THOSE who think it is impossible for a person to be a manager at age 100 have yet to meet Mrs. Helena Maud Mc Allister, fondly called Aunt Maud, one of Guyana’s latest centenarians and a person who is pleasant, calculative, alert and witty.

The Chronicle extends “Happy Mother’s Day” and other greetings to Mrs. Mc Allister, the proud Managing Director of Mac’s Housing and Facilities, located at 208 Duncan Street, Newtown, Georgetown.

Mac’s Housing and Facilities is the expanded and refurbished venue which once housed the popular Mac’s Secretarial School, reputed to have turned out hundreds of students who were all well rounded academically.

Albeit, ‘Aunt Maud’ is blessed with the kind of vision that would allow her to count every dollar placed into her hands; and she makes sound financial management decisions that could only redound to the best interest of the business. She, however, has a secretary, Nadira Ramoutar, who runs the office under her ‘say so’.

This was told to the Chronicle by Aunt Maud’s daughter, Mrs. Ruth Cumberbatch, who, along with her husband Clifton, lives in one of the apartments.

On April 16, 2014, Aunt Maud joined the treasured and enviable ranks of Guyana’s few documented centenarians, and at the same time scored a proud first as probably Guyana’s first or only female to be actively serving as Managing Director of a profit-making entity at age 100.

With a proud heritage of being the matriarch in a family-owned business that has actively contributed to the academic moulding of the nation for more than 50 years, Aunt Maud has more recently diversified, and is now in the apartment rental business, overseeing the rental of a three-storey apartment building in Newtown, Georgetown.

Mac’s Secretarial School was registered as a business entity sometime around 1977. Then, it was owned and operated by Aunt Maud’s husband, Hilton Mc Allister, a dynamic and visionary leader with a passion for education delivery. He ran the school for almost 25 years, with his wife at one time on the teaching staff, and was later assisted by his two sons, Godfrey, Hilton (Jnr.) and only daughter, Ruth, who took over from him as principal. The school was eventually closed in 2001.

Known for his visionary qualities, Hilton regrettably lost his vision to glaucoma, and transitioned in 2008, after a period of illness, but not before making considerable impact in the education sector in a private capacity.

KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND
Prior to commencement of his teaching career, Hilton worked as a nurse at the Palms in Georgetown, whie his wife worked as an attendant at the Mahaica Leprosy Hospital. A few months after leaving employment at the Palms in 1942, Hilton ventured into teaching by assisting six young ladies to become stenographers and also helping them in Home Economics.

He married Maud in 1943, and a few years later, with the literacy needs of their first child, Ruth, in mind, he opened a kindergarten school in his mother’s home in Albert Street, Queenstown.

Their next move was to venture out into education at the secondary level, establishing ‘DAY HIGH SCHOOL’, housed at the Frolic Hall at Robb and Light Streets, Bourda, opposite what is now Nigel’s Supermarket. That institution did well for several years, coaching students to the level of Junior and Senior Cambridge Examinations.

Aunt Maud recalls that her husband was headmaster for several years, and former President Desmond Hoyte was Deputy Head of the school. He was, at the same time, studying to become a lawyer.

Eventually faced with hardships such as late and/or non-payment of school fees by a good many students, and attitudinal problems from both staff and students, Mr. Mc Allister eventually became disenchanted and closed the business.

He subsequently went over to Cambridge Academy, where he functioned as Deputy Headmaster.

A few years later, at around 1977, Mr. Allister opened what was to become the popular Mac’s Secretarial School, catering to the academic needs of both full-time and part-time students. That was a success story. It is often said that behind every successful man there is a strong and supportive woman, and so it was with Mr. and Mrs. Mc Allister. In fact, even before the family ventured into the education business, Aunt Maud,

in every way, demonstrated her mettle as an asset in the home. An industrious woman, even whilst caring for their three children, she helped increase the family earnings as a seamstress and by making artificial flowers which she offered for sale.

Aunt Maud recalls their venture into the delivery of higher education was a huge success, and grew from strength to strength through the years. Many benefitted from the school’s well-delivered and innovative academic programmes. One such person is Member of Parliament Volda Lawrence, who was a student there, and later joined the teaching staff. And so too, was Ms. Anne Green, former Chief Probation and Welfare Officer.
Ruth said that one of the school’s greatest breakthroughs was when it took the lead in introducing computer technology on the curriculum. She also recalled, with some degree of sadness, the devastating blow they were dealt when the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL) unstable power supply destroyed four computers at one blow through high voltage. And so that probably signalled the beginning of the end for the school.

PROUD CENTENARIAN
Having attained the age of 100, and asked how she felt on that achievement, Aunt Maud, winsome and smiling, replied that though she was not overly excited, she felt happy and was deeply appreciative of all that her children, grand-children, in-laws and other relatives and friends did to make her day bright.

She engaged in sober reflection, and recalled that the first thing she did on awakening was to give God thanks and praise for that special moment. “I just gave Him thanks and praise for bringing me this far,” she modestly asserted.

And of course she was honoured that family members from three generations came from both the United States and the United Kingdom to be part of her centenary celebrations.

CELEBRATION
To mark the significant milestone, there were three days of celebration, and each brought fun galore. The traditional birthday party was held on the first day, April 16, at the Pegasus Hotel. It was complete with cake sticking and the works. President Donald Ramotar and Mr. Oscar Clarke of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) were among guests at that party.

The second celebration, which catered for 80 persons, was held in the foyer of the National Cultural Centre and was largely for the elderly and shut-ins from indigent/retirement homes.

The third celebration was a get-together in her honour, sponsored by the Women’s Bible Class of the Kitty Brethren Church.

CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH
Except for having an eye problem which compels that she read only coarse print, Aunt Maud sees and reads very well. She reads her Bible every day, and can be said to have a clean bill of health. She has never suffered from diabetes or hypertension; her hearing is fairly good; she is alert and sensitive to the environment around her; moves around unaided, and is incredibly still an active user of the computer – catching up on the news, and reading and sending e-mails.

Aunt Maud has a hearty appetite, but eats and drinks only nutritious foods: plenty of fruits and vegetables; salads; recommended daily requirements of milk; whole-wheat bread and brown rice in moderation; fish and chicken (no red meat or fried foods). Aunt Maud also joins the rest of her family in extending thanks to her Personal Assistant, Michelle Van Rossum, who provides home care for her; and Secretary, Nadira Ramoutar, who efficiently and effectively runs the family business.

Averse to, but very much grieved by, what’s going on globally today, Aunt Maud condemns all criminal acts confronting society. To this end she is urging people to turn to God, affirming that Satan is on the rampage, going about seeking whom he may devour.

Aunt Maud, who was born and raised in a devout Christian family in Georgetown, was the last of five siblings to her parents – Alberta Bunyan (a Guyanese) and James Yard, a carpenter (Barbadian by birth). Yard, a member of the Salvation Army, later took his wife to the Christian Brethren Church, where they remained committed unto the time of their death.
Asked to which church she belongs, Aunt Maud pleasantly replied, “I fellowship at the Christian Brethren Assembly, but I belong to Jesus.”
Of quiet dignity,the proud centenarian credits her longevity to the blessings of her Divine Maker and essentially her lifestyle; and not least, to living in an environment where love abounds. She has also expressed gratitude to her only daughter, Ruth Cumberbatch, and Ruth’s husband Cliff, as well as her sons and their families living overseas, as well as other relatives, for doing whatever it takes to satisfy her spiritual, material and emotional needs.

(By Shirley Thomas)