Caracas, 10 of August 2019 No. 927
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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??
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GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net>
Jul 25 at 10:23 AM
Thanks, Stuart.
Recall now that Juan may have spoken a
little “pagnol”,
George
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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..
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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.
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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.
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Photos:
77UN0112SCOUTS, Scouts
shirt
17LK7979FBTTA, Tilson
Tang
16LK2058FBGRA, Gregory
Ragoonan
12LK0916FBYALGRP, Yunus
Ali
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