Prize
Winners

On my first day in the school, I strayed into the Great Hall and sat down awed and silent to gaze around its walls. I shall remember how the sights of these boards and names impressed me. Before my eyes were the records of victories of the past and I wondered what kind of men were the conquerors in such fields as the Hare’s Classics Prize and the Fisher’s Maths.

A blessed man came in and called me..”youngster” and showed me some the glories of former Santaclausians. “Youngster”, he said, see that you get your name up there on one these days.”. I tried to be cheeky and asked him what would happen when the panels were full and there was no more room for names, and I suggested that perhaps they would throw them away and begin some new ones.” But he looks absurdly solemn, and replied: “If the glory of these names is lost, the school will cease to exist: as long as the school lasts these names will remain in honour.

This year the subject for the competition was “The life of any Distinguished African of the Nineteenth Century”. It was now or never, so I began on the Honourable John Sarbah. I slogged and slaved: I wrote and wrote. I thought that things looked hopeless. I sent in my effort and expected nothing. After five weeks, the results were announced and one night I found myself going up to take a prize. It is true that two of us tied for the first place but my name is on the board.

E.K Acquah-Moses

Duce Sharp Essay Award winner, 1935