When one thinks of stalwart contributions made within education in the Virgin Islands; one of the many names that come to mind is Mrs. Janet “Granny” Stout.
Mrs. Janet Stout, the wife of the late Raphael Stout passed away on February 12th 2022 at the age of 83. She was survived by four children: Elvin “Skinny” Stout, Marguerite “Winky” Stout-Hodge, Wayne Stout and Marcia Stout, along with many grandchild and great grandchildren.
Mrs. Stout affectionately known as “Granny” to the entire Virgin Islands community began her formal education at the St. George’s School in Road Town. In 1948 she was enrolled at the Secondary School. She graduated in 1953, the same year the secondary school became the BVI High School.
Mrs. Stout joined the teaching profession in the mid-fifties, wrote the Teacher’s Exam and also obtained a Leeward Islands Teacher’ Certificate. In 1960, Mrs. Stout was put to the test as she performed dual roles of Secretary to the Principal, Mr. Carlise Scott and that of teacher.
Mrs. Stout spent a year (1970-1971) at the South Hampton School of Education in England where she upgraded her Modern Mathematics. Five years later after her return, she was promoted to head of the Mathematics Department at the BVI High School, a position she held for many years. In the early seventies, the Student Council was constituted and Mrs. Stout was one of the members the Executive body. One of their projects was the establishment of the “Tuck Shop” which grew from a small refreshment centre to a canteen which provided nutritional meals for students at minimal cost.
Mrs. Stout retired in 1995 but she continued teaching until 2000 and in 1997 she was assigned to the role of Assistant (Pastoral) Principal until 2000. The year 2000 marked the end of Mrs. Stout’s Stella career as an educator in the Virgin Islands educational system. However, despite retiring in 2000, she continued to run the Tuck Shop until it closed its doors in 2008.
Mrs. Stout was also very active in her church. She was a part of the Episcopal Church Woman Group for two terms. She served on the Vestry, as a Sunday School Teacher, a reader and the Church Treasurer.
She is considered by many as a national hero who lived a life of selfless service and contributed some fifty plus years in education in the Virgin Islands.