1913

Born at Harris Hill, Montserrat. Mother. Frances (Harty) Mayers. Father:       Samuel Henry White of Long Ground, Overseer at New Windward  Estate.

1918

Began Elementary at St. George's Anglican School under Headmaster  F.E Peters who was fresh from Mico Training College, Jamaica, W.I.

1924

Earned his Standard VII Certificate - an extra-ordinary achievement in those days. Left school for a book-keeping post at the Farms Estate under the Hollenders.  A German family newly arrived in Montserrat.

1928

Appointed First Year Pupil Teacher at St. George's Anglican School.           Regarded as possessor of above mental age ability. I passed                   consecutively the First, Second and Third Year Annual Pupil                         Teachers Examination, and won a Scholarship for Teacher Training at the Rawle Training College for teachers at Codrington College,                   Barbados,

1933

 Entered Rawle Training Teachers Institute, Codrington College,                    Barbados, Having won a Scholarship to be trained as a Certified                  Leeward Islands Trained Teachers Class 1

1935

 Graduated Rawle Training College with First Class Honors eligible for          School Administration anywhere in the Leeward Islands.

1936

Appointed First Assistant Teacher at Gingerland Boy's School, Nevis,          under Mr. W.M. Morton Headmaster. Continued Theory of Music studies      begun in Barbados, when I was at College. Founded the Gingerland              Adult choral Society and continued the Debating Society started by the former First Assistant at the School.

1937

Began Piano Studies under the Tutelage of Mrs. Armory of Fenton Hill and         later took Overseas Exam in Music Theory. Stages One and Two. I              obtained first class honors in in those exams. Also wrote the play "The       Twelve Sons of Jacob" with the assistance of Carlton Flaherty.

1940

Transferred to Charlestown Boys School under management of Jerome       Cross. Lifelong friends Willie Dore, Stamford Bon Camper, and Ralph           Prince who were also brilliant teachers in the school.

1941

Survived a near drowning experience in the harbor in Charleston while       suffering from Malaria, Transferred to Anguilla as Headmaster of the           West End Government School. Enjoyed the change for a while then I got     homesick and wished to return to my island home of Montserrat. The           opportunity came when the Head Teacher of St. Georges School wrote me an invitation letter to replace him as Headmaster of the school when he was made Inspector of Schools.

1942  

September 3, of that year I was installed as Headmaster of the School of which I was a pupil.  A personal plus in my estimation but to some they bemoaned my choice for leaving the employment of Government to go to  private. i thought differently because to me it was a prestigious move. Financially it was not because I lost 5 years of pension but in many ways the move enriched me. Once installed a Headmaster my work in community activity began with Rover Scouts, Choral Singing and a debating society. The movement "Men of Tomorrow" added to the extra mural actiivities. Meanwhile the school program in education and athletic pursuits continued to show progress. The school kept its place as second in enrollment among the island's primary schools, rivaled only by St, Mary's School, Plymouth.

1945 

 Married Miss Noami Celestine Rosamund Thomas of Antigua, a                  seamstress noted for her fine workmanship.

1949

Transferred to Wesley School and was appointed Extra-Mural Tutor of          the University College of the West Indies by Dr. Bertram Collins. I also         organized the Salem Choral Society that year.

1954  

 Granted Scholarship by the Association for the Advancement of Colored      People to attend Columbia Teachers College to study how deal with             Mentally Challenged Children - a one year study where I achieved a            Certificate from Columbia. 

1957

 Accepted the call of Christ which caused concern when I left the Anglican    Church and joined the Bethany Pentecostal Church in Wapping.

1962

Led Wesley School as champions in Island wide Elementary Schools         Singing Competition. Appointed Inspector of Schools and institued and        Island-wide elementary school weekly Radio Program titled " Education      Half Hour" This program aroused wide interest in the populace.

1964  

Granted British Counsel Bursary to attend Birmingham University in             England. Took special course in Education Administration was awarded a Bachelors in Education.

1968  

 Retired from Government of Montserrat and went to St. Thomas USVI and instituted the Apostolic Church School for foreign Caribbean students who could not enter the United States Public Schools.

 1973

Established White’s Education Center to fulfill educational needs of youngsters as well as workers in the private sector.  Many took advantage to further their interest in Music and Typewriting. That same year I became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States. Erected a Dwelling House in Frydendahl St. Thomas USVI

1979

Initiated a movement and became one of the founding members of the Montserrat Association of the Virgin Islands, the St. Thomas-St. John Chapter, as was elected the First President of the same.

1981

Appointed Pastor of the St. John Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas.

1991

Appointed Ruling Elder of the Virgin Islands District of the Third Episcopal Diocese of the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Amereicas.

Received the Annual “Funkyman” award December 22nd in Montserrat, an annual event started by Montserratian Carlton Allen.

1992

Received Meritorious Badge of Honor for Community work done in Montserrat throughout time served while living there. The grant was given by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth !! of England.

Sponsored the White’s Family Reunion in Montserrat with family members from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and the Caribbean met to celebrate family solidarity.

2001

Honored by the Ladies Ministry of Deeper Life Congregation in St. Thomas USVI. Previously honored by the New Vision Church Congregation of St. Thomas. Was also honored in 1995 by the Montserrat Association of the Virgin Islands in recognition for community work done in the Territory.

2003

Celebrated my 90th Birthday Sunday October 5th  which was an outstanding event with family and friends.

2011

Retired to Florida in July

2013

Celebrated my 100th Birthday with family and friends.. To God be the glory

THE LATE EDWIN ROWLAND WHITE

Educator par excellence, musician, community worker and parson, Edwin R. White numbers amount the good and great of Montserrat. Excelling in the primary school at Harris’, he developed further to be appointed Head Master of his alma mater in 1949, following professional sojourns in Nevis and Anguilla. Teacher at large, he taught music and typewriting and was the organist in churches including St. Anthony’s in Plymouth where he was choir master. Teacher Mayers, as he was popularly called, also had a career in civil society and adult education. The St. George’ community and the environs benefitted. To crown his educational career, he was appointed Inspector of Schools. He was a national resource; his house was a school.

Leadership and initiative were in Mr. White’s blood. He served as President of the Montserrat Union of Teachers and Vice President of the Caribbean Union of Teachers. As Head Master of St. George’s School, he created its motto: “Knowledge is Power”; and as Inspector of Schools, he introduced the radio programme Education Half Hour which featured children, and educated and entertained the entire community. Teacher Edwin took his educating and developmental ways to the US Virgin Islands where he again taught school publicly and privately, was a Notary Public (1979) and a pastor and leader in in the Fire Baptised Holiness Church of God of the Americas. As precursor to this pastoral position, he had become a convert to the Pentecostal faith in Wapping under the late Rev. W. H. Howes in 1957.

When in 1979 Mr. White became a founding father and first President of the Montserrat Association of the US Virgin Islands, he was merely expressing his lifelong penchant and passion for serving people and community; he was a builder of institutions. While teaching in Harris’ he formed the St. George’s Choral Society, Rover Scouting for youths and a para-military company called, “The Men of Tomorrow” which attracted young men from Long Ground to Dyers. His work included organisation of debates, and he had a big hand in the formation of that Steel Band, the Rising Sun which won the first ever national competition in 1952. It is not surprising that when the University College of the West Indies needed a Representative on island, Mr. White was the natural selection. He was the forerunner of what became the Resident Tutor; he has national as well as regional credentials.

One still wonders how this man of diminutive stature, but a giant in intellect and service escaped British Empire honours. Thankfully he received a Carlton Allen Funkyman Award in 1993 followed by the Montserrat Badge and Certificate of Honour the same year. Finally in 2014 he was awarded the prestigious Order of Merit in the national honours. His passing leaves a huge void in the Montserrat universe at home and beyond; his family can be immensely proud of him. He amply deserves his Rest in Peace.

Sir Howard A. Fergus