PRINCIPALS

The Founder Canon Max Murphy

Canon Max Murphy was the rector of the Chaguanas parish. With the establishment of the Chaguanas parish school Canon Murphy paved the way for the establishment of Presentation College Chaguanas. Canon Murphy was born in Texas, went to the minor seminary in California and major seminary in Prague, where he was ordained for the diocese of Port of Spain. Father Murphy went to the United States every year to raise funds, dollar for dollar. During these trips, he traveled from church to church on Sundays taking up collections. The rest of the week, he went from college soliciting scholarships for his boys in Trinidad.

The College’s First Principal Mr. John Burns

He was a dedicated man. He came to Trinidad from Scotland at the invitation of the late Count Finbar Ryan and served the college of St. Phillip & St. James faithfully and set the foundations for future years. He lived with Canon Max Murphy at the Presbytery in Chaguanas. He was a strict disciplinarian and will be remembered by the many old boys who passed through during his Principalship. During his last years as Principal he was not enjoying the best of health but kept on until the Presentation Brothers were able to take over Principalship and Management in 1959. He then returned to his native Scotland where he died after only a few years of retirement. May his memory be held in benediction.