The Young Colonials : A Social History of Education in Trinidad

The Young Colonial is a comprehensive study of the social history of education in Trinidad and Tobago over the century after slave emancipation. A powerful focus (among several) is how, and to what extent, education was a means towards upward social mobility in a multiracial, twin island Caribbean state. The book addresses continually issues of race, coour, class, gender and the separatist tendencies of Tobago. The study concludes that the roles of schools has not been adequately considered previously, or has been undervalued.

The Young Colonial also discusses the input of important social groups and institutions - for example teachers, trade unionists, Hindus and Muslims - int othe development of education policies; and it throws valuable light on the social history of legendary secondary schools such as Queen's Royal College, St Mary's Colege and St Joseph's Convent. The study enables us today to understand the unusually high respect for brilliant intellectual talent such as that of the late C.L.R. James and the late Dr Eric Williams. Scholars and students searching for the roots of the modern education system in Trinidad and Tobago wll find them in this the only study with the necessary scope; in fact an Epilogue brings essential aspects of the history of education up to the year 1981.

Scholars will value The Young Colonials for the fresh contributions it makes to the study of the social history of a complex Caribbean society.