May 13, 2020 will remain a sad day in my life; the unfortunate news about the death of Ms Ann Cutler left a big hole in my heart. As many people use to refer to me as Cutler’s son, indeed Cutler was a mother, a father, a guardian and everything good to me in the absence of my biological parents.
Simon preparing to mark the Badminton court
I came to know Miss. Cutler way back in 1987 when I was still a young boy, through my grand father Rev. Canon Christopher Mayanja who was serving at St. Andrews Church, Gayaza when Miss. Cutler was serving as GHS Chaplain. They worked hand in hand serving Church of Uganda.
But when my grand father retired and yet I had advanced to secondary education, by then he couldn’t manage to sustain me in school with the little pension he used to get from Namirembe Diocese. Miss. Cutler got the information about my dropping out of school due to fees problem; as a gracious person she accepted to take up the responsibility right from S.1 to Institutional level when I joined MUBS.
Miss Ann Cutler was such an admirable person in her conduct and I remember quite many things from her that include;
- Miss Cutler was fully committed and devoted to serve God and she instilled this in all GHS girls during her reign as a Chaplain. She also instilled the same in Children of different staff members. They would gather at her home every Sunday for Sunday school and they all grew up as God fearing people
- Miss. Cutler was one person who loved and valued the green environment of GHS. She emphasised this by not allowing people to ride, drive or walk anywhere on the grass except only in the pathways and roads that were put up for that purpose.
- Miss. Cutler loved sports very much and she ensured all girls participated in the different games and sports activities in order to boost their health.Miss Cutler loved all people in GHS regardless of their age, sex, religion, academic levels, etc and this was evident when she would give out Christmas gifts and cards to each and every worker in GHS.
- I also honor Miss Cutler for her enthusiasm, something that I learnt and has helped me to serve GHS for the long I have worked. Her love for the job and the school in particular was in abundance; this can be attributed to the different sports facilities she constructed using her own money like Long tennis courts, Ann Cutler games field, renovation of chapel during her tenure as a chaplain among others. I don’t remember any time I needed oil to mark the fields or any departmental requirement and I bothered the Bursar; she would pick from her pocket or house and work would be done.
- Above all I praise Miss Cutler for being honest and trustworthy. She was indeed true to her self and all other people; with me in particular she emphasized this very much and she tested me in many times. For-example she would leave some good amount of money in the car and ask me to clean it, clean the study room when money is there or send me to the market and shops to buy items but at no one time did I mess up with her money in all the situations. She praised me for that and she started trusting me with huge sums of money.
Looking back at Miss Cutler’s deeds, her love for GHS and Uganda as a nation, you would hardly regard her as an Anglophile yet she was.
Much as I grieve over the death and departure of my beloved Mother Ann Cutler, on the other hand I celebrate and express gratitude to God for the gift of this caring and lovely mother he gave me and to GHS in particular; her invaluable support in all spheres and for all her good works on this Planet Earth.
May the heavenly angels accept and rest Miss Cutler’s soul in eternal peace
Simon Kalyesubula
Games and Sports Department