Libraries and Culture

Libraries are centers of cultural research and that has motivated me to become a librarian. I can not wait to concentrate on Virgin Islands and Caribbean holdings here at the Enid M. Baa Public Library. The Von Scholten collection at the Baa library is a research collection that contains cultural materials in various mediums and it serves to consolidate the rich heritage of these islands and the greater Caribbean. Students don’t use it enough but professors and researchers do. Notice that I did not mention teachers, there is a reason for that. Teachers are under a lot of pressure as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act to teach the prescribed curriculum that best prepares the students for the standardized tests that determine if they are receiving proper instruction. This decreases the opportunities to teach cultural education in the Virgin Islands. Lucky for us the parents, teachers and community leaders felt the need to create a division of cultural education within the Virgin Islands Department of Education. A well known cultural bearer and educator has been asked to lead this division. I have had several conversations with him to develop proposals for the reprinting of cultural education manuals and other books that would increase the availability of cultural resources in the community. I think this is important because teachers will need to have accessible resources with which to develop curriculum for students. Student will also need these resources to produce research papers and so on. I hope to have the opportunity to serve my community with innovative programs based on our Caribbean holdings as well as to assist in the development of the special collections, like the Von Scholten, that benefits my community. Culturemom.

Sir Rothchild Francis Square and Miss Sandy's Bungalow

Market Square, formally known as Rothchild Francis Square, was the center for agro-business in Charlotte Amalie. Market women, the most famous of which was Miss Sandy, came to town from ‘for day’ morning to present and sell their wares until they ran out or the sun went down – whichever came first. On April 15, 2003 a tractor trailer turned a sharp corner, hitting “the bungalow” causing the structure to collapse. The historical structure, designed / erected by Carl Berg circa 1905, had a very distinct roof that would be preserved to be reused on the renovated structure. The bungalow gave market women and fishermen a functional space to exchange goods. There were display trays for plants, food and animals and a cistern for water. Miss Sandy symbolizes the West African tradition of market women who were usually matriarchs of their families and society. The fishermen, on the other hand were usually men of French descent from St. Barths that settled in St. Thomas. They were primarily fishermen and farmers on the island and bartered with local free people of color. Last Saturday all the reconstruction of the bungalow was completed and the structure was rededicated to the people of the Virgin Islands.
Culturemom signing out.