Varpilah, himself a St. Martin's alumni, reestablished the league tournaments. [6] The tournaments once again grew immensely popular, and notable persons such as Vice President of Liberia Joseph Boakai have attended games. [6]
The Torchbearers are a group of alumni composed of members of the class of 1990 who were unable to graduate. In addition to helping reestablish the school in 2009, they also provide scholarships for students at the school. [3]
Gbarnga is the capital city of Bong County, Liberia, lying north east of Monrovia. During the First Liberian Civil War, it was the base for Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia. Cuttington College, a private, Episcopal-affiliated institution, is located near the town. Its campus was once home to the Africana Museum, which was destroyed during the civil war.
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Edmund Rice. Their first school was opened in Waterford, Ireland, in 1802. At the time of its foundation, though much relieved from the harshest of the Penal Laws by the Irish Parliament's Relief Acts, much discrimination against Catholics remained throughout the newly created United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland pending full Catholic Emancipation in 1829.
Sekou Damate Conneh, Jr. is a Liberian politician and former rebel leader.
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Education in Liberia was severely affected by the First Liberian Civil War and Second Liberian Civil War, between 1989 and 2003. In 2010, the literacy rate of Liberia was estimated at 60.8%.
Totota is a small town in Bong County, Liberia with a population between 5,000 and 8,000 depending upon the season. The main paved road from Monrovia to Gbarnga passes through Totota, keeping Totota alive with activity day and night. Totota has several high schools, notably E.J. Yancy, Upper Room, Sandary, and Lutheran. Totota has two health clinics, Helping Hands and "Small Phebe" in addition to a myriad of churches, shops, orphanages, and day cares, among other services. Wednesday is market day in Totota.
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Franklin Obed Siakor, served as Junior Senator for Bong County, from 2005 to 2011. He was a member of the Senate's Committee on Planning and Economic Affairs.
Suah Koko was an indigenous Liberian ruler who lived between the late 19th and early 20th century. She fought several battles against the expansionary Liberia Frontier Force before entering negotiations to grant accession of the territory she ruled over to the Liberian government. She later became a paramount chief and supplied porters to the Harvard Medical African Expedition (1926–1927).
Emily Harvie Thomas Tubman was an American philanthropist. Born in Virginia, she became a prominent socialite and businesswoman in Augusta, Georgia, and was an early supporter of the Christian Church.
