Saturday, 2 February 2019

Circular No 900







Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 2 February 2019 No. 900
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Dear Friends,
A call for help for Robert Dumas.
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Faria Gabriel <gabefaria@yahoo.com>
Jan 25 at 10:42 AM
George,
Thanks for taking the time to act on this.
I can also accept Canadian funds through Interac- just using an email or bank to bank transfers or Australian & Honk Kong funds through bank transfers.  
Best
Gabe
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Kazim Abasali <empowerwithart@gmail.com>
Jan 25 at 9:39 AM
George,
I have shared your very concise email with our 'Boys' in our Facebook Group. 
Kaz
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On Fri, Jan 25, 2019 at 1:40 PM
GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net> wrote:
Dear Fellow AS MSB Old Boy
I am forwarding Joe’s appeal note below to brothers who are not listed in his TO: below. 
Robert attended our school in the mid to late 50s…class of 1958 per database
Please pray for Robert, his family, a successful fundraising effort led by his son and a prompt and successful surgery.
If you are willing and able to help, all denominations and amounts will be accepted, please consider these options; if willing/able send your contribution to Gabriel Faria:
If you live in Trinidad, you may want to visit Robert at home…..that is priceless
Hold a “dry/fasting” alum reunion in a park or other convenient location in your area; say a group prayer, visit with each other and collect the money for Robert that would have been spent on drinks and food in a restaurant type common reunion.
Zelle – Gabe/Gabriel Faria ID: gabefaria@yahoo.com
Royal Bank of Canada – Gabriel and or Kathryn Faria Acc# 11000000350999l
Please email Gabe to inform him of the name(s) and amount of money that you/group contributed and its purpose at: gabefaria@yahoo.com
Please share and forward this note to your classmates and other old boys who attended the school in your time and whose names are missing in both these memos.
I am attaching the latest database that has the names and many email addresses of your friends and classmates in case you lost track of them.
In advance, thank you very much for your prayers and assistance,
George (Shish/Yury/Jorge) Mickiewicz 
AS MSB 1956-1962
PS. In 24 hours our alums have contributed so far T$1500 and USA$150 toward a final goal of T$175,000
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From: Joseph Berment-McDowald
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2019 9:34 PM
Subject: Robert Dumas
Dear Fellow Old Boy,
Dr. George Laquis "Pud" called this evening about Robert Dumas (72) who went to Abbey School around his time.
I am enclosing an article from the local newspaper about his family's efforts to raise funds to pay for some of his medical expenses.
This is not the first time that he has had a major illness: when we last spoke about a year ago, when I called him about the possibility of contributing to the Venezuelans he described having to drastically alter his lifestyle to pay for treatments for two previous major illnesses - - click on article below.
Despite his circumstances, he still promised to "see what he could do".
Fate has dealt him another blow.
Possibly, some of you may want to make a pledge towards his son's participation in a soon to held 26.2 mile marathon which is intended to raise $175,000 towards his expenses. Maybe some may want to arrange to spend some time with him or support him otherwise.
Dumas 'Doing it for Dad'
He is usually the one reporting on the exploits and achievements of athletes. However, next Sunday CNC3 sports a...
Sincerely,
Joe
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Robert Dumas
Hi,
As I was thinking back of my days under PG, I began to think about my days at the Mount in a rather sombre mood and just whimsically wondering why good times like those have to go by so quickly.  Thanks for memories and for persons like yourself who keep them alive.
Here are some of thoughts from one of my senior moments:
The shortcut with all those juicy Whatever became of Tom??
Remember those soft drinks and snacks on a Saturday afternoon?  Tom (if he took to you) would always ensure that your boots had a good 'dubbing' put on them so as to keep the leather pliable.
I also recall being there when the swimming pool was being built and being in awe looking down from the tennis courts at the opening of the pool.
And oh those long waits to see if Bro Vincent would allow us to walk back to the Abbey School the long way around.  That was always the highlight on a Saturday, and my days as a proud St Francis member ( the best).
I was there also when they constructed the Seminary and the new Refectory (although I never had the pleasure to eat in it).  I remember the bread and food fights at the old refectory,
We would get there via the steps under the dormitory, pass the big boys’ room and tread carefully along a path on the side of the mountain, and pass the woodwork shop where I got my 'cedar' tops made.
When I was sent to the dorm by the library I remember Prada was the big boy in charge of my dorm, what a great guy... And then there was Mr. Taliban, Fr Eugene, what a guy.
I was one of the first boarders he sent into the showers next to the basket ball courts, cold as hell, but he took a pleasure in that fact I am sure,
What ever became of Pancho.. and Swami
Baby Joe sat in front of me in Prep A at the time.  Then there was RugHead, Fr Augustine.  Hmmm, ever the serious guy.  And last but not least our favourite algebra teacher Mr Yip Choy I believe his name was.  He would appear out of nowhere on a Friday afternoon and enter Prep A, in which was the longest blackboard I have ever seen.  He would begin to write sums on the board and then proceed to climb the stairs of the 'pulpit' in the far corner of the class from which he would survey all and sundry.  Needless to say as he entered the class I would whip out my favourite tool which was three pencils strapped together and begin to write my lines.  “The way of the transgressor is exceedingly difficulty indeed, indeed, indeed.”  It happened every Friday that I would be given penance on the Saturday.
I believe in the time I spent on the Mount I must have seen about 6 movies, penance like rain.
Have you any information about Stephen Malin Smith, Wayne Oconnor, David de Boehmbler these were some of the posse at the time which was the bane of Fr. 'Taliban' Eugene?
It was good to be allowed to have graced the hall of the Abbey School and to have the memories, maybe others can be encouraged to reminisce a bit, the young ones do not know half of it.
Thanx
Robert Dumas
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ROBERT DUMAS to me
details 30 May (5 days ago)
You are correct, the old refectory was by the bells.  At the time the senior boy in charge of our table was 'turtleback' Galt... what is the news on his brother 'swami', and yes 'boxhead was with us at the time... good memories you will agree.
Keep up the good work.
Robert
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Re: MSB Old Boys Database April 12, 2009...
From:  Nigel P. Boos <nigelboos@eagles-wings.ca>...
Hi Robert,
Thanks for getting in touch. I see that the e-address we have for you is correct, and I'm happy about that.
Your note has also given us 1 more name - that of Clement James - which we hadn't listed before, but I will now do so, as a result, so thanks!
What are you doing in 2009? Where do you live and work or are you retired? Have you a family? Perhaps you could spend a few minutes, just to give us a brief summary of Robert Dereck Dumas, as I'm sure others would like to know a little about you too.
Happy Easter to you and yours.
Nigel 
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On 14-Apr-09, at 2:21 PM, ROBERT DUMAS wrote:
Hi Nigel,
Keep up the good work.  I think you are doing a fantastic job...
The name is Robert G. Dumas.  I left MSB in Form 1 due to family reasons  My classmates at that time were David de Boehmler, Wayne O'Connor , Stephen Malin-Smith, Clement James just to name a few (around 1957/58 I beleive...
I was an active member of St Francis House (we won almost everything) back then.  I know the guys from St Anthony would dispute that...
Whatever happened to Bro Vincent, the best Sportsmaster MSB ever had, and Tom our groundsman???
I remember you very clearly as a scout, marching in the band.  You all made us very proud back then...
You may want to research Stephen Malin Smith and Clement James.  Both as far as I know live in T&T.  Clement is the Communications office at ALUTRINT (tried to contact him with no luck)...
Keep up the good work Nigel
Regards
Robert
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Hello MSB Abbey School Brothers,
I have a message from an email from Jennifer Kom-Tong.
She is trying to find out any information on a previous student, her father –John William Kom-Tong.
He attended Mount Saint B when he was a child.
"He was adopted (unknown) to a family Kom-Tong I believe when he was 4 and was a student of the school until approx August 1968
Do you possibly have any records of him? Pictures? Who his birth parents might have been?
I am his daughter trying to understand my past.
There are no relatives that I am aware of and both adoptive parents have since passed away.
He immigrated to Canada in Fall of 1968.
If you have any info I would be so appreciative.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Kom-Tong
North Vancouver Canada"
"P.S. My biggest challenge so far is trying to get any info on his Birth parents, whom I am sure are deceased but maybe there were other children…"
On our MSB Database #782, we do have listed John Kom Tong with no email address and this detail "Retired from construction. I asked Ian de Verteuil to help me to find his email address. (April 2013)"
Let us see how we can help Jennifer in any way possible.
Blessings to all......Kazim
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...17 feb 2010
From: Glen Mckoy <mckoy43glen@hotmail.com
Hello Brian,
I have family in Aruba, I am from Trinidad, however my father was from Suriname.
I have been in Nova Scotia since 1977, when I got married,
I can`t remember the last carnival I saw Ha! Ha! I love music,
I had my share of carnival when I was young. 
It’s good to hear that you have made a firm contact for Stephen Pitcher,
I know the feeling, it is once in a life time.
Have a good day,
Cheers! Glen.
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Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:51:05 -0800
From: briankong@yahoo.com
Thank you Glen.
Are you from Aruba but living in Nova Scotia?
I didn't go out my door this Carnival, not even looked at it on TV as I had planned.
Stephen Pitcher was away from home last weekend but we will chat this Sunday coming.
Brian
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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to be in the circular’s mailing list there is a donation, 52 usd for a whole year, to be used in obtaining material used in the elaboration of the Circular or any old boy that you would like to include.
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Photos:
16GM0001GMC, Glen Mckoy
10LK0327FBSCORLI, Salvador Coscarart and Roberto Lipavsky
07NT0004GRP, Kerry Costelloe, Jean van Leuwen and Andre Lazzari
10LK3842FBPDB, Paul de la Bastide







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