Newsletter for past alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 5 of February 2005. Circular No. 170
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Dear Friends,
Here I have included a conversation that I had with Stuart Monplaisir on the Famous swimming, better yet, water hole that was used before the actual swimming pool was built.
Even after the swimming pool was in use some daring souls would go to the swimming hole to catch small aquarium fishes and if lucky glimpses on the local girls using it.
The conversation was as follows:
The first part is about email addreses then my favourite subject, Scouts.
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lazslo kertesz: there is no one as yet, I have even had Marothy´s address as unknown.
sm: Well I am on most of the day so if you need anything more from me you can IM me and get it right away.
lazslo kertesz: thank you for your offer of help.
lazslo kertesz: mainly I need information on the past, those MSB days.
lazslo kertesz: were you a scout?
sm: Yes, ended up being a Queen scout. About a year ago you published a story that I sent to you about a scout trip
lazslo kertesz: ok now I remember!! sorry.
lazslo kertesz: but I need additional information, simple information
lazslo kertesz: such as badges??
sm: Well you get a lot of stuff it must be hard to remember it all
lazslo kertesz: Everybody studied for them but nobody as yet has given me the names or other information, photos or the difficulties .
lazslo kertesz: I know, I still remember of the construction of a bridge in the basketball court.
sm: As far as badges all I remember is the Queen scout. The others are lost from memory. If I remember I will send you an email.
lazslo kertesz: with Fr. Ildefonse riding his motorcycle thru the bridge, with Fr. Abbot watching.
lazslo kertesz: but that is another story to be published
sm: I remember digging the hole for the swimming pool and carting all that rocky soil away in wheelbarrows and Fr Ildefonse directing things
lazslo kertesz: oh that must have been the swimming hole??
lazslo kertesz: off the sports field at the end of the main road at the start the zig zag road before the sports field.??
lazslo kertesz: I remember that we walked down to the river and about 100 meters there was a swimming hole.
sm: Yes, down behind the Tennis courts
lazslo kertesz: good story, can you write something about the event.
lazslo kertesz: I arrived in 1955 and until 1956 sept. we did not have the new pool.
lazslo kertesz: And the actual swimming pool was closed immediately after, because on side was built higher than the other and the filters were up and dry.
lazslo kertesz: I used the swimming hole down by the main road quite often even in the last term of 1956.
sm: I will try and dig up some memories but they are getting very faded over the years.
lazslo kertesz: But I am sure it is fun to try to reconstruct the past if it was enjoyable?
sm: It was an enjoyable place until it turned green and we had to clean it after they drained it.
lazslo kertesz: Until the new pool was build and then had it rebuilt because of faulty levelling.
lazslo kertesz: the hole was the place.
sm: I had forgotten the relevelling.
lazslo kertesz: I remember the hole specially when we encountered others bathing especially girls.
lazslo kertesz: yes, Bro, Gabriel had the levelleling instrument placed at the center of the drained pool and the lower side was raised so that the edge was level.
lazslo kertesz: Naturally the bottom of the pool was and is still deeper on one of the lateral sides.
sm: I don't remember girls in the pool. I hope that I have not gotten so old that I forgot something like that. Maybe I was playing tennis at the time.
lazslo kertesz: it was a case of luck, not an everyday item.
lazslo kertesz: In the hole there was a large rock, that claimed few bruised heads and I believe a broken arm??
sm: Where in the pool area. Don't remember.
lazslo kertesz: I remember these because there were cases of bruises that merited closure of the hole for extended periods.
lazslo kertesz: luckily no one was killed but I remember the crazy guys that jumped of the rock, trying to show how brave and bold they were.
sm: Yes I remember the earth walls used to have small landslides. They probably should have had a professional company dig the hole but it a pleasant memory 50 years later.
lazslo kertesz: By the time I used it, the biggest problem was the shallowness and people throwing rocks from the road.
lazslo kertesz: and naturally the mosquitoes.
sm: Yes we used to complain but look at what we have now memories to cherish. I for one am glad I went there. Bernard Johnson tells me it is now a school for troubled boys.
lazslo kertesz: yes it is, they have placed a gate and it is closed to the public.
sm: Going to have to sign off for now. Will be back on later. Nice to talk to you. I will watch to see if you are on again and I will try to come up with a story for you.
lazslo kertesz: please do. I am glad that you are helping me with stories.
lazslo kertesz: till next time
WOULD APPRECIATE COMMENTS BY THE SWIMMING HOLE USERS
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From: David E. Bratt MD
Date: 1/31/2005 10:11:36 PM
That must have been eons ago……
I’ll check it out.
Dave
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From: Ladislao kertesz
Sent: Sunday, 30 January 2005 04:10 PM
To: dbratt@trinidad.net
Dear David,
Ok, mum until you send me a resume.
Was there an old association ??
Arthus Knaggs used to mention it.
There was a president etc.
Who was the last, was there a secretary?? maybe Kitty?
God Bless
Ladislao
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From: David E. Bratt MD
Sent: 1/30/2005 4:02:05 PM
HI Ladislao,
I’ll ask Roger for his email when I see him.
All the best for 2005.
David Bratt
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Please Christian, resend photos as those that you sent have low resolution.
God Bless
Ladislao
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Photo:. Christian Goddard CG001, Pool LK 1960-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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