I recently had an in-depth conversation with the oldest member of Combermere Alumni Association USA (CAAUSA), 97-year-old Mr Winslow (Saucers) Seale who is still active in the association.

Born in New York and raised in Barbados, he recalls being schooled by Mrs Morris and then on to Wesley Hall Primary before entering Combermere in 1933.

“That was the dream of my life which gave the foundation for life,” he recalls.

“At that time, it was not at Waterford. It was on Constitution Road, behind the old Queens College. I joined Prep form with only three others – Humphrey, Tommy Reece and Balboa Edwards.”

That year the Prep class was in the library with one teacher Mr Wolf. The Headmaster was Rev Armstrong. During his time at Combermere, he represented the school in football and cricket as a wicket-keeper and opening batsman.

Upon graduating, he went to work for a solicitor, Timothy Headley, but the job was short lived since his mother made him quit because the firm was representing someone who had committed murder.

He then got a job at the then Knights Reliable Pharmacy and that was the start of his long pharmaceutical career. He worked there until he got his license as a pharmacist in 1947.

The very next week the whole family left Barbados for New York where he initially took a job at the post office before going to Howard University to study pharmacy on the advice of another Combermerian Dr Reginald Hunte.

While at Howard he was a member of the student council of the American Pharmaceutical Association which hosted the Fifth Annual Convention of Student Branches of the American Pharmaceutical Association at Howard. It was the first time that the university had hosted an event by the prestigious association.

While at university, he continued working for the post office in Washington with the help of NYS Senator Lehman who secured his transfer.

After graduating in 1956, he returned to New York City and again met Dr Roy Hunte who urged him to help rejuvenate the Combermere Alumni Association which was formed in 1948.

“I called up other Combermerians to see if they were interested. Sure enough Livvy Francis and Vincent Kirton were. We held our first meeting at Vincent’s house and started the association.

“Later, Hammie Carrington, Branford Taitt, Dr Jordan, Dr Stanley Redmond and Leslie Sharpe joined followed by the younger Combermerians like Ollie Beckles, Ken Beckles, Joe Waterman and Keith Burkett and Harold and Cecil Brathwaite.

“The numbers started to outgrow Vincent’s house, so we moved the meetings, first to St George’s Episcopal Church, then the Barbadian ex-Police Association on Crown Street and later to President Street.”

Winslow was instrumental in the incorporation of the CAAUSA in 1969, a tax free status we enjoy to this day.

Winslow is not strong in body but is still very sharp in mind. We were always amazed how this man could continue working as a pharmacist with the advance technology and so many new drugs to dispense.

He dispensed his last prescription in 2020 at age 96.

Until his retirement, he worked a full day and still had the energy and time to attend monthly meetings at night. Now ill-health prevents him attending CAAUSA meetings.

He was so passionate about the importance of meetings that he advocated for board members who missed more than two monthly meetings in a year to be removed from the board.

He played a meaningful part in the discussions by giving his opinion only when it was a solid opinion.  He never held office and that was by choice. He felt that he could make a better contribution by being a floor member.

Networking was the hallmark of the alumni and it continues to this day.

Winslow tells the story of learning from alumnus Derry Hewitt about a young Combermerian who was accepted to study Pharmacy at Columbia University.

Winslow who owned two pharmacies in Harlem hired the Student immediately to give him pharmaceutical experience.

I am that student, a pharmaceutical consultant and an active member of the CAA.

At the end of our conversation, I asked Winslow about his thoughts for the future of Combermere Alumni Association, given the present pandemic situation.

He said: “Combermere will be Combermere forever and that we will find a way to survive and prosper. We will live up to our rallying cry, ‘Up and On’”.

“And now,” he added, using the phrase at the end of most monthly meetings: “I beg to adjourn this meeting”.