A plaque was installed in the Board Room of the New Amsterdam Town Council (NATC)and a street in the town was renamed to memorialize the dedicated service of iconic educator and former Deputy Mayor and Mayor of the town the late Mr. Eustace Augustus Wilson
The two events were held in New Amsterdam in Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) on Friday August 4th and Saturday August 5th last and were spearheaded by former students of Victoria High school organized as the VHS Alumni Foundation, in collaboration with the Mayor and Town Council.
Mr Wilson founded Victoria High School at Lot 16, New Street New Amsterdam in 1958.
Victoria High School was recognized as the premier secondary educational institution in Berbice until its doors closed in 1969..
His pioneering spirit also propelled him to establish another secondary school at Manchester Corentyne, Manchester High and another namely Preston High School at Wismar in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice).
As an Educator he was credited with establishing these schools with affordable fees in the 1950s, at a time when secondary education was out of the financial reach of many parents and students in these communities and many would have been unable to access secondary education otherwise.
It was said Friday that at VHS countless students received a solid foundation in education which enabled them to attend prestigious higher educational Institutes all over the world to achieve PHDs and pursue successful careers
Mr E A Wilson also served as Deputy Mayor of New Amsterdam from 1966 to 1968 and as Mayor from 1968-1970.
He passed in 2001.
The plaque installed at the location of the Mayoral Portrait in the Board Room of the NATC read:
“In honor and Memory of Mr Eustace Augustus Wilson (1927-2001) in recognition of his dedicated service as Iconic Educator Founder and Principal of Victoria High School (1958-1969) New Street New Amsterdam Presented by Mr George Bethune President of Victoria High School Alumni Association Friday August 4, 2023.”
On Saturday afternoon Third Street Savannah Park Housing Scheme in New Amsterdam where Mr Wilson lived with his wife Iris Agatha Wilson and twelve children was renamed Eustace Wilson Street.
Both events were well attended by members of the public.
Distinguished participants included Hon. Mayor Elect of New Amsterdam Mr Wainwright Mcintosh, Deputy Mayor Elect Kirk Fraser, Town Clerk Mr Devon Galley, President of the US based VHS Alumni Association Mr George Bethune, Alumni members Dr Leon Wilson, Dr Reynold Howell, Dr Jimmy Reynolds, Ms Olga Stephen, Ms Ruth Series-Ritch, Ms Avis Dowden Mr Owen Peters , Ms Olga Stephen , Mr E A Wilson’s son Dr. Conrad Wilson and his daughter former Guyana Geology and Mines Commissioner Mrs Karen Livan and close friends and relatives.
The doors of Victoria High School closed over fifty years ago and most of the Alumni are in their late sixties and early seventies but many of those who participated in the two events expressed their satisfaction that they were able to ensure that their late teacher and mentor was given formal recognition for the sterling contributions to education, community development and public service he had made to the town of New Amsterdam.
