Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad
and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 31 of July 2016 No. 769
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Dear
Friends,
A very
short note on the “pool”.
I arrived
at The Abbey School in September 1955, and there was no pool.
In the
area selected there was a flat ground and the scouts used it for their annual
rope and bamboo marvellous construction projects.
The last
one was a tower about 50 feet tall.
You can
browse through the blog to see the photos.
The pool
was constructed in 1956 and was to be inaugurated for the new fall term.
All
students were advised to learn to swim during the summer holidays.
The pool
effectively was ready to be filled during the month of September which was a
long process due to the shortage of water from the river during summer.
Behold,
when the pool was full, one side was about 6 to 8 inches lower than the other
lateral side. The physics teacher was consulted as to the phenomenon. His answer
was that standing water is always horizontal, even at Mount.
Fr.
Ildefonse was at his time doing practice measurements around the football field
aiming to master topography measurements and was placed in charge to review and
solve the problem.
The pool
was emptied and he placed the teodolite in the middle of the pool, after
levelling measurements this difference was noted and the lower side was
increase to make that side of the pool level.
The
contractor did the extension and before December the pool was inaugurated with
a competition.
Naturally
only after the green water was chlorinated and filtered, it was beautiful blue.
Those who
spent their time in the shallow end would notice that the bottom of the pool
was not level.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Father Harold
Imamshah <frharold12@gmail.com>
Apr 10 at 9:58 PM
Thanks Nigel;
a fantastic appreciation of the joys Fr. Benedict Voosh brought to so
many.
Thanks to Joe, thank you for your brilliant recognition of the
uniqueness of the Abbey School, Dutch model.
Hope we can reflect, on providing an alternative education, sometime
soon.
Fr. H
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On Apr 10, 2016, at 10:02 AM,
GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net>
wrote:
Hi
David,
Good to
hear from you.
Unfortunately,
after 54 years, my little computer brain has pretty much “deleted” the Trini
accent and talk.
I try
to read your columns but the Guardian no longer makes them available for us
foreigners for free.
Do miss
your words of wisdom.
As a
paediatrician, are you starting to see little ones with Zika related issues
that are being experienced by neighbouring Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil,
etc.?....a terrible virus.
Congratulations
on your weight loss…..noticed it from your current versus past photos in your
columns.
I do
envy you as it is a daily challenge for me and I am heading in the opposite
way.
Stay
healthy, mi hermano,
George
------------------------------------------------------------------.
From: David Bratt [mailto:dvd_bratt@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2016 8:20 AM
Subject: Re: The MSB Pool - Who Paid
for It?
Lovely to read that you remember that exceptionally
descriptive Trini expression, "yuh feeling meh up",
Mickiewicz............it's still in use............
Notice also Prada, Serrette, Date and me posing before
a football match (not sure what that has to do with the pool especially since
neither Manuel, Owen or myself were ever known to use the pool much), at 48
seconds into the clip.
Thanks.
Bratt
David E Bratt CMT, MD, MPH
Trinidad &
Tobago, West Indies
(868) 622 9146
Twitter: @docbrat1
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On 10 Apr 2016, at 8:09 AM,
GEORGE MICKIEWICZ <amickiew@att.net>
wrote:
Hi Folks,
(Perhaps an entry for the next circulars.)
When I first arrived at the mount in September
1956……there was no pool……..then……..
With the recent posting on FB of the pool video, I
remembered that our parents paid for it…..those of us attending the school at
the time it was built.
I remember Father Bernard asking us to write to our
parents to financially support this project.
A letter was sent to each parent requesting a donation
toward building the pool.
I remember my parents telling me that they contributed
to this project….but do not recall the amount that they gave.
Does anyone else remember this?
I also recall some kind of a fund raiser held at our
school…..but my memory is very foggy on the details…..a car raffle plus???
Thinking back, the project must have cost several tens
of thousands of T&T dollars to build and maintain.
It probably also resulted in a raise for the cost of
attending the school….but also made it more attractive to attend…..good strategy
by the monks.
All in all, the pool certainly added a significant
dimension that we all enjoyed very much….
it has been recognized by scores of entries in the
circulars, FB, e-mails and the media.
Some personal memories:
· If
you swam in the pool you did not have to shower
· Being
asked to swim when there were draughts
· Nearly
drowning by being pushed into the deep end by another boy….then being “saved”
by Juan Marini…..this event forced me to learn how to swim. Gracias
Juan por salvarme la vida!!!!
· Cannon
balls off the diving boards
· Trying
to swim underwater the length or breadth of the pool
· Never
winning any of the many races that I entered
· By
1962, for some reason, the pool attraction diminished….fewer boys swam….algae
built up and the water appeared as a dark green in the deep end due to the
algae
· At
some point after I left it appears that there was a “resurrection” and the
world renowned “Aqua Lads” were born!!!!!
· Do
regret not seeing a single bikini nor a single young lady taking a dip in our
pool…..had it happened……a riot would have probably resulted
· Last
but not least…..almost being expelled…..another boy falsely accused me to
Father Bernard of “feeling him up” in the pool…..I was talked to in the
office….my parents were informed……I prayed a lot……and, thank God, did survive
to graduate. The act involved the pushing, horse play, shoving and
dunking that we all did to one another in the pool.
Please share your memories so we can provide Ladislao some new material
for his circulars……thanks
May God bless us all and let’s stay healthy, safe and sound,
George Mickiewicz (Shis, Yury, 1956-1962)
PS – Those of you who are not in the MSB FB page, this is the recent
pool video reminiscence posted by Father Harold
http://www.cnc3.co.tt/sports/sport-insight-abby-swimming-pool
Thanks
for the memories, Father Harold
------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Nigel Boos <nigelboos@gmail.com>
Apr 10 at 5:58 PM
Just to add to the fun, here is a little story I’d put together in
honour of our dear old Fr. Benedict, “VOOOOOSH” to those of us who knew him.
I recall this piece only because of his unforgettable involvement with
the old swimming pool, and I thought you guys might also relate to some of what
I remember.
Enjoy.
Nigel read 765
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Father Harold Imamshah <frharold12@gmail.com>
Apr 10 at 9:33 AM
May the soul of Scipio Soodeen rest in Eternal Peace;
Today Winston Ramsahai had arranged to have Abbot John Perreira
celebrate a Mass with Abbey School alumni, this morning at the Abbey Church @
8:30am, now finishing, I guess;
This Mass for those deceased alumni, Staff and monks to be followed by a
Brunch at the Seminary with the monks.
I will remember Scope this evening at my 6pm Mass in Petit Valley.
Fr. Harold Imamshah
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
George
Mickiewicz <amickiew@att.net>
Apr 10 at 10:44 AM
Thanks for your reflections, Father Harold.
Greatly appreciated
George
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
Donald A
Goddard <dgodda1@lsu.edu>
Apr 10 at 11:11 AM
It's a situation similar to what happened in Venezuela: lousy
government, money gone, everything falls apart.
Result: no one responsible, no one to blame, and all that is left are
"good ole memories" about what it was like "in dem good ole
days."
Don G.
------------------------------------------
EDITED by LadislaoKertesz: kertesz11@yahoo.com, if you would
like to be in the circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you would like to
include.
----------------------------------------------
Photos:
35UN0001EDIMASB, library
15LK0684FBAFA, Anthony Farfan
64TF0012RFA, Richard Fakoory
12LK4153FBAZAWFE, Arturo Zavarce and wife
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