Dunbar Theophilus Wint

Dunbar Theophilus Wint was born in Manchester in 1876.

EDUCATION
Not having the benefit of secondary education, he qualified himself by private study and external examinations as Elementary School Teacher.

INVOLVEMENT IN THE JAMAICA UNION OF TEACHERS (JUT)
He later became Head Teacher of Seaforth School, St. Thomas and then became a member of the Executive of the Jamaica Union of Teachers (JUT). He was three times President of the Union; first in 1903, 1913 and 1920.

He was an active nationalist and publicist. IN 1904, he became editor of one of the local publications, The Tribune. He was also publisher and editor of the Jamaica Critic (which was later changed to the Jamaica Critic and West Indian Review in 1929).

As President of the JUT, he agitated for reform of the education system, especially elementary education. He was a strident critic of colonial government policy and spoke out on issues of public life generally. Together with JAG Smith, another member of the Legislative Council, he gave strong support to the cause of teachers, though, often critical of each other. His firm conviction, however, was that the only way to ensure meaningful changes in the education system was for teachers to enter politics and be elected to the Legislative Council.

At this time, the JUT constituted the only organized public and professional group in Jamaica. As a result, he was able to mount a sustained and prolonged campaign against the colonial administration without incurring the wrath of the colonial authority.

POLITICAL CAREER
Wint’s national image and public agitation assured his election to the Legislative Council in 1920 when the incumbent member for St. Ann, J.H. Alwood, retired from the Council. Wint was unopposed.

Having gained the political platform he craved, Wint continued to condemn government measures. He was, however, a trusted advisor of government under Sir Leslie Probyn (1918 – 1924), and even moreso, under Sir Edward Stubbs (1926 – 1932) and was even hailed as a champion of the people’s cause.

Wint’s greatest achievements were as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC). Some of his achievements were:

Agitated for the establishment of vocational schools. Indeed, he became the first Supervisor of Government Vocational Schools (Practical Training Centres – Holmwood, Dinthill, Knockalva and Carron Hall).
Change in school law whereby Government grant-in-aid was given to Secondary Schools;
Because of his agitation, the “payment by result” and the mark system in elementary education was abolished (1919 – 1920);
He also achieved an improved system of grading and paying Head Teachers as Assistant Inspectors of Schools;
Better leave conditions for school teachers;
The confirmation of the policy of wives as teacher assistants in schools headed by the husbands;
Expanding the policy of building government schools and teachers’ colleges.

Wint’s agitation transcended the education system and embraced broader national and social issues. He supported the protection of local industries; the preservation of local vegetable for export; the expansion of land settlement improvement in the number and quality of the personnel in the medical service. As the leader of the largest local professional organization (the JUT then had 100 members), he also agitated for other groups. He campaigned for the regarding of the Civil Service and Jamaicanization of the top posts in the service.

Wint resumed private life in 1935, after refusal to contest the seat on the Legislative Council in that year. He, however, became Vice Chairman of the Board of Education.

He died in 1938 at the age of 58. His membership on the Legislative Council was at a great personal sacrifice since members were not paid salary.

It was his convictions, however, that no meaningful and lasting changes in the colonial education system or in the wider society and economy could be achieved unless teachers, who constitute a sizeable portion of the intelligentsia, made their presence felt in the political arena.

We, who tread in their footsteps, must be guided by their example.