Reverend Philip Rahming
In Kentucky on a snowy day in April 1971, Rev. Rahming wrote the Pledge. It was at this time that The Bahamas was moving towards independence.
Rev. Rahming was a student of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville Kentucky at that time.
He was inspired to write a National Pledge after receiving knowledge of Rev. Hugh Sherlock who wrote Jamaica's National Anthem and seeing that he was a Methodist Minister followed his example. Rev. Rahming wrote a National Anthem which he says took him about twenty minutes. After doing so, he thought of a pledge and then a design for the National Flag. He submitted all three into the competition was successful on two. The national song, '
God Bless Our Sunny Clime
' and the pledge, however the pledge was not accepted until 1978.
Information courtesy of the Department of Archives
Mr. Timothy Gibson
Mr. Timothy Gibson was born in Eleuthera, on April 12th, 1903. Mr. Gibson's early education was recieved in Savannah Sound, Eleuthera where he was born. At the age of 11, he went to Arthur's Town, Cat Island to join his brother C.I. Gibson who was then head teacher there, and was given a job as monitor. He kept this post until he was 17 years old.
When his brother was transferred to Buckley's Long Island, several years later he went with him, where he finally recieved a job as head teacher in Scrubb Hill, Long Island.
On coming to Nassau, he was a student-in-training at the Boys Central School . Later he became acting head teacher for eight months at Sandilands Primary School. After his tenture there, he went to George Town, where he stayed for seven years.
When the new school in Market Street was built, it was called the T. Gibson Primary School. It was there that he moved and was given the job as supervisor of music for Government Schools. His time was then divided among the junior and senior schools where he taught music theory and school singing.
In 1961, he was made Assistant Inspector of Schools for music and instead of only working with schools in Nassau, he had to work with the Out Island Schools as well as the Teachers Training College.
For a number of years he adjudicated the Festivals in which many of his songs were sang. 'Nassau Calling" was his first publicised work, written in 1938 probably as a promotion piece for the city's fledging tourist trade.
His fame as a composer, however,was further enhanced in 1955 when he wrote "Hail Princess Britannia" in honour of the visit to The Bahamas of Princess Margaret.
Other songs that he wrote for royalty were "Sailor Prince" on the visit of Prince Philip to The Bahamas. When Queen Elizabeth II visited The Bahamas she too was also given a special song called "Your Majesty".
In early 1973 when The Bahamas Government announced a competition that would provide a national anthem for the Country, Mr. Gibson's "March on Bahamland" had been written four years earlier. He submitted this composition together with two others, "Fairest Land on Earth" and Beautiful Bahamas". His three entries were part of the 12 best songs that made the final list.
The final result was that "
March On Bahama Land
" was the unanimous choice of the judges.
Throughout his life Timothy Gibson was very active. The following capacities in which he served were church organist and violinists, postmaster, scoutmaster, bandmaster, justice of the peace and choral director of numerous operettas. These are only some of his activities.
Towards the end of his life as research officer for the Cultural Affairs Department he had collected and transcribed many Bahamian folk songs amounting to 50. These are presently used in the schools.
On January 2nd, 1978, Timothy Gibson's evenful life came to an end at his Dean's Lane home on Monday. He left a rich legacy for the Bahamian people, and his work will long be appreciated by them.
Mr. Edward Clement Bethel
Legendary pianist, arranger, composer, artistic director and educator, Mr. Edward Clement Bethel was born on 11 February, 1938. He recieved his early education at the Eastern Senior School and The Government High School. At the age of 11, he began his musical training.
Mr. Bethel studied piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with L.R.A.M. (1958), G.R.A.M. (1960), A.R.C.M. (1965) diplomas. In 1961 he recieved a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from London University. In 1962, he was awarded the Artists Diploma in Piano from the National Guild of Piano Teachers, USA.
During 1975 -1978, he studied Ethnomusicology and graduated with an MA degree from the University of California. This talented musician shared his knowledge through teaching, presenting piano recitals and directing the Nassau Renaissance Singers (1967 - 1987). Besides being the Chief Cultural Officer at the Ministry of Education, Mr. Bethel was also the executive director of The Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, directing many folklore and cultural shows in The Bahamas and aboard.
Mr. Clement Bethel, now deceased, has touched and enriched the lives of Bahamians and his legacy lives on through his masterpieces such as 'PRAISE", WHEN THE ROAD SEEMS ROUGH', BELLAMINA' and 'SAMMY SWAIN'.
Information courtesy of the Department of Cultural Affairs