Member’s Feedback – Proposed College Of  BWI

 

Name: Joe Flomo Matthew

Chapter: Great Lakes

Email: jmflomo@yahoo.com

Telephone: 216-659-4283

 

My Fellow Tigers,

The Booker Washington Agricultural and Industrial Institute was established to train young Liberian men and women to tilt the land, balanced the books, construct highways and by-ways, construct dwellings, maintain and operate heavy and light industries, maintain automobiles and heavy equipment, among others. These were meant to ensure the industrial and business viabilities of the Republic of Liberia. That was back in 1929. BWI has done that and done that very well. Its pains me to have to let go of that tradition. I find it very difficult to let go of the memory, “the days spent on BWI” as the School Ode goes.

 

However, the idea of a technical college also usher in a new reality whose day I believe has come. One thing is clear, no matter what changes BWI undergoes, we the former graduates will FOREVER REMAIN AUTHENTIC, AND SECOND TO NONE. I embrace the idea, and as a TIGER, I FEAR NOTHING!

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Name:   Joseph  A. Verdier

Chapter:   Great Lakes

Email:   javmail1@yahoo.com

Telephone:   614-367-9061

 

Fellow Tigers,

I can understand the love for our alma matar and our desire to see her restored to the enviable position she occupied on Liberia's academic ladder. Over the years, BWI has proven herself to be one of the premier learning institutions in our country and we must all work together to restore her to that status. What is so troubling to me is the idea being promoted by some members of the alumni association that BOWAII must be elevated to a college with the desire to promote vocational technical education in Liberia. I really think that is a very bad idea. All we will be doing is to continue to make BWI the substandard school that the Liberian government has allowed her to be for the last decade and half. If the government of Liberia really needs a technical college, let me remind them that they presently have two: the college of science and technology at the University of Liberia and the Tubman Technical college in Harper. We must let cooler heads prevail and allow BOWAII to continue to occupy the unique position of the best vocational/technical high school Liberia has ever seen. The mission of BWI is a greater imperative today than ever before. With the country ravaged by war, more and more young boys and girls are in need of a sound high school vocational education adequately blended with sound academic training like the ones we got from BWI to prepare them both for life in the workforce or a college education. This is what makes us so different as BWI: we can do it all, vocation or academics, we excel. We do not need any college of BWI and I hope that this will be thoroughly discussed and then discarded forever as an ill advise and funny little idea not worth entertaining.


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Name: Ciapha K. Greene

Chapter: Delaware Valley

Eamil: musujatu@aol.com

Telephone: 267-243-0071

 

As an alumnus of the great Booker Washington Institute "CLASS OF 86" welcome the idea of elevating BWI to such a status. This is long over due and I do hope that everyone will understand the meaningful and technical contributions that this institution to the manpower development of Liberia.

 

 

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