Dr Clifford Maxwell was a ‘giant among giants’

It has taken me a few days to come to grips with what I am about to write. So please forgive me if this column is a bit emotional. 

On Thursday, October 31, 2013, Bermuda gave unto the heavens one of its true heroes.

Master mathematician Dr Clifford Maxwell, transposed himself from the physical to the spiritual equation. And in doing so thousands of his students went into emotional remembrance of a “giant among giants.”

Berkeley Life

In September 1980, 20 12-year-olds began their journey as Berkeleyites. 

My classroom — 1 West — was directly opposite the headmaster’s office. It made for a short journey for anyone who found themselves on the wrong side of the law. 

Somehow, I was never on Dr. Maxwell’s radar for  five years. Mainly because, like the rest of the school, I was always on Mr. Robert Horton’s watch list. 

So I didn’t have much interaction with this quiet principal.

Like many 16-year-olds, Bikes and Bikes, became my favourite subject and I found myself a total academic failure in my fifth year. So much so, that in my mathematics GCE exam I simply went to sleep as I had no idea about geometry, trigonometry or algebra. 

It was then that I had my “Come to Jesus” moment with Dr. Maxwell.

I was summened to his office the next day, and in front of my parents was told in no uncertain terms I would not be graduating from the Berkeley Institute in 1985. I was given two options: 

A)  Repeat the fifth year 

B) Become a high school drop out

Academic redemption

In September 1985 I found myself being assigned to Dr. Maxwell’s mathematics class, which required extra lessons every Wednesday and Saturday. This man poured into our brains the reason for trigonometry, the proper usage of logarithms, and the ability to solve x^5-3x+1=0. 

In June 1986 I walked up to Dr Maxwell and received my Berkeley diploma along with six GCE’s

• History

• English

• Graphical communication

• Geography

• Statistics

• Mathematics

The Mathematics GCE means the most to me. My Berkeley diploma and graduation picture has actually hung on my wall for 27 years. 

After Berkeley I went on to Bermuda College to study Automotive Sciences and have had a career involving mathematics for the last 25 years.

Daily Reflections

At BELCO I am blessed to look at Berkeley every day and remember the patience Dr Maxwell took to transform me from a near dropout to obtaining six GCEs.

In 1999 I received the shock of my life to find out Dr Maxwell was one of the architects behind breaking down legal segregation in Bermuda. 

Dr. Maxwell the quiet principal? Surely, you must be kidding me!

By Stealth and secrecy, he and others formed the “Progressive Group” and went about delivering flyers and posters in the dark to urge black Bermudians to boycott the racist theatres. 

Within two weeks, and no doubt due to a drop in revenue, the theatres stopped segregating against blacks.

Silent Warrior

We sit in awe of this man, 99 per cent of us never knew how hard he fought for our futures.

We who took him as a nerd like professor, never knowing he was a master builder of the Bermuda that we see today. 

By my calculations, every year Berkeley took in 120 students. Dr. Maxwell was at Berkeley for approximately 20 years — 20 x 120 = 2,400. At least 2,500 Bermudians lives have been transformed.

Today I shed a tear along with thousands of Bermudians, many of us never had a chance to tell him “Thank you for allowing us to become strong and proud Bermudians.” 

From this man, I learned Bermudians must always pick up those who may have failed, and help them to achieve their greatness.

Dr. Maxwell we will continue to fight for equality for Bermudians.

“Children of thine are we”

Respice Finem 

Christopher Famous may be contacted at [email protected]