Cape Palmas High School Alumni Association USA
WHO WE ARE
We, the graduates and former students of Cape Palmas High School located in Harper City, Maryland County, Republic of Liberia, West Africa, residing in the United States of America
Cognizant of the need to unite and work collaboratively, share our resources in aiding our Alma Mater, have organized ourselves and founded the Cape Palmas High School Alumni Association – USA.
WHAT WE DO
The mission of CPHSAA-USA is to:
A. Help promote and support quality education at Cape Palmas High School by providing material and human resource assistance to the school.
B. Encourage membership in the Cape Palmas High School Alumni Association among graduates, former students, and supporters of the school.
C. Encourage and coordinate activities of the members in support of the educational programs at Cape Palmas High School.
NOT-FOR-PROFIT CHARACTER
CPHSAA-USA shall operate as a nonprofit organization, and any net income or earnings which may be derived from its operations shall not inure to the benefit of any Association member, but shall be used to promote the purposes of the Association as stated. The Association shall have the power to do any and all things of every kind and nature permitted by law and by the Internal Revenue Code with respect to Section 501(c)(3) qualified exempt organization for the benefit of Cape Palmas High School. The Association shall not engage in commerce or other revenue-generating activities designed to gain profit.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CAPE PALMAS HIGH SCHOOL (CPHS)
Cape Palmas High School (CPHS), originally called Cape Palmas Seminary, the oldest high school in the Southeastern region of Liberia, was established in February 1927 as a result of Rev. Dr. William. C. Cummings’ vision to educate the children of Harper, Cape Palmas and its environs. Located in Maryland County, Liberia, it was initially called The High School. The school started with three teachers, namely Prof. E. A. S. Brooks, Ed, Briggford Cummings and The Rt. Rev. Dr. William C. Cummings. The school was transferred to the Grebo Church in Krutown, Harper City, where CPHS was operated until it was transferred to the Cavalla River Company (CRC) building due to high enrollment. CPHS was once again transferred to the Rock School Parish building where the Episcopal Church had its school. Although the space available to the school was small and inconvenient, it did not deter the dedicated teachers and the leadership from educating the sons and daughters of Maryland County; the work had started and could not be stopped. For a third time, the school was transferred to the Cape Palmas Seminary building using the afternoon hours for its work. By this time the number of teachers had increased to include Professors Edward Briggford Cummings, Prof. E. A.S. Brooks, Messrs. Nathan Barnes Sr., H. Nyema Prowd, Mansfield Yancy, Mrs. Martha A. R. Tubman-Pratt, and Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Gibson.
In 1932, a committee was set up by the Department of Education with Counselor William V. S. Tubman, Sr. as Chairman to come up with a name for the school. Several names were proposed, including, Maryland County High School, Epiphany High School, Gbenalu High School, and Cape Palmas High School. After careful study by the Committee, Cape Palmas High School (CPHS) was selected and the original name, Cape Palmas Seminary, was dissolved.
CPHS was turned over to the Government of the Republic of Liberia under the leadership of Dr. G. W. Gibson who was then Secretary of Education and Rev. Dr. W. C. Cummings was made President Emeritus. After Dr. Cummings retired, the administration of the school was turned over to his son, Mr. Edward Briggford Cummings.
The officers and members of Cape Palmas High School Alumni Association in the Americas (CPHSAA-USA) take this time to salute these brilliant men and women for their vision, hard work, dedication, passion, and farsightedness in establishing the school and imparting knowledge and discipline to the men and women who attend the school. With little or nothing, they sacrificed their time and talent to teaching.
Those who made this school possible were:
Rev. Dr. W. C. Cummings*- Founder Prof. E. A. S. Brooks*
Prof. E. B. B. Cummings* Hon. Nathan Barnes, Sr.*
Mr. H. Nyema Prowd* Mr. Mansfield Yancy*
Ms. Martha A. R. Tubman- Pratt*
Ms. Elizabeth Gibson*
The next generation of teachers who made their marks on the lives of the students were:
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Hon. Ernest J. Yancy* Rev. Dr. J. Bolton Williams*
Mrs. Janet Williams-Cooper* Mrs. Irene Prowd*
Mrs. Sarah Thomas* Mr. Wellington Neufville*
Mr. Gahie Hodge* Mr. Theodore Gardiner*
Mr. Ben. T. Collins* Mrs. Annie Nicol*
Mr. Joseph Sebastian Bush* Mr. Francis Hne Wilson*
Rev. J. Benedict Mason* Prof. Rao
Mr. Alston Nah* Mr. Francis Nyepan*
Mr. John Dennis* Mr. Clarence Cooper*
Mrs. Ethel Harmon-Doe* Mr. Gabriel G. Bedell*
Mrs. Lucretia Mason* Mrs. Fannie Gibson-Weeks*
Mr. Christian Baker*
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Mrs. Hannah Bush* Mrs. Sarah Sawyer
Mr. John W. Nagbe Prof. Augustine T. Jappah
Mr. Samuel Farr Mr. Turner
Mr. and Mrs. Satijas Rev. Holt
Prof. Michael J. Oromah Mr. Joseph Harris
The Korans Mrs. Lita Anderson
Mrs. Hills Mr. James Hamilton
Mr. James Woloff Mrs. Melita Cooper-Cummings
Mr. and Mrs. V. A. Joseph Rev. Amos K. Nyema
Mr. Abraham Dennis (Principal)
*=Deceased
In 1999, Mrs. Hannah Bush (Teacher Hannah) also had the vision to mobilize CPHS students living in the United States of America to form CPHSAA. A meeting was held at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Jenkins Cooper and this idea was met with much enthusiasm. The first Convention was held in September 1999, with Mr. Jenkins Cooper selected as the Interim President, in which capacity he served for one year. In 2000, Mr. Eli Tubman was elected and became the first President of CPHSAA.
The students of Cape Palmas High School in the United States say THANK YOU, Teacher Hannah Bush (the beloved English/Literature teacher) for your vision and farsightedness in establishing this Association named and styled as “CAPE PALMAS HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION –USA (CPHSAA-USA).”
Teacher HANNAH BUSH passed away in May 2019. May her soul rest in perfect peace.