Saturday, May 28, 2005

Circular No 186


Newsletter for past alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 28 of May 2005. Circular No. 186
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Dear Friends,
I am including the Class photo 1964 for those that like to reminiscence on
those free of worry times when our only problem was on what to do on
vacations and maybe think about the results of an exam or two.

From: Jeremy <tobagojo@trinidad.net>
Date: 23 Feb 11:09 (PST),
Subject: Class 1964

Hello Ladislao,
Having a short go (guess) at the Class of 1964. It looks like a snapshot out of 'The Boys on a break from the War -Singapore lets say!' Christ, what a collection!

1 . Russell Cunha, need his email address if he is alive!!!!!
2 .
3 .
4 .
5 .
6 . (A) Clarke - Smart guy; Destined to become a doctor. Sat at the back right-hand corner of the Study Hall.
7 . One of those 'Box-Heads' Mitchell - Most likely Gordon 'Alex' [Don't think it's you Don - Alex was always smartest in pose]
8 . Paul Tadros, Lived in Couva.
9 . (Christian?) Gurley [or Brendon]
10. Could be a Tang
11.
12. The American. Good friend of Don Mitchell. [Paul Zeven???]
13. - Can't recall this teacher yet. But must have been a tough bastard to be able to control this lot.
14.
15. Possibly Richard 'Jiggs' Anderson
16. John 'Johnny'/'Bram' Abraham - The Wild bush-man who made 'Brams Den' in the hills & Guitarest, need his email address if he is alive!!!!!
17. (Guessing all this now) The resemblance to John (16 above) places him as his brother. [Some years after leaving MSB, I believe that this person died tragically by drowning while aqua-lunging in the caves in the Northern Hills - Coura/Valencia?!] Need to check 'Bram' on that one.
18. A remarkably cool character.
19.
20.
21. Mervin Assam, need his email address if he is alive!!!!!
22.
23. An ubiquitous Herrera. God knows which one though.
24. (This is a shot in the dark) Coonhow? (South Trinidad) A possible genius of pholosophy, from what I recall. [Applicable to the person in the picture - Not the name indicated if incorrect]
25. Possible Galt
26 T T T T ?????? David Narrine's left hand. [Topping??]
27. None other than 'Nazi'
28.
29. Could it be: The Posing 'El Tigre' Himself? [Reported dead by suicide on Curacao]. Poor fella - A bit overly strung; and was in love with....
30.
31. A short-ass lively head-case out of Pointe-a-Pierre, Trinidad. Can't recall your name bro, but were you a bunch of trouble! Hope you are well and still kicking strongly. (A de Bruin or something!)

Having read what I've just written + the comments added to the 1966 picture; seems that I have an avid obsession with death recall!.

Not so strange how we all became brothers; strange how one wishes to recall their passing.
[Hoping however that I may be at least accurate.]

That's it for now.
Cheers,
Tobagojo
(Jeremy maybe you would like you add information, please advice if you have contacted Abraham? Make reference to the code in the photo. Ed)
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I have added the email address with those that are in contact with me, maybe you can help with those that do not have one.
Your help is needed to locate your friends, you can write me the last known whereabout of your friend and any pertinent information.
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Here is an email from Ann recently about the Circulars:

Dear Ann
I am sorry that the Circular cannot send out weekly issues with class information for those that attended your husband's class group or friends. The Circular is for all mount boys and our work is to reprint the emails that we get.
From my records there has been no article written or photos by your husband, just as there is very limited articles by the 1970+++class. Your husband's age group didn't have prolific writers and since no information ever gets to my desk, I cannot help with news that is appropriate or photos that do not exist. I can only say that this might change in the weeks to come and there might be someone writing who might be of interest for your husband and he might miss it !!!
As to the computer, not all alumni have computers, and in many case those that have one, are used by the wife and have her email address, just like in your case.
God Bless
Ladislao
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Dear Mr. Kertesz,
I have been receiving a number of photos & circulars from you on behalf of my husband, but I should point out that he doesn't use a computer & whenever I show him various pictures, etc. he says that they were of boys who were at school after the period he spent at Mount and so he doesn't know them. In view of this I would like to ask you please to remove my email address from your list.
With kind regards.
(The name was eliminated as per request. Ed.)
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Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 2:23:24 AM EST
From: Shaun <scg1@tstt.net.tt>

Ladislao,
Just thought I'd let you know that a few days ago, one of our Abbey Boys Jean Pierre Tardieu was killed in an auto accident on the Solomon Hochoy Highway.
He was in a car heading to Couva where he worked as a Helicopter Pilot for National Helicopters.
A car heading north lost control and crossed the highway, smashing into the car.
He died later at hospital.
He was 45 and was in a class ahead of me.
The driver was killed instantly.
It is a very sad loss.
All the Tardieu boys were swimmers in the Aqualads Team.
Shaun Gianetti
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Subject: MSB news-letter :: notes June 2005
Date: 6/10/2005 3:05:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Jeremy <tobagojo@trinidad.net>

Hi Ladislao,
Your the greatest as usual.
Here is a new eMail name to you I think.
See if you would like to pop this one up in your next news-letter.
Very Best Regards,
Jeremy de Barry

Extract from eMail in reply to:
Norman Smith nsmith@filmsmith.net
And CC'd to Rafael Echeverria G reglaw@netuno.net.ve
Norman starts with:
Subject: Blast from the past
Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 17:05:20 -0400

Jeremy,
It's been almost 4 decades since I've seen or heard from any Mount old boy, (etc).

I would also like to contact other old friends like Roger Ames and Rafael Echeverria ... (email reply body - then..)

Finally, for now; [Sorry Norman - You triggered this one off!]

Two score years, and counting, is a lifetime to many, and the mark to a generation.

We have all done well in our separate ways, scattered as we now are, like pollen in the wind.

We remain forever loose brothers, (You too Rafael) united by our past.

Yes, we were part of a brotherhood.

It was never our choice to be where we were placed, out parents patronage ruling our futures.

Obedient to the times, we sullied to the benefice rhythms of the Mount, to have our adolescence squandered over years, for the higher stake of education.

We learnt tolerance, and found brothers for those who had none; or found brothers to add to family, or to exchange for those who were not in sympathy.

We learnt love and hate and discovered our strengths and weaknesses.

Boredom and apathy were never a part of the fabric of that life; there was too much going on all the time; so much to do; and literally, so many hills to climb.

Moments of introspection, should one fall prey to that aloneness or disjuncture, perhaps on arrival for the start of those long terms, could be soothed by glances into the beckoning background hills, or by steering down the slope and across the distant planes; where on a clear day 'You could see forever'.

But not for long in contemplation, least you got caught napping, as violence could career around the corner, and gears would mesh in you head and legs to implement strategies of escape in quick movement; some new, some old, to avoid 'the hedging' or 'the flushing'; and then you were back in the game of Mount.

In the end we hated few, and loved many.

We were deeply moved as friends or role models came to term and moved to depart from this pediment.

We knew for many, we would never meet again.

And then it was our turn.

With few regrets but hearty goodbyes, we would descend down that ever winding road, taking our last glimpses of arches, bee-hives, battered VW busses, bottle works; and scattered through the trees the Abbey, rest house and guest house.

Then the bamboo way past the seminary; and dropping, through the row of cashew trees, the convent, pool and playing field; then it all disappeared round the bend.

Pax.

Over the years, some would return in pilgrimage; either on their own, with friends, or with members of their families.

Reasons aside, to most who made the journey, there were those instants of queasy excitement, that would rise with the upward journey, and subside surprisingly, to tranquillity on arrival.

And then it would slowly hit you.

As you began to explore; every corner, every angle, every shadow triggered cascades of long forgotten moments.

Each space held its own story.

Then a light sadness and a thin puzzlement would arise.

It was too quiet.

Beyond the saddening realisation that an era and a unique institution had passed into the annals of history; were those jolting wisps of imaginings for the sights of cream shirts, karkie shorts; or white longs, blue yellow striped tie and the ubiquitous crimson jumper or blazer with that vivid yellow pocket emblem; the odd white robe, sashes curtaining a wide black belt; and the animated faces.

Always a spin of movement, to a cacophony of chatter in Trini English, ringing Panyol and broken Patois! Mon Dieu!

Those of us who withstood long internment as boarders of The Abbey School, Mount St. Benedict, would only truly realise this privilege that we had shared, as the years of living slowly stacked to rise in metaphoric counterpoint to the height of Mount itself.

Our schooling was in the main solid.

Our activities had made us tough; even the fat ones were no wimps.

Our ever present hunger, and our trademark of withstanding 3 minute cold showers (and to a timely few of us the simultaneous bombasting of Luongo's bass Cantatas); saw us leave the Mount in sinewy good form.

Most left as young men, not quite as Captains of Industry or Movers of Nations, but generally to be persons of some consequence.

Our psychologies were a little warped and biased to the antisocial and loners at first; coming out of that nest was a new learning curve all by itself.

But mildly structured by a Benedictine benevolence of moral philosophy, together with that wild environment of a multicultural enclave, produced in us an adaptability for survival and an ability to integrate; though painful at times to achieve, that proved in the main, adequate for our lives needs.

We are the Boys from The Mount; that is our mark.

We were few, but what a bunch!

To those of us who occasion to traverse the East-West corridor of Trinidad, we always take a moment to look North, to that range of tropical mountains, with a whimsical turn of mind to that old home, The Mount; creamily pixillated with hints of red orca, to a background of green, on the crest of the distant foothills.

May your Gods be with you my Brothers.

tojo - 10 June 2005

(Good to read twice. Ed.)
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REMEMBER TO PAY YOUR DUE, 50 WORDS PER YEAR, OR SEND A CHECK preferably from any U.S. Bank, to my address:
Ladislao Kertesz
Apartado 69072
Caracas 1062A Venezuela
For those that prefer this way to cooperate with the Circular and the
expense that this generates. It is 52 issues per year.
God Bless
Ladislao
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Photo: Class 1966 no 150 15
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Articles on Jeremy de Barry and Steelbands:
http://ethnonet.gold.ac.uk/illustrations/ch4illustrations/419panencycl/pro42a.htm
http://www.panonthenet.com/woman/2005/Drjean.htm
http://www.seetobago.com/trinidad/pan/2005/event01.htm
Look us up at http://www.theabbeyschool.com, an all class msb web site.
Look at www.paxabbey.com, for information on the Monastery, Mt St. Benedict.
For those that want to communicate with the web, use, webmaster@theabbeyschool.com
Send information to: Ladislaokertesz@hotmail.com, if you would like to be in the circular's mailing list or any old boy that you would like to include.
Telf. 0 (212) 263.5346 Caracas.
Use kaviacion@cantv.net, or kertesz11@yahoo.com, for photos as I leave enough storage space for these.
Please note: you may have missed some of the circulars, if you have not received one every week, do not hesitate to ask for the missing number to idmitch@anguillanet.com,
For those that would like to contact me here I include my telephones:
Telf.Office: 58 (212) 263.5346, 267.2416, From: 11:00GMT to 22:00GMT
FAX: 58 (212) 261.0829,
Home: 58 (212) 238.4084. From: 00:00 GMT to 04:00 GMT
Cellphone: +58 (0416) 612.5695
Remember that Venezuela's time is the same as Trinidad's, -04:00 GMT.

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