St. John's School
(opposite St John's Cathrdral)It is now the oldest school in the country---the present building dates from 1961 after the hurricane "Hattie" had made insecure the old school.
There is mention of the school as early as 1814. John L. Stephens, in his book "Incidents of travel in Central America, Guatemala and Yucatan," wrote that when he arrived in Belize in 1839 he visited and states that is was a school for both white and black children.
From the early days of 1814 the Catheral continues to support the schools of the Parish through a Church-State partnership. The teachers of St John's School, together with yhe Sunday School, represent a long list of Church and Nation builders.
St. John's College totally destroyed by the 1931 Hurricane which took the lives of many Priests and Scholastics.
St. John's Cathedral
"the first Protestant Episcopal Church founded in the Spanish America
St. John's was built at the request of the Magistrates and Committee of Public Works who formed the government of the Settlement in the early days. Their names, together with the names of the first Churchwardens, James McDonald and George Westby, are recorded on the impressive Georgian tablets on the North Wall, which were presented to the Church on Christmas Day, 1827. From Sir John Burdon's Archives of British Honduras" we read that the church was built at the expense of the people, which explains why a Public Fund was required in 1816 to remove "the enormous debt" so that "the religion of the Established Church may be performed and propagated in this distant part of the world" The cost of building the church was £ 1,200 sterling.
Charles A. Lindbergh on the steps of St. John's College, Loyola Park, 1929.
Two years later the building was destroyed by hurricane on September 10th, 1931
In 1924, Lindbergh enlisted in the United States Army so that he could be trained as an Army Air Service Reserve pilot. In 1925, he graduated from the Army's flight-training school at Brooks and Kelly fields, near San Antonio, as the best pilot in his class.
Charles Augustus Lindbergh, an American aviator, made the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean on May 20-21, 1927. Other pilots had crossed the Atlantic before him. But Lindbergh was the first person to do it alone nonstop.
At the request of the U.S. government, Lindbergh flew to various Latin-American countries in December 1927 as a symbol of American good will. While in Mexico, he met Anne Spencer Morrow, the daughter of Dwight W. Morrow, the American ambassador there. Lindbergh married Anne Morrow in 1929. He taught her to fly, and they went on many flying expeditions together throughout the world, charting new routes for various airlines. Anne Morrow Lindbergh also became famous for her poetry and other writings.
Charles A. Lindbergh (1902-1974),
"on the steps of St. John's College, Loyola Park, 1929"
Minesota Historical Society Photo
St. John's College
Loyola Park, Belize City
1896 Feb. 3rd. St. John Berchman’s College, (Roman Catholic) officially decared open by His Excellency Sir Alfred Maloney (a boarding and day school for boys) in Belize city.
1916 Dec. 31st., corner stone of building at Loyola Park laid by His Excellency the Governor.
1917 July 16th, the class were removed (176 boys) from the premises near the Most Holy Redeemer Cathedral to the new building erected at Loyola Park, at an estimated cost of $100.000.00
1921 Aug. 9th, St John's College declared an infected place on account of yellow fever.
St. John Berchman College, in its Heyday. The finest in Central America, heading confidently to University Status.
In the school year 1923-1924 an average of 137 Students attended. Boarding fee was $300 a year , while Day Scholars paid $40 a year. Typewriting and Music are extra.
Professors of Music; Miss Alixe Belise and Mr. Henry Burgos.
Belize Hurricane 1931
After Lindbergh completed his Army training, the Robertson Aircraft Corporation of St. Louis hired him to fly the mail between St. Louis and Chicago. He gained a reputation as a cautious and capable pilot.
Linberg @ Goverment House Dec 30th, 1927
Lindbergh
being received at government house on December 30, 1927. In the photo besides Lindy are: Dr. Cran on his right; Governor Sir John and Lady Burdon; Sir Herbert and Lady Sisnett; DC Hamilton Anderson and an unidentified lady.
