EDITH OLGA KING 1926-2012

Edith King received her early education under the teaching of Ms. Millie Neverson at the 1st. Excelsior School in Pembroke. She went on to get a higher education to become a teacher and studied her teacher’s training in Canada. She later became a teacher at Central School. From those early beginnings Edith became interested in guiding and joined with the 1st. Excelsior Company under Ms. Neverson. She became Lieutenant of the first Excelsior sister Company under Ms. Wenona Robinson. She received a warrant for Quarter Master in 1956 as well as her Campers license and first Aid Certificate in 1964, Ms. King became Captain in 1963, Assistant District Commissioner in 1965 and District Commissioner from 1966-1993. In 1964 she was awarded the Good Service certificate and in 1970 the Bermudian Award for service to Guiding she worked under Ms. Wenona Robinson in the 2nd. Excelsior Company, and by 1881 more than 300 girls had passed through the 2nd. Excelsior company. It produced five Queen’s Guides being a Queen’s Guide is the highest rank to which a Girl Guide could aspire. Girl Guides spent many times camping on Ports Island and one day camp at Admiralty House. Most of the guiding meetings were held at Central School(Victor Scott).

After Edith’s retirement as Captain she became a member of the Council of Bermuda Girl Guides Association, and later Vice President. In 1987 she received the Queen’s Certificate and Badge of Honour, Edith was a dedicated member of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, where she was also a Sunday School Teacher, So dedicated to her profession and guiding she was honoured by several of her past students and guides on a special occasion birthday. I can proudly boost that I was one of Ms. King’s students at Central School and also a member of the 2nd. Excelsior Girl Guide Company. I not only gained the knowledge from her teaching but also guidance and teaching under Ms. Wenona Robinson as an elocutionist and went on to perform in several plays at Central School and my former High School Sandy’s Secondary performing the speech of Cassius to Julius Caesar at the Odd Fellows Hall in Somerset for the Secondary School Competition and being praised by Ms. Dorothy Thompson how she felt about the performance as if she was watching Cassius there in the room. I also was privilege to write and direct several short skits based on the Slaves Mary Prince, Minna Love and Sally Bassett. Many of her past students became successful in very productive fields in the Island. Edith may have carried the title of King but one would find no one more Queenly soft spoken but stern individual than Edith Olga King.