Tribute to Hon. Cyrus S. Cooper, Sr. 

(One of Liberia’s Greatest Educators)

Saturday, November 14,  2009

Legends

By Edmund Zar-Zar Bargblor

                                                        The late Hon. Cyrus S. Cooper, Sr.      

In every culture, in every age, and in every civilization, ancient philosophers informed us that great souls reincarnate in order to address the suffering of others. These souls, in their quest to be of service to their brothers and sisters, provide light and inspiration. These personalities do possess great knowledge, but yet are people of little financial and material means. 

They possessed inner determination to help others, or to do those things that will help to enlighten the minds of others. They move among mankind with a humble heart and a mind that is at peace with itself. Their actions and ingenuities are the pillars upon which civilization continues to thrive and prosper. They are the hope of the world, especially in today’s world where the love of materialism has become the order of the day. They are the silent warriors, endeavoring centuries after centuries to bring enlightenment to all of mankind.

 Hon. Cyrus S. Cooper Sr., experienced transition at his home in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County on October 24, 2009. He was 89 years old. He  stood out  in his humanity, as one of Liberia’s greatest educators. He was a pioneer educator of Grand Gedeh County, who put away the desire for comfort and material success in order to plant the seeds of academic pursuits among his people, especially at the time when the region was still regarded as the Eastern Province. As far back as 1954, he was in Grand Gedeh providing education by establishing schools all over the then Eastern Province. His activities took him not only among the Krahn speaking people, but also among the Greebo speaking people of lower Grand Gedeh County, now called River Gee County.

In the early 1970’s, I met this great educator at the Ministry of Education, going from office to office, endeavoring to retrieve the pay checks of teachers assigned at the Government schools in Grand Gedeh County. These teachers have not received their pay for two to three months. He struggled against a system that was determined to keep his people illiterate and uninformed. Sometimes, he will go the City of Monrovia for months, just to find education materials for his people, and sometimes he was ridiculed by some Grand Gedeans who perceived his humility and patience as a weakness. To the mind of this great soul, the education of the children of Grand Gedeh was most important than to confront a system that has all the propensities for self-destruction.

In 1963, at a Baptist School in Zwedru, this great soul passed out reading materials to elementary school kids. I was one of the kids that received the reading materials from Hon. Cooper. I was in the First grade at the time, enrolled at the Baptist School when he visited the school with other visitors from Monrovia. His wife was my teacher at the Baptist School, and she taught me to spell “don’t”. His wife taught me to recognize and pronounce the word ‘apostrophe’. I was in the first grade in 1963. Mrs. Cooper taught us to read from the books that this great educator distributed. In fact, when I left the Baptist School to enroll at a Catholic school in Zwedru, St. Philomena in 1965, at the request of my uncle, Mr. Robert K. Wallace (commonly called Taylor Wallace); I have already become a good reader. Thanks to the efforts and inspiration of Mrs. Cooper.

Honorable Cooper, according to family members, was born unto the union of Mr. Sei-Sobu and Madam Nyon-Nio in Twan-Won Town, Tchien Menyen Clan, and Grand Gedeh County. He was married and was a father of fourteen children. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Liberia College, now the University of Liberia, and a Master’s Degree in Education from Kansas State University, USA. His struggle to obtain an education exemplifies the struggles of many other indigenous Liberians. At the time, there were no schools in the Eastern province now Grand Gedeh County, and Hon. Cooper, like other Grand Gedeans, had to leave home. His quest for education took him to Cape Palmas, now Maryland County, and eventually to Monrovia. While in Monrovia, he lived with number of Americo-Liberians as a house-boy and adopted their names in the process.

Upon graduating from Liberia College in 1953, he was offered a teaching position in the Monrovia area, but he turned down the offer and returned to Grand Gedeh County, instead.  He worked within the government school in Zwedru City over a protracted period of time as a classroom teacher. Years later, he became Supervisor of schools. His initiatives opened the doors for the establishment of missionary schools in Grand Gedeh County, especially the building of the first Catholic school in the county. In fact, St. Philomena Elementary School was built adjacent to his house in Zwedru City. He encouraged the Baptist missionaries to establish a school in Zwedru City around 1962. He, with the help of the late Superintendent Albert T. White, pressured the Assembly of God Church in Zwedru to establish a high school in the county.

To the Cooper family, your loss is our loss, and indeed Liberia’s loss. Hon. Cooper was a man of service, a man who gave so much to Liberia. He was a pioneer in the education system of Grand Gedeh County; he was a forerunner in the promotion of quality education. He will be greatly missed. While he will be greatly missed by Liberians, especially those of us from Grand Gedeh County, let us rejoice over the contributions that he has made in the lives of young Liberians, let us rejoice over the examples of his life, let us celebrate his achievement and success as a Liberian educator. Grand Gedeh County has been blessed to have had this great soul as a son, because while others were running after material success in Liberia, he endeavored to serve his people with commitment and with love.

Professor Edward W. Blyden, LLD, was correct when he wrote in February of 1890, the following words: "Knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that He was come from God, riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel and girded him. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash his disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel, wherewith he was girded. "

“Here was the evidence of enduring power - service. It was His constant teaching to His disciples - He that would be chief among you let him become your servant;" and this among His last acts, was intended to give an impressive object lessons to be transmitted through them to all his followers. "I have given you an example," He said at the close of the ceremony, "that you should do as I have done onto you.”

Edmund Zar-Zar Bargblor is a graduate of Cuttington University College , Howard University, Washington, D.C. and Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa , Israel and former Chairman of the Board of Directors, Grand Gedeh Association. Former Deputy Managing Director of the National Port Authority, NPA, Liberia; presently, he is President of the African Catholic Community of Rhode Island and also current President of the PUMAS Soccer Association of Rhode Island, Inc. (PSARI)

He can be reached at Edmund.Bargblor@ppsd.org

Or ZBargblor@aol.com