Profound sentimental chords were struck when staff and students of Sandys Secondary Middle School, along with a host of friends and supporters of the institution, participated in a variety of events last Friday celebrating the 80th anniversary of the school's opening on October 26, 1927.

Central personalities at the celebrations were the only two survivors of the first 18 students who entered Sandys eight decades ago, Mrs. Miriam Wilson Trott, who now lives in Warwick, and Miss Hope Bascome, of Bob's Valley, Somerset.

They were driven in a horse-drawn carriage in an impressive procession of the student body to a thanksgiving service at St. James Parish Church. The Sandys Drum Line Band led the procession to and from the church.

As the carriage drew up to the gates of the long aisle leading to the church, the bells of St. James rang out loud and clear, almost as if expressing gratitude to the founders of Sandys now at rest in the churchyard.

Significantly, the vast majority of the founding stalwarts lived in the shadow of St. James Church, a mere stone's throw away such as the redoubtable Nurse Alice Scott at Scott's Bay and the Swans, Canns, Durrants, Simmonses and Pearmans nearby, at Portland's Square. And on the Ely's Harbour side of the church were more Simmonses, Ratterays, Todds and others.

In any case, it was the direct descendants and beneficiaries of those far-sighted stalwarts who organised and keynoted the celebrations at the church, and later at special assembly of the school. On each occasion, dramatic accounts were given of the enormous sacrifices and tremendous obstacles that had to be overcome in starting the school and for decades in keeping it going.

Especially singled out were Mrs. Frances Simmons, headmistress at Southampton Glebe School, and William Robinson, owner and operator of a chain of grocery and dry goods stores, and Nurse Scott, who operated her own modern clinic at her Scott's Bay residence.

They were foremost in 1925 in germinating the idea of forming the Sandys Educational Association, with the aim of providing children of Sandys access to high education beyond the age of 13. By October 1927, they had clubbed together sufficient of their pennies, shillings and pounds to open the school.

A former SSS student, Senator David Burch was the keynote speaker at the school assembly.

His mother, the late Alice Smith Burch, was raised by Nurse Scott and she became known as "Little Alice" through her similar, multifaceted community involvements. Senator Burch, a former Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment and currently Minister of Housing and Public Safety, painted a revealing picture of community life 80 years ago.

He said everything was black and white, even though the whites called the blacks "coloured". Each had their own churches and whatever. The education authorities made it clear to the blacks that if they wanted their children educated, they had to find a way to pay for it. In addition to paying monthly fees, members organised a variety of events such as bake sales, bazaars and cruises.

Citing the sacrifices the early pioneers made, such as Nurse Scott mortgaging her home in order to pay for teachers' salaries, Senator Burch challenged the student body to declare what sacrifices they were prepared to make in order to take their own rightful places in society.

Both at the church and school assembly honour rolls were read showing some of the many men and women Sandys had graduated over the decades who were now taking their places in the business, professional spheres, in Government and national and international sports circles.

Several had answered the call of God, entered the Christian ministry and were now serving in Bermuda and abroad as pastors and ministers, he said.

Among them are Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, who became senior on the bench of AME Bishops as well as for eight years president of the Geneva-based World Council of Churches.

Other AME clergy include former Senator Rev. Dr. Leonard Santucci now in New Jersey; Rev. Eugene Hayward in Virginia; Rev. Keith Hayward in Philadelphia; Rev. Mrs. Emigail Richardson Dill and Rev. Mrs. Blanche Harvey Woodward, both in New York;. and Bishop Dennis Ball of the United Holy Church in North Carolina.

Other Sandys graduates have become officers in the Salvation Army, pastors in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and different denominations. Among them are Canon James Francis, now Anglican Rector of Christ Church, Devonshire. He distinguished himself working in the ghettos of Ohio before returning to Bermuda. Canon Francis was the preacher at the thanksgiving service at St. James, with fellow graduate Pastor Rudolph Ebbin presiding.

Photos show: The only two surviving members of the first class entering Sandys Secondary School 80 years ago are seen arriving in horse drawn carriage (above) for the Founders' Day celebrations at St. James Church. They are Miss Hope Bascome on the left with student escort Tonicha Lopes, and Mrs. Miriam Wilson Trott, right, with escort Zaakira Lee. Standing are members of the Board of Governors, ex-student Travis Gilbert, chairman, centre; Joseph (Joey) Robinson, left, whose grandfather was one of the prime founders of the school; and Dr. John Cann, whose father the late Dr. Hon. E.A. Cann was a long-serving board chairman. Top left: Keynote speaker at his alma mater's celebrations was Senator David Burch. It was his aunt Nurse Alice Burch who was foremost among the school's founders. At bottom are Sandys hall of famers who have become head boys and or girls at the Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge Academy. They are Jasmine White Hurst and Amaury Symonds and Sherrita Arorash and Randolff Bakabak. Middle:Sandys Secondary's Drum Line Band, fronted by noted Gombey musician Dennis Parsons, leads the students from ceremonies at St. James Church.