Saturday, 10 August 2019

Circular No 927







Caracas, 10 of August 2019 No. 927
---------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,
Do you remember the bus driver Juan at the mount.?
I have many memories but little on the personnel that worked at the Mount.
Maybe because I concentrated on events at school, or had little contact with them.
Dear reader can you make memory?? Names, and events??
-------------------------------------------------
GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net>
Jul 25 at 10:23 AM
Thanks, Stuart. 
Recall now that Juan may have spoken a little “pagnol”,
George
---------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Stuart Henderson <hendersons81@yahoo.com>
Jul 25 at 9:49 AM
Nigel, 
1. I remember the oilfield strike you mention and somehow getting home to PAP, but definitely not a ride south in a galvanize shed. Do not think I would have survived that!
2. There was a bus driver we knew as Juan. I can still picture his face. 
Smiled a lot and his complexion was reddeish brown.
Also had a couple of gold teeth.
3. The most popular stop- off in POS before we returned to MSB was "The Dairies" - where a hot dog was 25 cents and a hamburger 30 cents.
Regards
Stuart
--------------------------------------------------------------.
GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net>
Jul 25 at 9:31 AM
Quite a story and an exciting adventure (after the fact), Nigel.   
Probably another first not shared before within the annals of our school.
Suspect that a few of those “long white pants” that you mentioned may have been soiled or become wet in the last stages/phases of this trip.
The name John, and your recollection/description of him, does seem to capture very well the person that I still remember,
George
-----------------------------------------------------------------.
Nigel Boos <nigelboos@gmail.com>
Shis,
I feel certain that the bus driver to whom you’re referring could be none other than “John”, the friendly, funny, popular chap who somehow always was involved with our MSB escapades.
On one really unusual occasion, perhaps around 1958 or ’59, there was an ongoing Oilfield Workers Trade Union strike in Trinidad which lasted a number of weeks, right into our annual “Summer” holidays.
The country had been brought to a standstill, and the roads were quite empty, because of the gasoline shortage.
I remember one businessman who rode a horse every day into his Port-of-Spain office.
But bicycles were out in number and somehow we survived.
Came the holidays, and our parents could not come to pick us up, again because of the gasoline problem,
So some brain at MSB came up with the solution:
He, of course with the approval of Fr. Abbot and Fr. Bernard, our Principal, had a galvanized iron hut built upon the trailer at the back of a well-used truck.
We were made to understand that in case of gunfire, the metal sides and roof might offer us some measure of protection and security.
Small peep-holes were cut into the walls, to provide access to air and also to allow us, who would be travelling inside the structure, to catch a glimpse of the countryside as we rolled on through.
It was a hot, nauseating experience, a little scary too, because we’d have to pass through the milling crowds of OWTU protestors who would have gathered, as they did every day, outside the main gates of the refinery. 
John, our driver, was in his element.
He became our hero as he drove the 30-or-so miles from MSB to our homes in Pointe-a-Pierre, and there we were, all dressed in our white long pants and maroon Abbey School blazers, relishing the excitement of the day. John decided to play “machismo’ with the locals.
Whenever he’d see in the distance a gathering of people, and there being no other vehicle in sight, he’d switch off the engine and we’d travel the short distance up to the onlookers.
As soon as we’d get alongside them, he’d switch on the engine again, causing a LOUD explosion of whatever gases had meanwhile collected somewhere in the engine, loud enough to cause an immediate reaction and fear among the folks, as they’d recoil and jump back from our vehicle.
This became a game for John, who enjoyed himself, seeing the general reactions, and propelling him every more into the memory of his Abbey School passengers.
As we approached the P-a-P refinery gates, yes, indeed, there was a great crowd of protesters.
But a secret arrangement seems to have been anticipated and arranged between the authorities at MSB and Texaco staff.
John had been made a party to this arrangement.
So, as we rounded the last corner before the main gate, he pressed the horn and continued pressing it, causing the crowd to step back in alarm and allowing him to drive right up to the gate, unchallenged.
At the same moment, the security guards inside the gate threw them wide open and he was able to drive through immediately, to the cheers of us boys.
I distinctly remember that incident, and being welcomed back home by my parents and siblings.
I cannot speak for anyone else, but I feel certain that many of the “South” boys would recall that trip on the back of the MSB truck.
I guess that perhaps Roger and Stuart Henderson, Mike, Geoffrey and Hamish Herrera, and perhaps a few others would have been part of that unusual trip back home.
Nigel
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
On Jul 25, 2019, at 7:14 AM,
GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net> wrote:
QUESTION:
What took place at this location every Wednesday afternoon during our school year?....
At least in my years there; 1956-1962. 
Not sure if it would be safe to do the same in the today’s 2019 “criminal” environment if the school still existed.
ANSWER
Did receive a number of interesting responses….but not the correct one.
Every Wednesday afternoon after lunch, our trusty MSB blue & white van/bus would sputter and take a number of boarders to POS. 
This would be arranged by our beloved Lionel Roberts.
The purpose was to allow us to visit a dentist, optometrist, dermatologist or some other medical specialist for a related treatment. 
The VW would drop us off at the base of Frederick Street and we would walk to our destination. 
Upon our return, at 4pm, we had to meet the VW at this specific location to go back to the Mount.
My reflection today takes me “BACK TO THE FUTURE” with this question: 
Would we be allowed to do this today?
In my case, I had to visit my dentist, Dr. Holder, whose office was across St Mary’s College. 
The first time that I did it was as a 10 year old “pagnol” having to take the route below to get there and back to the VW…..alone, unaccompanied….but confident and unafraid.
Granted, times were indeed significantly different from what they are today. 
I would take this Frederick Str. path on these occasions:
On the “Jorgito” side, I would ask Dr. Holder to “loan” me 2 Trini $ and put it on my account to be paid by my parents; he kept my secret and never divulged it.   
On the return from the Dr. Holder’s office, I would stop at a grocery store on Frederick Street which had a soda fountain. 
Would use the T$2 to buy a chocolate milkshake and a hamburger……YUM; plus some Smarties in the store. 
I do not remember the name of that grocery store but am sure that some of you remember its name and probably visited there too. 
Is it still there today?
Related Rumors: Heard that some of the more adventuresome senior boys would meet their girlfriends for a little kissing and cuddling during these POS trips…..
Jorgito, sadly, never had one in those 6 years!!!!!  ……
But there are some other related “passions and misadventures” to be related to any given donor when they contribute a minimum USA $35 donation to the ASAA’s Venezuelan alums-in-need fund. 
Why USA $35?:
To support one alum and his family for their food costs/expenses for 1 year.
REQUESTED RESPONSES:
Do you remember these “adventures”? 
Were you ever one of these patients?
Do you remember the name of our Mount driver who took us to POS? 
A very nice man whom we liked very much.
Were you one of these “Lotharios” meeting you girlfriend? 
The truth…..do no let your imagination go wild…and boast “falsely” of your conquests.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
27 feb 2019 glen mckoy
Our site has had its ups n downs last year we hope to pick up where we left off.
We dedicated so much to our Venezuelan assistance it took away some of our normal communications.
The highlight of last year is the older boys arrange and had a successful reunion without us the younger brothers for once that was great and hope it continues however we the younger ones must keep up the wonderful relationship we have established since Sir Ladislao Kertesz, Sir Nigel Boos& Sir Don Mitchell their hard work we must continue.
We are a strong old boys club.
So feel proud to be part of history.
One Luv One Brotherhood.
The last watch is gone Sir Fr. Augustine so we are it now.
We support and best wishes goes out to Sir Fr Abbot, keeper of our Castle.
Long Live The Mount..
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Crocker <chriscrocker@waitrose.com>
Mon 21/01/2019 10:55
Hi there,
I was at the Mount in the fifties in a class with among others:
Brian Goddard,
The Johnson bros. (Castries),
Pud (?),
The Galt bros.
I think and at least one de Verteuil........
Look forward to hearing from you
Chris Crocker.
------------------------------------------------------------------.
EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to be in the circular’s direct mailing list, need your financial help to offset cost in producing the Circular, it is 52 usd a year, Would like you to be in the group that will see the No. 1000.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Photos:
77UN0112SCOUTS, Scouts shirt
17LK7979FBTTA, Tilson Tang
16LK2058FBGRA, Gregory Ragoonan
12LK0916FBYALGRP, Yunus Ali






No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are enabled

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.