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BERNICE YORKE
1921—1994
We share your sorrow in the loss of Mrs. Bernice Yorke. Her outstanding teaching and administrative services, including membership on the National Spiritual Assembly of Belize from the time of its inception 27 years ago, were rendered with exemplary devotion and are warmly remembered. Be assured of our prayers in the Holy Shrines for the progress of her radiant soul.
Universal House of Justice April 13, 1994
ernice Yorke was born July 6, 1921, and was one of the most distinguished of the early native Belizean Bahá’ís. She exemplified Bahá’u’lláh’s counsel to “manifest naught save goodly Character, pure deeds,
Bernice Yorke
and a seemly and praiseworthy conduct.”U
Mrs. Yorke was renowned for her life of service; she was honored by government officials and by the Belize Arts Council for her many achievements in the arts. At a time when the Bahá’í Faith had yet to emerge from obscurity, many knew her as a Bahá’í and as a person dedicated to refinement and excellence of character. Born to Mr. Henry Edney Conrad Cain and Mrs. Rhoda Stamp, her home environment fostered in her a meticulousness and a desire to do things well. Bernice, being the eldest of eight children, was given many family responsibilities, which she graciously accepted."1 Of Anglican background, Bernice attended St. Mary’s Primary School, where she was introduced
90 DHEH of Babi’zt’lM/J Revealed After the Kita’é-iAqa’as (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988, 2005 printing), [3. 177..“
91 Much of the information in this article is drawn from “For the Love of Learning: A Biography of Mrs. Bernice Edna Yorke" by Adele Catzim, March 1996.
THE BAHA’I’ WORLD
to the performing arts and given a training that significantly influenced her later life.
Bernice was one of the first Creoles to graduate from Saint Catherine Academy, a high school for women. She became a teacher. Starting her career teaching at four primary schools, she later served as principal ofAnglican schools in Placencia and San Ignacio, then as assistant principal at two high schools. She also lectured at the Belize Teachers College.
She married educator Mr. Edward Percival Yorke in July 051946. Subsequently they had two Children, Edward and Joy. Setting a high standard of courtesy and manners, Mrs. Yorke kept a very formal home and expected guests to act accordingly. Those invited to her dinners were welcomed to a table set for royalty in an atmosphere of peacefulness and order.
In 1955 Mrs. Yorke attended a short course offered by the British Drama League, and upon returning to Belize she conducted seminars on dramatic arts through the Bliss Institute, home of the National Arts Council and the National Library.
During the 19505 she attended a drama group hosted by Knight of Bahá’u’lláh Shirley VC/arde.92 Ms. Shirley also hosted a discussion group, which was joined by some of the drama members. One of the participants, Mrs. Gracie Grant, remembered that Ms. Shirley “invited us to the discussion group where she provided topics written on pieces of paper. We would draw from the hat a paper, and then present the topic. The group would then discuss the issue.” Mrs. Gracie remembered that Mrs. Yorke and others in the group were particularly fascinated by the discussion of the equality of men and women. Mrs. Yorke confided to Mrs. Gracie that she
92 See “In Memoriam,” 7718 Bahd’z' World, vol. XX, pp. 1023—25.
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IN MEMORIAM 1992—1997
truly accepted this teaching and the Faith of Baha’u’llah, and sometime around 1962 Mrs. Yorke declared her belief.
Mrs. Yorke placed a particularly high value on the education of children. In September 1966 she opened her own preschool. Cinderella School had as its motto “Nourish the love oflearning.” Her commitment to working with children was apparent in her firm and commanding voice with its distinctive timbre that tacitly declared, “You are noble. I love you. Always be good." The school grew to include the primary grades through Standard 4 (6th Grade). Mrs. Yorke gave individual attention to the students, seeking out their talents and abilities. She fostered a great love of the creative arts, helping her students to give speeches, poetry recitations, and performances of dance and drama of superior quality. Renowned for excellence in the arts, her school received many awards in the annual Children’s Festival ofArts.
In her biography of Bernice Yorke, Adele Catzim writes, “She taught more than the ABC’s; she taught everything else which was needed to achieve success on an individual and societal level." Mrs. Yorke taught a strict value system, highlighting manners and courtesy, and she taught people to have high expectations of themselves and to respect others. She was adamant about teaching the children the pattern of Bahá’í daily life, including prayers at the beginning of each day. She had them memorize writings and prayers and taught them Bahá’í ideals and world citizenship. She hung Bahá’í posters on the walls and filled the school with the spirit of unity, equity, peace, and justice. She was loving, highly courageous, intelligent, and elegant; her clothing was always spotless, neat, yet never extravagant. She spoke “the Queen’s English” and taught the children excellence in English. She walked upright,
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sat upright, and lived upright. Mrs. Yorke’s dedication and excellence of character were a great model for the students.
Her Bahá’í—inspired school was open to people of all faiths. Parents of all social classes, low and high, placed their children in her care. Many of Cinderella’s early graduates are the ministers of government and Belizean leaders of today.
Mrs. Yorke acted and produced shows between 1963 and 1988; some of the best known were the dramas: Bax: King,” Saint jam, Dust (m the Road, and a speech entitled “Paradise.”
Mrs. Yorke was also a painter. She was invited to serve on the Arts Council and eventually became the coordinator of the annual Festival ofArts. She was selected as one ofseven Belizeans to receive the Belize Arts Council’s “Outstanding Artist Award,” for which she was congratulated by the prime minister, the governor—general, the minister of culture, and other officials. This was the first in a series ofannual awards in the various arts.
In service to the Bahá’í community, Mrs. Yorke was a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Belize City for a number of years before she was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of Belize in 1967, along with Knights of Baha’u’llah Shirley Wattle and Cora Oliver. She continued to serve in this capacity until her death in 1994.
Mrs. Yorke represented the Faith in meetings with government officials, ministers, and civic leaders. She frequently spoke on radio for the weekly national Bahá’í program, and she served on many
93 Knight of Bahá’u’lláh Shirley Wattle Collected folksongs and stories and from them wrote 305: King, which was described as a “folklore fantasy.n In 1965 it was well received, running for nineteen performances.
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148 THE BAHA’I’ WORLD
committees. She did much to raise the Faith to a high level of government and public regard.
Mrs. Yorke was involved in many service organizations and philanthropic works. She was one of the founders of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in Belize City in 1956. She was known as “patroness” of Help—Age Belize, which opened its offices in the early 19805, and as one of the founders of the Women’s Hospital Auxiliary. She helped with the Mercy Care Center to provide assistance to the elderly, poor, and disabled. She loved cooking and even more so cake decorating—a special skill she used to advance the home economics programs at the YWCA and the Women’s Hospital Auxiliary.
Well educated and much inspired by the Bahá’í writings, Mrs. Yorke stood for women’s rights and is remembered for her independence of spirit and self—reliance. On March 10, 1994, in recognition of International Women’s Week, Mrs. Yorke delivered her last public address. Relying upon the words of Bahá’u’lláh, she explained the metaphor of regarding the world of humanity as being likened to a bird—one wing representing man and the other, woman. A transcription of her address was published in the newspaper.
She traveled to conventions and conferences including the International Bahá’í Teaching Conference in Metida, Mexico, in 1977. Mrs. Yorke went to the Holy Land in May of1992 to attend the centenary Observances of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh. She returned to Belize with a new fire in her heart that she shared with a gathering of the Cayo District friends the following July. She attended the Bahá’í World Congress in the autumn of 1992 and was part of a delegation that met at that time with the Belizean ambassador to the United States. Wherever she traveled, a smile, a twinkle
in her eye, and a bottle of fiery hot sauce accompanied her.
Mrs. Yorke was transported for emergency medical assistance to Guatemala City where she passed away unexpectedly on April 11, 1994. Her body was not returned to Belize for burial according to Belizean custom. That stirred up a furor carried in the press creating an opportunity to proclaim the Faith nationally. Her daughter, Joy, wrote a poignant and illuminating letter to the newspaper explaining the Bahá’í burial laws and the desire of their beloved Mrs. Bernice to adhere to them. The memorial service performed in her honor at the Bliss Institute was filled to capacity. In addition to prayers and a eulogy, the service was an inspiring tribute that included performances of a play, readings of poetry, and presentations of other artistic works created by Mrs. Yorke. Another tribute to her honor was the renaming of Cinderella School as the Bernice Yorke Institute of Learning.
Suzi Mick/er
