Desmond Gascoigne

Desmond Charles (DC) Gascoigne was born to Joseph Edward and Flacianne Gascoigne on December 16, 1925, in Hartford, Westmoreland.

EDUCATION
He received his early education at the then Petersfield Elementary School between 1930 to 1941. He then moved on to Knockalva Training College (1941 - 1943) and then to the Mico Teachers’ College in 1944 through to 1946. While at Mico, he was an honours student for three years. Between 1961 and 1962, he attended Reading University, England, graduating with a B.Sc. degree.

TEACHING CAREER
Between 1947 to 1949, Desmond Gascoigne taught at Winchester School, St. Thomas, continuing at Salters Hill, 1950 - 1952; and Townhead, 1952 - 1953. In 1953, he became Principal of Kings School where he remained for years before moving on to John Mills in Kingston. It was at John Mills School that his involvement in the Jamaica Union of Teachers (JUT) became deeper.

JUT/JTA INVOLVEMENT
Desmond Charles Gascoigne was the quintessential teacher, agitator and lived the adage - some men see things as they are and ask why? He saw things that never were and asked why not?

Desmond visualized a world in which the teacher held pride of place and expected the teacher to be the social and economic equal of anyone. Fired with these visions, he sought to lay the foundations for an effective machinery to facilitate the development of the teacher.

Desmond Gascoigne was a grassroot union leader for the JUT from he entered the teaching service at Winchester School, St. Thomas, in 1947. He worked tirelessly in his District Association in Westmoreland, recruiting members and organizing teachers. He was elected President of Savanna-la-mar District Association, several times and became President of the Westmoreland Parish Association. But his impact in JUT reached beyond Westmoreland and he also served as President of the Western Teachers’ Federation (a constituent division of the predecessor, JUT).

Desmond Gascoigne, like his contemporaries recognized the need for unity of the teaching profession at all levels and shared the dream of the unification of the existing five fractious teachers organization. A unified monolithic teachers’ union would give the teachers at all level the power to influence policies on education, bargain for salaries and better working conditions and be influential in advancing the welfare of the teachers islandwide.

It was not surprising therefore that Desmond Charles Gascoigne became the “historic three-day last President of the Jamaica Union of Teachers” giving up the position to facilitate the creation of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association from the existing five teachers’ associations.

He became the second President of the JTA in 1966, succeeding Wesley A Powell. Gascoigne’s succession to the presidency of the JTA, not only marked the important bridge between the old JUT and the new JTA, but also injected the new Association with his vigour and vitality.

Desmond Gascoigne’s stridency as a trade unionist, set firmly the new Association’s agenda. Jamaica, 3 years into independence and a teachers’ union, 2 years after unification, were both seeking a direction. The leadership of the union had to struggle not only to preserve the achievements to date, but also had to fight to assert itself as a union and gain recognition. It is a fitting tribute to Desmond’s skills as a trade unionist that his incumbency saw the recognition of the JTA as the trade union of all the teachers when it won bargaining rights in 1966. This year also witnessed the calling of the first general teachers’ strike by the union in June to agitate for better salaries and improved working conditions.

It must be stated that the Jamaican classrooms in the 1960's, especially at the primary level, were grossly overcrowded and school plants were generally in a bad condition and there was an acute shortage of trained teachers at all levels, making the pupil-teacher ratio over 70:1.

1966 also marked a new era in the island’s education history and a milestone in the new JTA, with the introduction of the first post-independence Code of Regulations. The Code, which essentially speaks to the terms and conditions of employment of teachers (among other things), was revised. The Association made effective representation, seeking to curtail the excessive power of the Minister of Education in the appointment of principals. The Association, ably led by Gascoigne, was not prepared to allow Ministers the power to appoint and dismiss principals. The union won out in the end.

Desmond Gascoigne’s agitation on behalf of teachers saw him serving the Association in virtually all areas of the executive. He was Chairman of the Finance and Membership Committee and gave active service on other Committees of the JTA.

Desmond’s relationship with the Association grew stronger even after his presidency. He served as the first Liaison Officer in 1972-1977. Later, he also served the Association as Secretary of Development.

CREDIT UNION MOVEMENT
Undoubtedly, however, the greatest tribute to Desmond Charles Gascoigne’s work with and on behalf of teachers is the JTA Co-op Credit Union. He helped found the Credit Union in 1959 and became its first Chairman, a position he held up to 1977.

Starting with 165 members and a share capital of $1,900.00, Desmond and the early pioneers went on a membership drive islandwide, thus taking the membership in 1960 to 1100 teachers and capital to $5,632.00. Visiting teachers at home, on week-ends, and at school, the membership of both the Credit Union and the Association blossomed. Desmond’s dream was to make the Credit Union the powerful financial arm of the teachers.

Desmond’s efforts to create a powerful financial institution were unrelenting and soon the JTA Co-op Credit Union emerged as (not the largest in terms of membership), the largest in share capital. In 1970, he prevailed on the Ministry of Education to initiate salary deduction. By 1974, holdings in shares passed the million dollar mark, topping 20 million in 1980, with a membership of 10,000. In 1981, as General Manager, Desmond Gascoigne’s introduced automation in the Credit Union. When in 1984 the Credit Union celebrated its 25th Anniversary, it was well established as a financial force.

Desmond Charles Gascogine served the Credit Union as General Manager for 10 years before retiring in 1987.

As with the JTA, so with the Allied Group. Desmond Gascoigne, in an effort to further the teacher’s economic interests, was integral with the formation of the JTA Housing Co-op and served on its Board of Directors for 12 years in varying capacity as Vice Chairman and as member. The economic empowerment of the teacher was his imperative. Desmond also featured in the founding of the Teachers’ Book Centre Limited and was the founder of the Edith Dalton-James Home for Retired Teachers.

Desmond’s vision of the economic possibilities of the teacher was all embracing. He even envisioned the teachers controlling a chain of supermarkets, a bank, insurance company and a hospital. He saw no limitation in the teachers ability to accomplish these objectives, and even after retirement, he was convinced the teachers with a unity of purpose could achieve these objectives.

He was equally immersed in public service. He was an active member of the Jamaica 4-H Club and the Jamaica Agricultural Society. A fervent believer in the Co-operative Movement, he served on the Board of the National Union of Co-operative Society (NUCS) and on the Board of the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League as a Director (1967 - 1969), and as Secretary, (1970 - 1972).

POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT
Desmond Charles Gascoigne was a federalist at heart, strongly believing in Caribbean integration. He embraced the political philosophy of socialism and believed that the teacher, by his very calling, must be involved in active politics. To this end, he was very involved in the Peoples National Party, both at the local level and on the National Executive Council. He never entered representative politics, preferring to lobby for the teachers’ cause.

In 1979, he was made a government Senator. Party affiliation at no time, however, moderated his stridency in the teachers’ cause and his frank and outspoken manner was known and respected by all.

COMMENDATION
Historical immersion in the JTA and its Allied Group was the hallmark of the man. He was the consummate community man, trade unionist, visionary and pioneer. His efforts did not go unnoticed and won him acclaim.

He was the recipient of the Mico Gold Medal and the 150th Anniversary Mico Medal. He was admitted to the JTA Honour Roll in 1981 and also received the Award of the Joint Trade Union Research Development Centre. For his contribution to the Credit Union Movement, he was given the NUCS Co-operative Society Award.

In 1999, the JTA Co-op Credit Union Limited in its salute to this stalwart, awarded a scholarship in his honour at its 30th Anniversary celebrations.

At its 62nd Annual General Meeting held May 17, 2003, the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League Limited, unanimously passed a resolution recognizing his invaluable contribution to the development of the movement in general and to the League.

Desmond Charles Gascoigne served God and his fellow teachers. He was a lay reader in the Anglican Church. He was an avid cricketer and saw the game of cricket as the cog of Caribbean integration. He was a teacher dedicated to this profession and to the Association and its Allied Group. He inspired young teachers with his enthusiasm and vision. Our greatest tribute to him is to realize his dream for the teacher - teacher unity and economic advancement.