Ganta Mission School started very simply with Mrs. Harley teaching a few children how to read and write in her mud hut in Ganta in 1926. Mr. Henry Miller who later followed the Harleys to Ganta was the first full instructor for the school. The school day was divided into classes for half of the day and work in the industrial units for the remainder of the day. Christian education was an important part of the education. When the Millers were assigned to Nana Kru Mission in 1928, replacements could not be found. The job fell to Mrs. Harley who divided her time between the school and caring for her two sons in addition to her responsibilities at the dispensary. The Harleys had to delay their furlough for one year in 1930 until they could be relieved by Miss Hattie Hooks who left her school on the Kru Coast to come to Ganta. Mrs. Harley said of Miss Hooks that “She proved a sincere, conscientious teacher who served Ganta Mission well during it need.” The Harleys returned from furlough in 1932 to join Miss Hooks who had responsibility for the school and each missionary took on weekly teaching responsibilities. Although Miss Hooks was due for leave in 1935, she was delay a year until Elmo and Mary Taylor Tabb arrived. Elmo who had served in the Congo was to be in charge of the school and Sunday School. Their stay was short lived because he applied severe corporal punishment to one of the students. Momo Massaquoi, who was his assistant, took over the running of the school. The building that was used for classes also provided residence for Teacher Massaquoi and his family.

When Miss Black arrived in 1939, with the assistance of Teacher Massaquoi, she organized the school with four grades which had subjects corresponding to American standards, plus a preliminary class for beginners who needed to learn how to speak English and how to read. Hartzell Building was therefore constructed to accommodate only four classes, a library, the principal’s office and an assembly hall upstairs. The building was soon found to be inadequate due to the popularity of the school which created an expanding demand and increase in the student population. It should be noted that this was the only school in an area with tens of thousands of children. Three dormitories were built for the boys and the dinning facilities were across the major highway on the other side of the campus. A few years later, two more dorms were added and a modern kitchen-dinning room was built close by for the boys. Gradually the parents, with some encouragement, began to send their girls to school. As the girl population increased, it became necessary to build and staff a modern dorm for the girls. The facility for the girls was funded by Women’s Division of the Board of Missions.

Because of the high quality of the education offered by the school, it was attracting students from all parts of the country.The grade level was increased from fourth grade to sixth grade.It was not until 1954 that the school graduated its first class of eighth graders.This class of eight students had one female student who was also among the first graduating class from the Ganta School of Nursing.The number and qualifications of the faculty have kept pace with the growth of the school. The faculty is now composed of high school graduates, college graduates and a few with advanced degrees. In 1960, the need for more classrooms was met when the Manchester Building was opened to house grades six through eight.

The school now operates as a K-12 institution with a student population of about four hundred students. Hundreds of graduates from the school have gone on to get higher education and make valuable contributions to the development of Liberia and to serve in other countries. Some have earned advanced degrees in education, the sciences, theology and the humanities.In the area of health the school has produced physicians and surgeons, R.N.s and nurses with postgraduate degrees.Some have held cabinet level positions in government and others have gone on to hold senior positions with the World Health Organization, in addition to faculty positions at colleges in Liberia and abroad. The first civil engineer to come out of Ganta went on to become a cabinet minister and contribute to the building of the country. We have produced outstanding educators who have worked at home and abroad. Ganta has contributed several outstanding church workers with their doctorates who now are in charge of the church in Ganta, as well as other areas of the Liberia Annual Conference and the church abroad. Graduates of the school are to be found in all areas of national development such as the economy, social services and the government. Ganta students have over the years, gone on to become cabinet ministers, legislators, judges, lawyers, educators, preachers, medical doctors, nurses, engineers, farmers, civil servants, politicians, business people and solid citizens in Liberia and other parts of the world.

Teacher Momo Massaquoi with some students of the late 1930's. The student in the center of the picture is Joseph Boayue. Picture provided by Mrs. Harley

Ganta Mission School Miss Mildred A. Black’s interest in Liberia was ignited while in college when she heard Mrs. Mary W. Camphor speak about the great needs of Africa. Her husband, Bishop Camphor had served as president of the College of West Africa.When she heard the Harleys speak about Ganta Mission in 1938 at her church in New Haven, Connecticut, she decided to join them in Liberia. Connecticut.He told her that he needed a teacher for Ganta Mission. She arrived in Monrovia January 2, 1939 and part of her duties at the school was that of a geography teacher. She revised the curriculum of the school to meet up with American standards. She served as principal from 1939 to 1952.

From 1950 until she retired in 1975, Miss Black got professional linguistic training to enable her to put Mano into writing so that Mano people can read and write their own language. This was one of her major contributions. She also developed a Mano language course for other missionaries. She assisted in the dispensary and taught English at the School of Nursing.

Mrs. Martha Cofield was a great teacher. She taught the beginning classes for students who first had to learn to understand and speak English. She loved her students and wanted us to be ladies and gentlemen. She even taught us how to use the knife and fork, and the proper way to drink soup with a spoon. She took over the running of the school from Miss Mildred Black and Teacher J. J. Wrotto was her assistant. For a time, her daughter, Bonnie was our classmate. She was principal form 1952 to 1961. The family eventually moved to Monrovia where B.B. was needed as LAC and Field Treasurer.

Teacher Jackie J. Wrotto was a multitalented and self-taught man.He worked as a laboratory technician at the dispensary before moving full-time to the school. He even taught himself law and became a magistrate. He served as principal from 1961 to 1972. The school grew under his able leadership. He used to say that Ganta School will one day become a high school and eventually a university. This dream is now becoming reality.The school is now a K-12 high school.The School of Nursing is now part of the Methodist University.

Mr. John Gbilia is now the principal of the school which is struggling to rebuild after the destruction of the war.

Hartzell Building and Manchester Building

Ganta Students of the 1930s…. Mrs. Harley's Album

First Ganta Students with School Uniforms - early 1950s

Ganta Students in gold and blue - 1985

Some interesting firsts:

Hon. Charles S. G. Boayue, Sr He recalls being on the mission in the late 1920s. He was the first student to return to teach at Ganta before going to Teachers College. He was the first Ganta student to graduate from the University of Liberia. He received a MA in Education from Kansas University. He devoted his life to education. As Supervisor of Schools for the Central Province, he built schools all over the Province in collaboration with USAID. He also served as a Member of the House of Representatives from Nimba County.

Hon. Joseph W. Boayue, Sr. He attended Ganta School in the 1930s. He graduated from Ganta and CWA at the top of his class.Joe was the first Ganta student to study in USA and returned home with a degree in Civil Engineering.He became the first cabinet minister from Ganta School. He was a role model.We used to follow his progress on the bulletin board at school whenever Miss Black had new information.When he became Secretary of Public Works, it was discussed in the assembly and we were told what his salary was.It was difficult for most of us to imagine how one person could earn several hundred dollars per month.Most of us could only earn five to twenty-five cents per week. He was the Commencement Speaker for the first eighth grade graduation at Ganta in 1954.

Mrs. Yau Yigben Massaquoi was the first woman to graduate from the eighth grade at Ganta in 1954.She entered the nursing school and was in the first class of nurses to complete the course. She worked at Ganta before joining the staff of Cocopa where she served for many years.

Martha Y.K. Sua was the first Ganta woman to graduate from the College of West Africa High School.She worked as a secretary and administrative assistant in government before joining LAMCO in the same capacity. Here is Mrs. Autry and her and her husband at a recent Liberia Reunion.

Martha K. Sendolo was the first Ganta woman to complete college and she obtained a postgraduate degree from the Chase Western Reserve in Cleveland. She received her BSN from Cuttington College. As a nursing educator, she taught in the nursing programs at Cuttington College and at the Ganta School of Nursing. She worked as a public health nurse at LAMCO. She served as Public Health Officer for Nimba County. Hon. Martha K. Belleh was the first Ganta woman to serve at the cabinet level as Minister of Health and Social Welfare. She is one of the longest serving Ministers of the MOH. During her tenure, the West Africa Health Community was established. She is a Fellow of the West Africa College of Nursing. She has also served as a consultant to the World Health Organization. As Minister of Health she was very active in the programs of the World Health Organization.