Bertram Guishard, a prominent educator who was influential in the founding of the Bermuda College, has died at the age of 87.

Mr Guishard, a former dean of the college’s Faculty of Arts and Science, taught at every level of the island’s school system over the course of his 49-year career.

The son of Alwyn Guishard and Ina Lennon, who were from St Kitts, Mr Guishard followed family tradition with his career in education.

His father served as principal at East End School, followed by Southampton Glebe.

Mr Guishard went into teaching after graduating from the Berkeley Institute, where he also took a school prize for maths.

He won a scholarship to attend McGill University in 1945 and supported his studies through odd jobs that included beekeeping and jewellery.

Mr Guishard was awarded a teacher training scholarship in 1951, earning further qualifications at London University and the University of Ottawa.

He Guishard taught at East End School and became principal of St David’s School in 1953, followed by Harrington Sound School from 1955 to 1963. He married Juanita Furbert in 1955.

Mr Guishard maintained a lifelong interest in Bermudian education, later recalling his advocacy for getting training programmes in place when the college was first established.

Previously he had taught at the Bermuda Technical Institute, starting in 1963 and bearing witness to the racial integration of the island’s educational system.

He became head of business studies at “Tech” and later served as deputy head and then head of the Bermuda College’s Department of Commerce and Technology, followed by head of the general studies department, before he was appointed dean. He retired in 1993.

In addition, Mr Guishard served as secretary and then vice-chairman of the Berkeley Education Society.

Mr Guishard was a life member of the Bermuda Union of Teachers, having joined its predecessor organisation in 1944.

He was also a life member of the Royal Society of Arts and, since 2003, an elder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Christ Church, Warwick.

He was also a frequent letter writer to The Royal Gazette. His final letter is featured today.

Funeral arrangements will be announced.