Bermuda Union of Teachers is celebrating its 95th anniversary with various activities planned next week.

A church service will be held at St. Paul AME on Sunday, a historical edition of ‘Teacher Talk’, the BUT’s radio programme will air on Thursdays at 5:30 on Magic 102.7 and the week will end with the annual BUT/Butterfield and Valis Road Race

The BUT was formed in 1919 after a grave site meeting at St. John’s Church where colleagues mourned the death of three teachers.

“Four colleagues, Rev. Rufus Stovell, Miss Adele Tucker, Miss Edith Crawford, and Miss Matilda Crawford stood in contemplation at the St. John’s Church graveyard after the burial of one of their contemporaries, Miss Rosa Butterfield,” explained a BUT spokesperson.

“The relatively young 43-year-old headmistress had succumbed to cancer on January 21, 1919. She was the third teacher in close succession to have suffered an untimely death. The loss of one teacher during the early 1900s was not without consequence to the black community.

“The loss of three was traumatic. In the words of Miss Adele Tucker, with this third death, “a blaze was kindled”.

“As a result of that grave site meeting the Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT) was born. February 1, 1919 was its official beginning. This year we celebrate 95 years of existence, making us the oldest Trade Union on the island.”

The office of the BUT can provide more information — tel. 292-6515.