Photos by Cullen Bess-Nelson Tutorial High School students gathered for yesterday’s special assembly.

THE 70th anniversary celebrations of Tutorial High

School (THS) are being used as the platform from which a five-year development plan will be facilitated.

Secretary of the THS Guyana Alumni Association as well as Board Member, Mr. Malcolm Parris made the disclosure Monday.

He said the plan will include expanding the school’s curriculum to include drama, among other subjects, development of language arts and industrial arts laboratories.

Parris said the four alumni chapters, in Guyana; Toronto, Canada; New York in the United States (U.S.) and London, England are all committed to seeing the proposals become realties.

“The chapters are aiming to assist in enhancing the school’s output,” he said.

Parris said 70 years of existence is momentous and, as such, it is fitting to seek to further develop the school now.

The Headmistress, Mrs. Laticha Lake observed that the school has moved from one phase to another and expects to advance.

She acknowledged several challenges facing the school’s administration, such as discipline, late arrival and cooperation by parents but noted that efforts are being made to deal with them.

Another teacher, Ms. Lonette Moses disclosed that a week of activities has been scheduled.

The programme began last Sunday with a religious service at the school, in Woolford Avenue and yesterday, there was a special assembly followed by a spelling bee competition.

Culmination

Thursday is set aside as an open day to showcase the work of the students in the different departments and a concert will see the culmination.

A special tribute will be paid to the founder of the school, Mr. Austin Castello who was assisted by his brother, Mr. Joseph Castello.

The privately run THS was founded on September 1, 1939, by the former who taught French and English Grammar.

There were two branches of the school, one in Bent Street, Wortmanville and the other in Fifth Street, Alberttown, also in the city.

The junior forms were mainly in the Bent Street building while the seniors were housed in Fifth Street.

The younger Castello joined the staff in 1945 as Deputy Principal and taught Latin, Prose and Poetry.

In September 1958, THS became a Government-aided school and the following year the science laboratories were established to teach Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

In 1964, the University of London placed the institution on its list of approved schools in Guyana, because the results of both the senior and higher Cambridge examinations were good.

In 1976, the school was completely taken over by the State and, presently, THS has a student population of 1,069 students, 45 teachers and a wide curriculum.

Its motto is ‘Accipimus Ut Demus’ meaning ‘We receive that we may give’.