Fredericka Murdock-McKenzie - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

THE TEACHERwho taught Patrick Allen in grade four at Fruitful Vale All-Age School in Portland says, although it did not cross her mind then, that he would become governor general. she is not surprised by his achievement.

"He displayed very good leadership qualities then; you could depend on him for class control," recounts Fredericka Murdock-McKenzie. "If I had to leave the classroom, you would always hear him telling the others to be quiet."

Murdock-McKenzie's testimonial, along with others, should cast aside any doubt Prime Minister Bruce Golding might have about his choice of Seventh-day Adventist pastor, Dr Patrick Allen, as the nation's sixth governor general. Allen will be sworn in on Thursday at King's House. He will replace Professor Sir Kenneth Hall, who will be retiring.

Allen's grade-four teacher remembers him as a "quiet, pleasant, intelligent and well-behaved student". Her reaction to the elevation of her former charge to national leadership is: "He is worthy. I am so proud of him, really proud of him."

Schoolmate and life-long friend, Dr Vincent Wright, attests to Allen's early signs of leadership at school: "He was the monitor of the class and had a good relationship with his classmates and teachers. When work was assigned in groups, he would play the leading role by assigning persons to do different aspects.

"When there was a dispute, he would be the one ready to pacify the situation. When we were given difficult homework, he would be willing to assist those who did not understand how to go about doing their assignment."

academically brilliant

Wright remembers Allen as the news reporter of the class who, during his spare time, talked about what he had read in The Gleaner or what he had heard on radio. Wright recalls that Allen was so academically brilliant that he taught himself using his older brother's high-school textbooks and, along with assistance from teachers, passed several General Certificate of Education examinations.

Wright, a university lecturer, describes his first reaction to the news that his childhood friend was to be appointed governor general.

"I said to myself: 'We have made it again!' I was so delighted and felt a breath of fresh air all over me, seeing that someone from a humble beginning and a forgotten community in Portland could rise to the position of governor general," he relates.

If Clinton Wilson, another of Allen's schoolmates and a life-long friend, is to be believed, then the country should be grateful to him for protecting the future governor general from harm while he was a lad.

"He did not even fight in school. I used to have to fight for him," Wilson discloses. "This guy kept me on track. When I used to idle, he would admonish me to pay attention to my lessons.

"I expect the best from him," says Wilson when asked about the ability of his life-long friend to perform the role of proxy head of state. "That guy leads all the departments in which he has been involved with intellectual dexterity. He has dealt with people from all walks of life in the church and other organisations. All give him praise, and love him," Wilson adds.

Customs broker Leon Smith proudly states: "I am a product of Patrick Allen."

He recalls how Allen, as principal of Hillside Primary School in Islington, St Mary, during the 1970s, offered free extra lessons to prepare all the students eligible to sit the Common Entrance Examination.

"He took a day and visited every parent in the community. Prior to him, nobody did anything like this. We would just go through the system whether you get good grades or not. When he came, he changed the system. We had a record number of passes at Common Entrance exam that year," Wilson recounts.

Adds Wilson: "It was not just with school work; he got us involved with drama, athletics and Four-H Club. We were empowered to accept more than what was in front of us. He is a people person (who) has given of his time to everybody."

Another of Allen's former students at Hillside Primary, Derrick Thompson, hails him as a "quiet hero" in a congratulatory letter stating: "None of this (achievement) could be possible without you, and for that we are indeed eternally grateful. This is the kind of intervention that Jamaica is so desperately calling for and you have now been given the opportunity once again (to serve) even on a grander scale."

Serving with zeal

Dr Allen will serve with "much zeal, passion and unrelenting dedication", according to son, Kurt.

"The nation should expect a faithful, patient, ethical, fair and firm individual. He and my mother taught us to respect the differences in others, so tolerance shouldn't be unexpected," says Kurt, the oldest of three siblings. "That being said, he isn't the type to stand by quietly in the face of wrong. This is perhaps where I have come to respect him the most - standing up for what is right," says Kurt.

The younger Allen says although he initially reacted with awe to news of his dad's selection as the next governor general, he reflected: "This isn't entirely outside the realm of possibility for him."

He notes, however, that "this amount of public exposure has its price, but we are all remaining positive, assured that things will work out very well".

The governor general-designate's younger brother, Koral, says his older brother is a "no-nonsense person", who will perform the job that he is called to do, and if he is not able to do so properly, he would step aside.

"He is somebody who takes pride in his work. If he can't serve in the way that the people of Jamaica will benefit, I think he will step aside," Koral discloses.

Reflecting on the moment when he heard of his brother's selection as the next governor general, Koral says: "I was proud that the prime minister even considered asking him."

Governor General-designate Dr Patrick Allen (centre) is greeted by life-long friends and former schoolmates Dr Vincent Wright (left) and Clinton Wilson. The trio was celebrating with Allen after he was awarded a national honour at King's House in 2006. - Photos by Nigel Coke

Koral Allen

Kurt Allen

Patrick Allen

byron.buckley@gleanerjm.com