Kenneth Emmanuel Neale was born on August 2, 1925 in Castle Kelly a little district just outside of Blackstonedge, St. Ann’s. It was at the elementary school in Castle Kelly that he came under the influence of A.A. Robinson (Teacher Robinson), a man who taught him poetry, and music… and life, and who probable more than any other single individual helped to set the compass-point of the young Neale in the direction of his career goal. He was bright in everything except arithmetic. So, in his teen years he was asked to help out with teaching after he passed the Jamaican Local exams.

Upon joining the staff of his old school, students immediately sought him out to solve whatever problems they had, academic or otherwise. By about 17 he obtained a job at Jeffery Town Elementary School in Guys Hill. While at Jeffery Town he stated developing his music skills, as he got a chance to play the organ at the Catholic Church. Around that time, he also met his wife Eugenie Johnson. They would get married in 1952 and had one child, Claudia.

After attending Mico Teachers College Mr. Neale assumed employment at St. Catherine All Age, where he taught every subject and was in charge of the highest grade and the sports in the school. Interestingly that was where he and our dearly beloved brother Reggie Scarlet met. Mr. Neale later went on to UWI and pursued a degree in History and Economics.

As a young teacher, he was once given a book as a gift. The book taught the basic principles of four sporting disciplines. Kenneth already knew three of them but the only one he was not conversant with was basketball. Moving under the assumption that the only way to learn is to teach it, he took five youngsters and began to teach them the game. That is how basketball came to Spanish Town, and instantly he met success. HE entered competitions with the primary school boys and were winners against all the high school teams. Kenneth was now public property, as he and then Kingston College Principal Douglas Forrest would team up to start Jamaica’s first school basketball league.

During all this he always keep in touch with his music by assisting with Mass at St. Josephs, before becoming organist and Choir Director in the 1960a. He entered the students in many Music Competitions and would always add verse to existing folk songs, as the National Music Festival leaders encourages originality. HE changed some of the words to Mango Time, adding some of the now popular lyrics, and set other interesting village stories to music such as “Poor Lizy Jane.” Compositions such as “John Gone a Foreign,” Wi Freedom Come at Last”, One pown a Shawl” and Mi nuh Hear Nuh Rain are also some of his more popular folk songs.

With the need to expand St. Catherine Primary, the Ministry established St. Catherine Junior Secondary, with an entrance on Old Harbor Road. He was consequently transferred to be in charge of the boys of the Junior Secondary School on the St. Catherin High Campus. Sister Mary Paschal was asked to be principal of both the Junior secondary and High school, and she saw the wisdom of convincing the ministry to combine the two schools. He would now teach History, Geography, and Music, eventually becoming vice principal 1979. It was at St. Catherine High school that Kenneth Neale became an icon, a national treasure. Through employed to teach academic subjects, he taught that and everything else. In fact, he taught and imparted life, hope, love, justice, fairness and decency, the same principles which can be seen in his life. And his music confirmed…. At a time when for JCDC competitions, only one choir would be declared the gold medal winner for the island, on a number of occasions St. Catherine High was so chosen. There was a healthy rivalry with Ardene High and Excelsior occasionally feature in. For many years, the choirs melodious sound was theme song for JBC TV popular show, “ Hill and Gully Ride.” He retired as Vice Principal of St. Catherine High in 1992, but remained on staff, eventually as part-time music teacher.

Jacinth Allen Donaldson

Class of 1976