The new chancellor wiped tears from his eyes as he was robed by Professor Marshall. In his address, Chancellor Wooding spoke of the pride he felt, and shared his hopes and dreams for the university.

Published Sunday November 14, 1971

CHANCELLOR WOODING INSTALLED

-Seeks united efforts to achieve greatness

-Capacity crowd witness solemn ceremony at UWI’s Mona campus

SIR HUGH WOODING of Trinidad was installed as chancellor of The University of the West Indies (UWI) in a solemn ceremony held at the Mona campus of the university yesterday afternoon, attended and witnessed by Commonwealth Caribbean leaders, members of the university community and other distinguished persons.

Regional leaders, including the Rt Hon Hugh Shearer, prime minister of Jamaica; the Rt Hon Errol Barrow, prime minister of Barbados; the Hon Robert Bradshaw, premier of St. Kitts; and Dame Hilda Bynoe, governor of Grenada, brought greetings and good wishes to the new chancellor.

So did members of the university community at home and abroad Professor Roy Marshall, vice-chancellor of the university officially welcomed Sir Hugh to the position of chancellor for which, he said, he had filled the criteria which had recently been established by the university for the holder of the office.

All the speakers praised the new chancellor as a distinguished West Indian and expressed the view that under his leadership, the university would continue to grow and flourish.

WI unity

Giving his inaugural address, Sir Hugh spoke of the role of the university in creating West Indian unity and in projecting a West Indian image. He called upon the undergraduates of the university to devote themselves to these two causes with reason and judgement.

As his first act as chancellor, Sir Hugh conferred honorary doctorate degrees  on three persons, Mr C.L.R. James of Trinidad; and Dr T.P. Lecky and Mr R.F. Innes of Jamaica. Mr James was awarded the degree of Doctor of Letters; Dr Lecky and Mr Innes, the degree of Doctor of Science. Because of the rainy weather, the ceremony, which had been planned to be held outdoors, had to be held in the Assembly Hall. The building was filled to capacity, and many persons stood at the doors and windows to hear the speeches and follow the ceremony.

A mood of celebration pervaded the ceremony, enhanced by music by the band of the First Battalion of the Jamaica Regiment and by the BWIA Sunjet Steelband; and brought to a stirring climax by a dance performed by the Jamaica National Dance Theatre Company, appropriately titled 'Celebration'.

There was a moment of drama, too, when the highpoint of the ceremony was reached - the formal installation of Sir Hugh as chancellor. A sense of history filled the room as Professor Marshall robed Sir Hugh with the chancellor's gown of gold and black, and placed the chancellor's cap on his head.

Emotion

At the climactic moment, as Professor Marshall said the historic wards. "I install you in your chancellor's chair," the whole hall rose in a spontaneous gesture of salute and honour. It was a moving moment. And Sir Hugh, in unashamed humanity, wiped tears from his eyes.

Emotion rose in him again as he listened to the many greetings and expressions of goodwill which were said, some of them from old friends such as Sir Hugh Springer. He was obviously touched by some of the messages.

When it came to his turn to speak, he did so calmly and quietly. He made the point that within a quarter of a century, the university had acquired its independence from a West Indian administration and West Indian image.

Sir Hugh then discussed the implications of being a West Indian university with a West Indian administration and projecting a West Indian image. He said they were threefold: first, the emanation of a West Indian social philosophy; second, the cultivation of a West Indian leadership; third, the evolution of a West Indian unity.

"Am I too wishful in thinking that here in our university, we can witness the rising of a new dawn, when, as we have done on the cricket field, we may prove to the world that West Indians can measure up to the glory of the new day, and by their united efforts make their several countries great? Shall I look to the student body, especially, for a reply?" he asked.

Ending on a personal note, Sir Hugh said: "I am deeply sensible of the honour of being appointed chancellor, and have been immensely touched by the warmth with which everyone seems to have endorsed the appointment. The greetings extended today, in person and by message, are also most encouraging.

Keeping dignity

"I can think of no finer way of expressing my thanks to everyone than by pledging that so long as I hold the office, I shall do my utmost to maintain its dignity and to fulfil its many responsibilities. Thank you all, and may God bless the university, the work it seeks to do, and the people whom it serves,"

Mr Carl Jackman, registrar of the university, and Professor Michael Beaubrun, head of the Department of Psychiatry, introduced the various representatives of governments and universities who brought greetings.

Professor David Hoyte of the Faculty of Medicine performed the function of public orator at the ceremony of the conferring of the honorary degrees. He read the citations and presented the three persons for "admission to the university community".

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