East Street
Branch
The Junior
Centre was established on May 31, 1940. The British Council owned the building,
located at
19 East Street
and through the solicitation of public contributions and with the assistance of
the Jamaica Welfare Ltd and the Callaghan Bequest; funds to purchase the land and
construct the Centre were acquired.
The Junior
Centre became
Jamaica
's first lending Library for children and opened with a membership of 1,000 students
(aged 10-18 years). It featured a library of children's books, story telling, lectures,
film shows, debates and concerts, but its main focus was stimulating reading in
children aged 6-18.
In the
early 1940's the Junior Centre operated a mobile library known as "The Rural Book
Service" in the early 1940's. Here, interchangeable boxes were conveyed by rail
to schools across the island. After a period of six-months these schools would return
them, for an entirely new set.
Today,
one of the aims of the Junior Centre library is to enhance the programmes offered
by the Centre and to provide the relevant material and appropriate environment for
research and intellectual growth for children ages 6-18 years.
In the
1970's the Outreach Programme was initiated to attract a greater turnout from persons
who reside in the downtown area. The Institute's Outreach Programme presently incorporates
all the Divisions of the Institute and has carried on activities at schools island-wide.
The Honourable
Edna Manley was very influential in the art department of the Junior Centre. Her
classes formed the nucleus of what is presently the
School of Art
and several of her students became well known artists: Ralph Campbell, David Pottinger,
Corah Hamilton and Lloyd Van-Pitterson.
The Centre
presently offers classes on Monday to Thursdays 3:00 - 5:00 p.m., Fridays 2:00 -
4:00 p.m. and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Activities include Dance, Drama, Speech,
Storytelling, Art and Craft, Needlecraft, Papermaking, Music, Drumming, Reading,
Computer Skills, Guidance and Counselling and Personal Development for young persons
ages 6-18 years and Computer Skills and English Language for persons 19 years and
older.
Today,
the Centre is a place for young persons to acquire information, complete assignments,
read for fun, or develop skills in the visual and performing arts. Located in downtown
Kingston
, the Centre is in a unique position to address the needs of children who do not
have access to the learning tools of their peers. Furthermore, while other agencies
concentrate on physical development, the Junior Centre serves to stimulate and inspire
the mind, body and spirit.
TIMETABLE
SEPTEMBER 2007 – JUNE 2008
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMMES
DAY | ACTIVITY | TIME |
MONDAY | READING SPEECH & DRAMA DRUMMING STORYTELLING | 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
TUESDAY | READING ART MUSIC DANCE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT & GUIDANCE &COUNSELLING (Ages 6-11) | 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. –5:00p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00p.m. – 5:00p.m. |
WEDNESDAY | MUSIC PAPERMAKING NEEDLECRAFT STORYTELLING READING | 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
THURSDAY | DANCE ART & CRAFT COMPUTER SKILLS (Ages 6-11) PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT & GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING (Ages 12-18) | 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 3:00p.m. – 5:00p.m. |
FRIDAY | DRUMMING DANCE COMPUTER SKILLS (Ages 12-18) READING | 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
SATURDAY | PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT & GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING COMPUTER SKILLS SPEECH & DRAMA READING (Ages 13-18) ART READING (Ages 8-12) DANCE | 9:00a.m.-10:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Contact Us:
Tel: (876)-922-0620-6 or Fax: 922-1147
Email: juniorcentre.ioj@cwjamaica.com