As the Secretary/Treasurer Beersheba Old students Association (BOSA) arrived at the bedside of Zita Pryce-Samuels, age 90 years, in the Female Surgical Ward at Black River Public General Hospital on Sunday, March 22, 2014. Zita’s eyes lit up like candles and radiant smiles came from her age wrinkled cheeks when she found out that the person who came to visit her, was the brown skinned baby boy that was born to Simeon and Margaret “Miss Meggie” Samuels of Mount Ease, Flint Valley, New Market, Saint Elizabeth for whom she made a while christening gown and carried him in her arms to the little wooden building that housed The Salvation Army, Carr District where the pastor at the church would invoke God’s blessing on him.
Incidentally, The Salvation Church in which I was christened – which was for several years the only place of worship in Beersheba Primary School/Carr District and adjoining Communities – both the land and the little wooden building was donated by James “Dick” Richards, (1872 – 1965) Beersheba Elementary Moravian Church School Alumnus, soldier, self-made business man, philanthropist, Icon, and Legend who is remembered and revered in his native Carr District as “Bermuda King.”
I was perplexed to see how intact and sharp Zita’s short and long term memory is as she reminded me how she use to sew my clothes to wear to school and church. For many years, Zita Pryce was the only Dressmaker in New Savannah/Flint Valley/ Beersheba Primary School/Carr District Community. Zita worked long and hard as she skillfully used her two feet to pedal her Singer Sewing Machine in an era when electricity was unavailable in the community.
I soon realized that I was in a history class instead empathizing with the patient who was admitted to hospital in serious condition and was being treated for a blood clot in her left leg, quite possibly brought about by long hours that she spent doing sedentary work pedaling her Singer Sewing machine for years.
As I mentioned to Zita that it was Uriah “”Mass Coolie” Smith who told me about her illness, Zita’s eyes lit up again and radiant smile emanated from lines embedded in her aged cheeks as she told me that it was she who hold “Mass Coolie” hand and taught him to write.
The visit that I made to Zita as a patient in Black River Public General Hospital, is another outreach programme in which Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) continue to demonstrate that it has a caring heart and is the safety net for everyone in Beersheba Primary School Community.
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