Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,
Comments are now visible on Circulars Blog page.
To facilitate your writing comments, Don has devised a method to make it easier.
Please do not forget to send me a CC.
--------------------------------------------------------------
...12 ago 2010
From: "Don Mitchell, CBE QC
Hi Ladislao,
You might like to announce in one of your future Circulars that comments are now visible in the right-hand panel of the 2010 Circulars website:
Readers wishing to post a comment should click on the word "comments" at the end of the post in question and type their comment in the box provided.
Don't forget to indicate in the text which Circular the comment relates to, and to give your name.
Keep well,
Don
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
from: desclaire smith Date: 14 August 2010 10:18
14 August 2010 10:18 Hello,
Thanks for the prompt reply.
Among the pictures I received the only person that I recognised was Arthur Knaggs.
I can also confirm the actives following VJ day , that is a fact i.e., the painting of the rock in white and huge red VJ letters, as I recall Fr Ildefons supervised the actives.
I also recall the story about " Dougle", but I believe that Andrew Marcellin was the best at marbles.
It is also true that Fr Lee Sing also pitched marbles.
I can recall the many instances that he would be pitching and an argument would break out in another group, he would blow his whistle and all marbles ceased and he would investigate as to the cause and take action if needed.
On one occasion I can recall Fr Chris blew his whistle, and Jack Knags blurted out "the venerable dean has blown his penny whistle"
Jack was immediately ordered to go to the classroom,
That statement did not go over well because the statement caused huge laughter by everyone except Fr Chris.
Dougle may remember this.
When next I can find some time I will describe our dormitory facilites and supervision.
Des
----------------------------------------------------.
From: Ladislao Kertesz
Ladislao Kertesz Date: 9 August 2010 18:56
Dear Desmond
Finally a recount of the beginnings of the school, there has been too many starts and I never understood the starting process.
I am not going to ask you any questions since I have to check out other accounts which I need you to corroborate.
I just wanted to let you know that I received this.
I presume you do not have a photo of the time.
God bless
ladislao.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
from: desclaire smith Date: 9 August 2010 14:35
9 August 2010 14:35 HI Ladislao,
Greetings, thanks for the very prompt reply, as well as the updates on the recent activities of the Association.
None of these names are familiar to me - there is one exception there were two Pradas in my time viz. Charles & Jeffrey.
I do not know if these are the same guys from my period.
What I would try to do will be to provide the really early days.
As stated the pre-cursor to the Abbey School was Mt St Benedict School
The original intent was apparently to have a day school.
The start of the school was coupled with the start of the Seminary of St john Vianney
Both started in Jan. 1943.
The day school began with approximately 15 Pupils,
The majority were drawn from the Tunapuna Area, the exceptions were Pat Sellier from St Joseph and myself from San Juan
In the Seminary were about six,
The most notable were John Mendes-later Fr.Mendes, Urban Peschier later Father Urban.
Some of the others that I recall Andrew Joseph.
Another named Daly.
I understand the dropped after a couple of years.
Father Mendes had a younger brother Arnold who spent a few years before leaving.
The reason I mention the seminary at this time is because following the first term, after missing quite a few days of school Fr Bernard (the cobra as we referred to him) suggested to my Dad that I should become a broader and he could arrange for me to live with the seminarians.
So I lived with and followed all of the seminarian activities and their routine.
I spent two terms (1943) with the seminarians.
In 1944, the true boarding school started, some of these names that I can recall are Darwents- John and Michael brothers and their cousin Walter, from Palo Seco,
The Marcellin brothers Andrew & Hamil, from San Fernando
Ian Mc Lean.
The Knaggs Brothers (Jack &Arthur).
WE also had first overseas students both from St Lucia
In 1943 we had only one class, In 1944 we suddenly had three classes.
From one broader, (myself), in 1944 we had about twenty boarders.
From one class in 1943, Come 1944 we had three classrooms.
The expansion in 1944 was so rapid, that we not only had priests as teachers, we got our first lay teacher.
( Subject to correction I believe his name was Nello Lambert)
In 1945< there was much further expansion of the boarding school.
Initially we occupied half of the upper floor, the following year we occupied the entire upper floor.
Down stairs Bro. Michael had the bakery and at the far end was where they extracted the honey from the honey combs ( just to give you some idea of the location.
It should also all of this was within the monastery
If you had female visitors Mom, Sisters, you had to meet them outside of the monastery enclosure.
I945 the student body exploded and the eventual Abbey school site was excavated and levelled.
Boy did we have fun on that site during the construction.
I was fortunate to be present at the laying of the foundation stone.
This was presided over by Archbishop Finbar Ryan also present were Fr prior Dom Hugh Van Der Sanden, Fr. Bernard and also signing the document on behalf of the students was John Darwent.
The scroll was rolled and placed a large glass jar (alias a sweetie jar) it was then placed in a niche at the main entrance.
Brother Gabriel supervised the entire construction of the structure.
I never occupied this building as I left for CIC for the Sept term.
Best Wishes
Desmond
----------------------------------------------------------------.
From: Ladislao Kertesz
Ladislao Kertesz Date: 8 August 2010 21:51
8 August 2010 21:51 Dear Desmond
I am confirming the receipt of the email.
Shall include you on the mailing list.
Please look at the blog run by Don Mitchell.
He has placed all the Circulars in the Internet.
I would like you to check out the stories by Leary and Richard O’Connor
Would like you to give me the names of your friends, and the classmate that you remember.
Any news or stories are welcomed; the Circular need help
God Bless
Ladislao
---------------------------------------------------------------------------.
From: desclaire smith
desclaire smith Date: 7 August 2010 12:58
7 August 2010 12:58 Hi Ladislao,
My brother Rod Smith has informed me that you are involved with the Abbey School
If you are interested I can furnish you some of the back ground on its evolution.
I attended the Mount from its inception Jan '43 to Aug. '45
I have tried on several occasions to contact you without success.
VTY
Desmond Smith
-----------------------------------------------------------------.
Re: William Mew ?
...28/7/2010
From: Tim Mew MHC
Hi Nigel,
Sorry I cannot help you as we have not been in touch for many years.
If I do find out any news of William I will let you know.
He was two years ahead of me so probably left MSB in 1956 and after Guyana went to the UK
What a small world, Vernon
Also a Trinnie in Melbourne says he knew Vernon in London
Quite amazing so please say hello to Vernon
What do they say about six degrees of separation???
Tim, Gail & Family.
----- Original Message -----
From: Nigel P. Boos
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 8:55 PM
Tim,
Any word on this, please?
Hope you're keeping well.
Nigel
---------------------------------------------------------------.
From: "Nigel P. Boos" <nigelboos@eagles-wings.ca>
Date: July 12, 2010 8:55:55 AM EDT
Hello, Tim,
I was talking with my brother-in-law, Vernon de Lima, and he mentioned that you had an older brother, William, who had also been at the Mount.
I'd like to add him to the dataBase.
Have you any information you can share with me, about your brother?
Thanks.
Nigel
-------------------------------------------------------------.
From: Cornel de Freitas Date: 18 June 2010 09:11
18 June 2010 09:11 Dear Ladislao,
I hope all is well with you and your family.
The last time Coscarart Salvador communicated with me , he told me he was going to visit you when he got to Venezuela, so I asked him to give you a Big Hug and thank you for all your contribution to this "Golden Ring of Light" that McKoy writes of in his tales of "The Knights of White Stones" (I really enjoy reading his stories....)
The reason I am writing to you is to just ask a few questions.
Do you still send out the Circular?
I have not received a copy in a long time and I do miss it.
Can you please let me know what's happening with it?
Best regards,
Cornel A. de Freitas MSB 1959-1964 ... 
Toronto , Ontario , CANADA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ladislao Kertesz
Dear Cornel
I try to keep the Circulars Circulating, jajaj
a bit late sometimes but I do not mail them regularly.
I would like you to go to Don, Mitchell Blog and he has all of the on.
The address is in the Circular.
God bless
LAdislao
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Cornel de Freitas
9 Mar 2010
Hi Ladislao,
Sorry it's been a while since you heard from me.
I don't remember the last time I wrote to you, but so much has happened.
I believe I may have mentioned that my brother Carlos was in the hospital for a number of weeks with a serious infection.
I have no real details at this time, but he was released last Friday and had a heart attack on Saturday.
He passed away that afternoon sometime after 5 pm.
He was the middle brother, and the one I had a very good relationship with.
I am going to really miss him.
It's been a while since I've received the Circular and wonder if I was removed from the list?
Since we made contact I have always received them.
Kindly let me know what publications there were in February.
I will check and let you know which was the last ones I received.
All the best, GOD bless you and yours,
Cornel ...
---------------------------------------------------------------------.
Cornel de Freitas
10 Mar 2010
Hello again Ladislao,
Got your email, I saw the picture as a boy sitting on the playing field, but you did not publish the 'string' of pictures, any particular reason why?
I thought they would give a perception of my growing older' and what I look like now.
I am also aware that Nigel sent you the pictures of the 'Mini-reunion' we had up here.
I was a really great evening that just happened with a few suggestions.
I have already written to you about that evening, but it is also my hope that the others I attendance would take a minute and write a few words of their perception of that really nice get together.
The photographs of that same evening that shows me, my son Michael, and his two boys, my two angels could also be included.
Let me know what you think.
GOD bless you and yours,
Cornel ......
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Now to the photos.
Ladislao Kertesz at kertesz11@yahoo.com,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Photos:
06WK0021MPRPTA, Manuel Prada and Peter Tang.
09LK0094EDIMSB, Monk´s Cemetery
50XX0001FOOTBALL, 1950 football Team.
09TF1869CDFFAM, Cornel De Freitas and family.
No comments:
Post a Comment