Email

Print

Legendary Belizean educator Sadie Vernon passed away yesterday at 90 years old. A ripe old age and the end of a life well lived. But those tidy cliché’s don’t capture the essence of this great and quite singular Belizean woman. Jacqueline Godwin looked back at her life and its accomplishments today.

Laura Baptist, Principal - Sadie Vernon High School
“That Miss Sadie Vernon has done a lot for education for the students in Belize.”

At Sadie Vernon Technical High, the school and Belize flags were flown at half mast in observance of the death of Reverend Dr. Sadie G. Vernon, the founder of the secondary learning institution and one of the country’s greatest educators. Sadie Vernon who was ninety years old passed away at home around two on Monday afternoon. She was surrounded by family during her final moments.

Ethel Castillo, Cousin Law
“Well girl to me they were painful because I looked at her and I knew she was in pain and there was nothing more we could do for her and deep down we didn’t need her to go but at the same time we didn’t want to see her in that pain. So what we did, my husband and I are Lay Ministers of the church and we would pray and so Monday morning when she took ill again I continued praying and that is all we could have done.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
She knew she was dying?

Ethel Castillo,
“She knew. She was quite aware of what was taking place and so it was very rewarding to know that she died when she died, that she is at rest – there is no more pain, no more sorrow, no more of anything. But she knew that she was loved.”

Sadie Vernon who battled with cancer for many years died two days after she fell ill from pneumonia. Today she is being remembered for her invaluable contribution to education.

Laura Baptist,
“Her objective according to her writing was to make sure that every child receives an education regardless of colour, creed, and culture and hence the school was opened in 1964. And according to history, she was approached by parents who are finding difficulties in finding an institution that would facilitate their children’s needs and that has progressed to date 2008 and were the institution now has been renamed from Belize Continuation to Sadie Vernon Technical High School.”

In 2000 Sadie Vernon chronicled the life that she has lived in her publication titled In-transit. When she was interviewed that year she spoke about what she believed was her greatest accomplishment.

[Interview in 2000]
Sadie Vernon, Deceased
“I think I was a successful teacher. I could work with children that had learning difficulties.”

And despite all she has achieved and the hundreds of Belizeans she has helped, Sadie Vernon was never one to boast but remained humble though life.

Ethel Castillo,
“You know what all you have done, you know how many people are there outside benefiting from your teaching, your giving our of yourself because that is what she did. What she had she gave out to people without having any remorse of anything.”

Laura Baptist,
“We are in the process of having our open day and we have selected her birthday which is in March to be the official open for Sadie Vernon Technical High School and for the first the students of Sadie Vernon Technical High School have put a song together because the school has been going on for so many years and we do not have a song for it until now and that was one of the activities that we wanted to do in her honour in order to unveil the song and a monument for her in the compound. She deserves that kind of recognition for all the work that she has done and her initiative in realizing how important education is.”

On Friday Rev. Dr. Sadie Vernon will be laid to rest following an ecumenical service at St. John’s Anglican Cathedral. Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7NEWS.

In the 1960’s Sadie Vernon started her work in education when she started a school for only young girls that later was renamed Sadie Vernon Technical High School that now also offers an education for young men. Following Hurricane Hattie in 1961 she distributed food and clothing to victims. She is also the founder of the Christian Social Council. 7NEWS understands that the ecumenical service will be well attended by bishops from all denominations.