Welcome to the online registration for the True Blue Hugo Chambers Virtual Run

In an effort to keep us healthy  in spite of social distancing, curfews and lockdowns as a result of the impact of the COVID19 Pandemic, we are excited to present this historic event going virtual the True Blue Hugo Chambers Run.  This initiative is to help with raising funds for the Jamaica College Community that has seen reduced inflows and increased expenditure to support the online learning and new safety measures that have been implemented at the school.

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True Blue Hugo Chambers Virtual Run/Walk

Contests

- 1 mile Run/Walk

- 1 mile Special Olympics

- 1 mile Wheelchair

- 5K Run/Walk

- 5K Special Olympics

- 5K Wheelchair

- 10K Run/Walk

-10K Special Olympics

-10K Wheelchair

Please click on the Registration button to enter the Virtual Run.

Eligible Run Period: May 27 to June 30, 2020

Last Date and Time for uploaded: June 30 at  10.00pm

Run can be done on any course or treadmill

Each Finisher will receive a Finishers Certificate

Entry Fees:   All Contests US$10.00   

JA$ Bank Transfer - $1,000.00     

We also have a facility to donate for which you enter the amount or if you just want to enter the donate contest we will greatly appreciate this as well      

For further information email: abeckford@beckasports.com

Brief History

The Hugo Chambers Road Race is the longest continuous running road race in Jamaica having been started in 1988 by the Jamaica College Sports Development Committee with the race being conceptulized by JC Old Boy Hugh Wright

- The intial distance was 10K

- Event started at JC and finished in New Kingston in 1988

- In 1989 it moved starting on Old Hope Road and ran through Seymour Lands and UWI 

- The event was changed to 5K some years later and remains at that distance

- An one mile under 12 and Special Olympics Race was added some years ago 

- The wheelchair was also added in the early years

The motto of this event is an event for all of the family

Who was HUGO C. CHAMBERS (1901-1983)

Hugo Chambers, former headmaster of Jamaica College from 1946-60, was born in April 1901 and, from his enrollment in the school in the second decade of the Century spent his entire career as a member of the school community. He joined the teaching staff after leaving school in 1919 and rose through the ranks until he finally assumed the position of Headmaster (Principal).His only break was when he spent two years at the University of London completing his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, having done Part I of the programme as an external student in Jamaica.

“H C” as he was popularly known before acquiring the sobriquet of “Chief” when he became Head of the School in 1946, was a good student who excelled in Mathematics and made teaching of that subject his life’s specialty, with Geography as a secondary area. He was also a very good all round athlete, winning a number of events in both track and field at Championships, contributing to years of J C’s dominance. He also earned his “colours” in cricket and d football and was a skillful boxer. However, his most outstanding achievement was as a rifle shot. During the 1930’s he twice represented Jamaica at the Bisley International Shooting Championships in England. During his career as a teacher, he assisted with sports and, in the early 1940’s, during the Second World War when the Army and Air Cadet Corps was established with units in most Jamaican high schools, he served as officer in charge of the school Company with the rank of Captain. After a short period as Second master (Deputy Principal).in 1946 he became Headmaster in succession to John Hardie, an  Englishman  He  became only the second Jamaican after R.M.Murray  (1933-43) to head   any of what were then (in the mid 40’s) popularly reputed to be the premier boys’ high schools in the island.

“HC” was a tall slender man with a military style bearing which made him a naturally imposing figure, not only on the cadet parade ground but anywhere on the school premises as he moved around with his slow deliberate stride. He was precise in word and action, seldom raised his voice but could bring order to any situation just with his dignified presence. (This was admittedly in a very different period from what has now regrettably characterized post independence Jamaica) In an age when corporal punishment was the accepted norm, as a number of my contemporaries (mid 40’s to early 50’s)can attest, the keen eye which served him so well on the rifle range was demonstrated by the unerring accuracy with which his cane found its mark on the same area of any miscreant’s posterior!

His fourteen year tenure as Headmaster was one during which JC experienced a good mix of academic and sporting achievements. Principal among the scholastic awards were five Jamaica scholarships and one Centenary scholarship, there were two Rhodes scholars and, with the opening of the then University College of the West Indies in 1948, a number of scholarship winners to that institution. On the sports field, memorable achievements were an outstanding Manning Cup and Olivier Shield victory in 1946(seven members making the All- Schools team), the inter-schools boxing championships from 1950-52- unfortunately the last three years of the competition, an exciting one point victory over Kingston College at Champs in 1952, a Sunlight Cup victory in cricket in 1958 and another Championships triumph in 1959(?).

The years of Hugo Chambers’ leadership of the School from the mid 40’s till1960 took place within a significant period of change in the society, with the movement towards internal self government and, ultimately political independence in 1962. The elitist character of the predominantly fee paying Institution with a strong boarding school culture (boarders represented half of the student roll in the 1940’s) began undergoing gradual change. The proportion of day students grew significantly and the increase subsidy to secondary education made for an intake of students from a somewhat wider cross section of the society. While the changes had not been to any radical degree by the end of his tenure, “HC”, appeared to recognize that, while the comfort level of administering a larger and more diverse student population would be greatly challenged, the movement towards a more equitable society was inevitable. He remained a quietly firm advocate of traditional civility and expected that the graduates of Jamaica College would distinguish themselves not only in their chosen fields but as persons of strong character and integrity.

After his formal retirement in 1960, this revered icon of the teaching profession continued to teach part-time until, in 1965, he served for two terms as interim Headmaster between the tenures of Harvey Ennevor (1960-64) and Hayden Middleton (1965-70). Following this he finally left Jamaica College after over fifty years of continuous association. He continued to teach his beloved mathematics as a part-time teacher at Campion College for a further few years. Sadly he was predeceased by his only son Carl who died in his thirties after a suffering for some years from multiple sclerosis, and later by his wife Alma. Mr. Chambers bore his misfortunes in a typically stoical manner. He lived modestly in Mona Heights and was an easily recognized sight in his unique, well preserved little Austin A30. He died at the age of 82 in 1983. To all his former students and associates he is proudly remembered as a symbol of quiet fortitude and integrity and one of the grand landmark personalities of our Alma Mater.

John A Maxwell

Attended JC (1945-52)