The Dominica Grammar School ( DGS ) is a public co-education secondary school in Roseau , Dominica , established in 1893, one of the oldest educational institutions on the island. Contrary to its name, the school no longer functions as a traditional grammar school , as it has expanded its curriculum beyond its historical scope.
31-473: The birthplace of the Dominica Grammar School was in "Lagon", Roseau . It was in the building known as No. 66 Queen Mary Street, now occupied by Mr Ashton Piper, barrister-at-law and solicitor. Up to 1877, the plot of land measuring just over 5,000 square feet (460 m), at the corner of what was then Marlborough Street and Grandby Street, was vacant. It was purchased at public auction by
62-567: A merchant named Henry Hamilton on behalf of his friend Alexander Robinson. The latter started to build on the plot of land in 1878. The story goes that Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence , and his younger brother, Prince George, who later became King George V , visited Dominica in 1879 as naval cadets on HMS Bacchante and were entertained at the Robinson house, which was afterwards named "Clarence Hall", in honour of its royal visitor. The name, however, appears to have fallen into disuse with
93-524: A system in which a student council, which includes prefects and form representatives, is led by the headboy and headgirl of the school. Roseau Roseau ( Dominican Creole : Wozo ) is the capital and largest city of Dominica , with a population of 14,725 as of 2011. It is a small and compact urban settlement, in the Saint George parish and surrounded by the Caribbean Sea ,
124-467: Is also a large part of the local economy. There are several private institutions registered in Dominica, like Ross University, International University for Graduate Studies , All Saints University , New World University , and Western Orthodox University. There is a prominent diocese called Roman Catholic Diocese of Roseau . The city of Roseau sits on an alluvial fan formed hundreds of years ago as
155-568: Is also home to the Dominica national football team , was completed with a donation of EC$ 33 million from the government of the People's Republic of China . Elsewhere it is not uncommon to find that a section of the street, sidewalk or the beach has been adapted for makeshift games of cricket or football. Other popular sports include netball, basketball, rounders and (to a much lesser extent) tennis. There are no world-famous hotel chains in
186-447: Is an important link between northern, eastern, and southern bound traffic. Roseau is served by Canefield Airport , a nearby small aircraft airport that provides direct links to nearby islands, as well as the larger Douglas–Charles Airport to the north. The ferry terminal provides direct links to the neighbouring Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique and St. Lucia to the south. There are no rail or subway systems. Roseau has been
217-400: Is common throughout the year, with the city seeing an annual average nearly 1,800 millimetres or 70 inches. Roseau features a noticeably drier stretch from February through April, though each of these months on average sees at least 45 millimetres or 1.8 inches of rain. The central district of Roseau is tightly packed with small and large houses and even larger modern concrete structures. There
248-612: Is little green or open space in the city; there is even less today, as many of the courtyards that were once commonplace are giving way to office space. The district is, however, framed in every direction by natural elements. The sea and the river provide water elements while the Botanical gardens and the Government House gardens frame the city with green space. These elements are rare in the Caribbean . No other centre in
279-694: Is said to have been extensively damaged by fire before it was acquired by Piper. As of September 2021, the Principal of DGS is Edina Darwton, preceded by first-appointed female and longest serving principal Mrs. Alicia Jean-Jacques. The school offers a range of academic and technical subjects aimed at catering to the increasing demands of its in excess of 800 student population. These include but are not limited to agricultural science, auto mechanics, home economics and management in addition to its traditional natural and social science offerings. The two oldest Houses are Dawbiney and Skinner. The school currently has
310-731: The French Colonial style and the vernacular form . Much of the French influence can be found along King George V Street. Around the city there are good examples of the English influence in large colonial town houses and colonial public/government buildings. The churches in Roseau are fine examples of Europe in Dominica with a bit of creolization . The Roman Catholic Cathedral stands prominent in Gothic Romanesque revival and
341-527: The Roseau River and Morne Bruce . Built on the site of the ancient Island Carib village of Sairi, it is the oldest and most important urban settlement on the island of Dominica. It is on the west ( leeward ) coast of Dominica and has a combination of modern and colonial French architecture. Roseau is Dominica's most important port for foreign trade. Some exports include bananas, bay oil , vegetables, grapefruit, oranges, and cocoa . The service sector
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#1732782394597372-463: The 1850s to 1960s, the fort was used as the headquarters of Dominica's police force. In 1964, Fort Young Hotel was built on the site. In 1979, Hurricane David destroyed a significant part of the fort's remains. The courtyard of the hotel retains the fort's original flagstone walkways. 19th-century cannons are located in the hotel's foyer and at the entrance is a large stone that was once used to mount horses. In 2023, hotel renovations included
403-827: The Anglican Church on Victoria Street in Georgian style . Because of the suburban sprawl , few people live in Central Roseau, but more of them commute daily. Motorized vehicles pour into the central district introducing a mode of point-to-point interaction in an environment that was created for multiple use. As elders said, first there were no streets but just a space between the buildings. The streets of Roseau, and especially those of its central district, are not only ways to move from place to place but they are places themselves. They are used as gardens, playing fields, and social meeting places. The Botanical Gardens on
434-544: The Botanic Gardens at its base as well as the Caribbean Sea which look quite spectacular when cruise liners are in port. Roseau's climate is a tropical monsoon climate , featuring relatively constant temperatures throughout the year with average high temperatures generally between 28 and 31 °C (82.4 and 87.8 °F) and average low temperatures between 19 and 23 °C (66.2 and 73.4 °F). Rainfall
465-738: The Brazilian, the Chinese, the Cuban, and the Venezuelan embassies, with a couple of other consulates around the city. 15°18′05″N 61°23′18″W / 15.30139°N 61.38833°W / 15.30139; -61.38833 Fort Young (Dominica) Fort Young was a major military installation on the Caribbean island of Dominica . It was built by the British in 1770. The fort
496-636: The Old Market Plaza. Examples of the English influence are evident in architecture and street names. Roseau's nearby scenery (mostly in its so-called valley) includes Boiling Lake , 10.5 km (6.5 mi) east, in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park , waterfalls , thermal springs , and scenic plateaus . Morne Bruce provides panoramic views of most of downtown Roseau and north toward Woodbridge Bay deepwater port and Fond Cole. From Morne Bruce there are views of
527-543: The Roseau River meandered across the area from what is now known as Newtown to its current location. Over the last 2,000 years, Amerindians migrating through the islands settled the area attracted by the nearby river. With the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th and 17th centuries, a small settlement was established by the French who, in their tradition of naming places after what they found there, used their name for
558-762: The city. The city is home to several labour organizations including the Dominica Amalgamated Workers' Union , the Dominica Public Service Union , the Dominica Trade Union , the National Workers' Union and the Waterfront and Allied Workers' Union . As the most important town on the island and hub of all business activity, the city is a central point of the road networks on the island. It
589-781: The city. The most famous is the Fort Young Hotel . In addition there are several small family owned establishments in and on the outskirts of Roseau. Dominica Broadcasting Corporation , the national radio station, and two private radio stations are in the capital. Roseau is home to service clubs including, Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions. There are other organizations such as the local humane society and conservation society. ChildFund International USA has an office in Roseau from where it runs its child centered development programs for Dominica and Saint Vincent. The Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce, Waitukubuli Ecological Foundation, Dominica Tourism Association and others are based in
620-559: The fort's name was changed to Fort de La Reine . Additions were made to the fort, including improvements to the barracks , storeroom, and ramparts . Dominica remained controlled by the French until 1784. The island was returned to British control under the terms of the Treaty of Paris . On the January 10, 1784, a cannon salute was fired from Fort Young as Governor John Orde arrived via frigate to retake possession of Dominica. From
651-507: The fringes of the central district are mostly used by children. In Roseau, there are many opportunities for recreation. Many people seek the tranquility and cool of the Botanical Gardens as a getaway on Sunday afternoons and at lunch. It is a popular venue for local cricket matches and sports training. Football is popular; there are several pitches throughout the city (at Newtown , Potters Ville , and Bath Estate ), as well as in
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#1732782394597682-400: The grid areas of Kingstown and Castries — capitals of Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia — have some 50 and 60 blocks in the areas of over 40 hectares (99 acres). The average block size in Central Roseau is thus some ⅓ hectare (1 acre), i.e., about half of the figure of Central Kingstown. There are some fine examples of West Indian architecture in Roseau. The ones that stand out the most are
713-483: The historical centre of education on the island. There are six secondary schools in the city as well as eight primary schools. A community college , the Dominica State College, is in Roseau. There are two private medical schools, All Saints School of Medicine and Ross University School of Medicine, and a private university, Western Orthodox University. Several embassies are in the city. They include
744-536: The island's first non-military British governor. Young ordered the fort's construction during the time of the American Revolutionary War . The fort was expanded by Captain Bruce, Royal Engineer , to contain 17 cannons. In 1778, the French successfully invaded Dominica and capturing multiple forts including Fort Young, and overtaking the island. During this second occupation by the French,
775-508: The north and south, known today as Potter's Ville and Newtown. Goodwill was established in the 1950s and Bath Estate in the early 1980s. Since then several new semi-urban settlements – such as Stock Farm, Castle Comfort, and Wall House – have been constructed around the existing ones. Some older settlements like Fond Cole and Canefield nowadays belong to the semi-urban area around Roseau. The French influence can still be seen today, however, in its architecture and crooked streets that extend from
806-518: The passage of time. Robinson probably occupied the building as a dwelling, but when the Government decided to open the Dominica Grammar School, the spacious stone building on Grandby Street was rented for that purpose and opened as a school on 16 January 1893. The property has been in the possession of the Piper family since 1924, when it was purchased by public auction by Augustus Piper. The building
837-408: The previous fort. In 1778, the French invaded Dominica , capturing Fort Young and Roseau and taking control of the island. In 1784, Dominica was returned to British control under the Treaty of Paris . By the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the British set out plans for the city that included fortifications and government structures, the grid street system, and blocks and new urban areas to
868-477: The region has such extensive botanical gardens with such central location, and the Roseau River is among the largest that flow through any Caribbean capital. The urban structure of Central Roseau is based on an irregular grid system of miniature proportions, making it a highly illegible city. Even though the grid area is not extensive, it is relatively easy for a visitor to get lost. The grid area has some 80 blocks in an area of 30 hectares (74 acres). In comparison,
899-540: The river reeds that grew along the banks. A plan was created for the settlement that mirrored examples in France where streets extended from a central point – what is today the Old Market – and spread out to the rest of the settlement. Conflict raged between the French and the British over the area on several occasions. In 1699, the French built a fort to protect Roseau. In 1770, the British built Fort Young in place of
930-401: The sports stadium at Windsor Park. There are dedicated sports facilities around the city. Private tennis courts are on High Street; netball and basketball courts abound in the major high schools. These are complemented by community facilities at Goodwill. A dedicated netball and basketball stadium is at Stockfarm near the Dominica State College. In 2007, Windsor Park , a cricket stadium which
961-440: Was named for William Young , the island's first British governor. Today, only ruins remain of the fort, and the site is the location of the Fort Young Hotel . In 1699, during the first French occupation of Barbados , a fort was built in Roseau, present-day capital of Dominica. In 1770, during the first British occupation of Barbados , a new fort was built at the location. The new fort was named "Fort Young" for William Young,