Nelson Glanville Macfarlane Major

Nelson Glanville Macfarlane Major is remembered and respected as an educator who made it his life’s work to stimulate, encourage and prepare a new generation of Bahamians for their future careers

Born in burrows Harbour, Long Island In 1904 he began his schooling at the Buckley’s public school with one of his first teachers being C. I. Gibson. 

By the time NGM Major was 16 he had passed the public teacher’s exam and entered the teacher’s training school at 18. In the same year he was appointed head teacher at the school in rum cay.

After only a year of teaching in Rum Cay he moved to Inagua where he replaced his former teacher C.I. Gibson as principal there. During his time in Inagua he appointed T.G. Glover as a student monitor who then went on to become an outstanding teacher himself 

In 1925 NGM Major took a break from teaching but returned in 1941 to become head teacher at the school in deadman’s cay, this was a high point in his career and he set out to make the school not only the best in Long Island but the best in the country. 

Under Mr. Major’s leadership the school consistently hit top honours in the agricultural and general fairs for their farming efforts, top scores in examinations and captured 40% of all government school awards. the N.G.M. Major High School at deadman’s cay Long Island was named in his honour 

Outside of school N.G.M. Major was a community man who loved Long Island and devoted his entire life to its betterment. In recognition of his work he was awarded the British Empire Medal, the Queens Certificate and a badge of honour 

Mr. Major died on February 14th 1995 at the age of 90