Jaime L Drew

Early years

Jaime Leopoldo Drew Henriquez was born in Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico, on 16 September 1876, the son of Carlos M. Drew, a Dominican, and Matilde Henriquez, a Puerto Rican woman born in Naguabo. He lived in Ponce until age seven, when his family moved to the Dominican Republic. His family moved back to Ponce when Drew was eleven, and a year later, he moved to England where he completed his elementary and high school training.

Education

After completing his high school training, he entered Wesleyan College of the University of London where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Arts and Civil Engineering, graduating cum laude. He studied in London, England at Oxford University, becoming the first Puerto Rican to graduate from that university.

Career

After completing his Engineering degree, Drew practiced engineering in Puerto Rico and Venezuela. However, he became interested in the teaching profession instead. His first teaching jobs were in economically deprieved rural areas of the Puerto Rican country side, including Adjuntas. He subsequently moved to Ponce to teach in schools in Ponce's urban zone. His teaching subjects included physics, English as a second language, French, and Spanish. Drew spent his life teaching at the Ponce High School, starting under its first principal, Chales H. Terry. He spent 15 years teaching at the Ponce High School, and during his spare time he also taught courses at various business schools in Ponce.

For several years, Drew also held positions as school principal, public schools inspector, and advisor to the Languages Department of the Puerto Rico's Departamento de Instruccion Publica (Department of Public Instruction), now Department of Education. Drew wrote several books, including "Liga de Bondad", "English Idiomatic Expressions", "Short Stories", and "Libro de Poemas en Ingles y Espanol".

At age 41, on 18 July 1918, Drew entered the United States Armed Forces during World War I conflict and held the rank of lieutenant teaching various military courses to the incoming military personnel.

Extracurricular activities

In 1905 Drew became a member of the Free Mason society in Ponce, and in 1947, he served as head of the Free Mason Society in Ponce (Respetable Logia Aurora de Ponce). He was also a Grand Master in the Ponce chapter of the Order of Odd Fellows of America. He also served in the board of directors of the Albergue de Niños de Ponce (Ponce's Shelter for Boys).

Representing the Ponce High School, site of the fire, and together with Antonio Arias and Antonio Mirabal, Drew was one of three municipal board members entrusted with erecting the obelisk monument at Plaza Degetau to honor the men who fought the "El Polvorin" fire of 25 January 1899.

Death

A few months before his death, Drew started feeling weak and short of breath. After visiting with Dr. Pila, Drew returned to the classroom for a few months, but started to feel weak again and this time there was little that medical science could done for him. Drew fell victim of heart disease, dying on 14 April 1948.

Legacy

In northeast Ponce there is a residential sector named after him. In Ponce there is also an elementary school in the Baldorioty community, Barrio Segundo, also named after him. Also in Ponce, he is recognized at the Park for the Illustrious Ponce Citizens. His tomb in Ponce is oftentimes honored by placing flowers, especially on 7 May, Dia del Maestro (Day of the Teacher).