Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School,
Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas,
24 November 2016 No. 786
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,
Those of us who are worried about weight
loss and are above 70 years old, please watch this video on supplemental
protein choice.
Now down to business
Here are a few lines from a long lost Oldboy,
living in Caracas.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pal Kecskemeti <palkecskemeti@cantv.net>
wrote:
Hola Attila,
Estoy
leyendo tu mail sobre los hermanos Lew,
Bernard
es el nombre de Big-Nazi, hace unos años fui a Tunapuy a visitarlos, el papá de
ellos era el médico de ese pueblito, conseguí a varias personas algo mayores
que lo recordaban.
Se fueron
de Tunapuy y creo que ahora viven en USA.
Tienes
razón "Tucu" era tremendo entrenador, a veces formaba peos y con
razón, aprendimos mucho de él en todas las modalidades deportivas.
Me
acuerdo que nos daban tiempo libre durante los afternoon study hours para las
practicas de basket (Para la envidia de los demás) pero dio resultado, les
ganamos a los eternos rivales de St. Mary's.
Saludos, Pál
---------------------------------------------------------.
Let me help you out, here is the English Google
translation:
I'm reading your mail about the Lew brothers.
Bernard is the name of Big-Nazi.
A few years ago I went to Tunapuy to visit them. Their father was the doctor of that village. I got several older people who remembered
him.
They left Tunapuy and I think they now live in the USA.
You're right "Tucu" was a tremendous coach. Sometimes he was poking and rightly so. We learned a lot from him in all sports. I remember that we were given free time during
the afternoon study hours for the practice of basketball (for the envy of
others). But it worked. We beat the eternal rivals of St. Mary's.
-------------------------------------------------------.
WIKIPEDIA 27 November 2016
History
The school was built in late thirties and
started in 1941.
The
"boys", as those attending this boarding school were called, came
mostly from Trinidad.
Most
were boarders but a dozen or so lived at home and were bused daily to attend
classes.
Other
boarders came from the Caribbean region.
Venezuela, Colombia, British and Dutch Guyanas, Barbados, Curacao, Martinique, Guadalupe, Dominica.
The
administration and teachers were primarily monks from the monastery.
As
time passed the number of non-monk and lay teachers increased.
There
were 7 grade levels; Preps A&B, Forms I to V.
The
school followed the British education system.
It
followed a calendar year schedule till 1963 when it changed to a fiscal year
from September to June.
Sports
played an important activity in the daily life of the students: football,
cricket, basketball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis.
The
entire school was divided into three groups named St Anthony, St Lawrence and
St Francis; within each group there were 3 divisions with different age groups.
The
Abbey School competed in cricket, football, tennis, basketball and swimming
with other schools in and outside Trinidad.
Scouting
was another major activity in which a large number of boys participated in.
Two
major additions were made to the school in the late 1960s: an Olympic size pool
and a refectory.
The
second floor of the refectory was an assembly hall where movies were shown
every Saturday night, plays acted out, dances held, music shows presented by
talented students.
The
pool presented a new opportunity for students to enjoy their free time.
It led
to the creation of the Aqua Lads swimming team which became a competitive force
in Trinidad and the Caribbean area.[1]
The
Black Power revolution that took place in Trinidad in 1970 had a negative
impact on attracting new students from the other islands and countries.
Financial
challenges began to appear in the 1970s as the Caribbean area economy began to
face serious inflation related issues.
By the
1980s the large number of Venezuelan boarders were reduced to only a handful.
There
were still about approximately 40–50 boarders and the Monastic Community was at
pains to find ways to keep the school open for the 100 or so boys.
A
temporary solution was to employ more monk teachers and pay out less in
salaries.
This
only worked for a short time and the school was closed at the end of the 1986
school year due to financial challenges.[citation needed]
It is
estimated that around 2000 boys or so were privileged to attend the Abbey
School through its lifetime.[2]
(You can
join the experiment, EDITOR)
----------------------------------------------------------.
Nigel P. Boos <nigelboos@eagles-wings.ca>
Monday,
August 13, 2007 7:00:44 PM
I didn't know
Pascal, but he must have gone to the Abbey School years after we did. Anyway,
God rest his soul - he's gone ahead to glory. Let's keep him in our prayers.
Nigel
---------------------------------------------------------------------.
Hello Neil,
What a shock,
I was taken by surprise when I read this, about Pascal.
He was a very good friend for many years, he was the technician
in our band,
He lived up in Cascade with Jimmy Samaroo and Allan Juman,
We used to hang out up there during the summer holidays, playing
rock music like Hendrix, Santana, etc.
Pascal always had time for a brother from the Mount,
He will be missed by all the brothers who knew Pascal, our
prayers are with his family at this time.
Glen and Hudson
McKoy......
------------------------------------------------------------.
From: nchacha57@aol.com
Date:
Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:16:40 -0400
Glen,
I just got a call
from Winston Ramsahai,
Pascal Bharat died
over the weekend and will be cremated tomorrow in Trinidad.
---------------------------------------------------------------.
Date:
Mon, 20 Aug 2007 05:48:12 -0700
From: infosanpedro@yahoo.com
Greetings Salvador,
Pascal’s cause of death was depressing, (Dehydration &
Hunger)
There were about 10 guys and Mrs Faria in attendance,
A suggestion was made that The Abbey old boys register an NGO
with a vision to assist those who fell through the cracks.
In Trinidad there are available financial resources from the
state and private oil companies for such humanitarian needs.
We understand that there are about 6-10 guys in dire need.
Let’s pray about it.
I met Fr Cutty at the supermarket and he sent his regards.
Regards
Winston
--------------------------------------------------------------------.
Salvador
Coscarart <salborbolla@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hello Winston,
How are you doing, long time don't hear from you.
Where are you living now?
Neil told me you were in Tobago building condos.
Anyway take care and God bless.
I heard about Pascal Baralt.
Sorry to hear about but God needed him over there with him so
that’s life and we all are going there sooner or later.
Bye, best wishes.
Abbeyboy for ever.
Adios, amigo.
---------------------------------------------------------------.
The following information 2003 was received
from the coordinator of the MSBC Reunion.
The Abbey School is finally going to have a
formal event!!!.
Sorry for the delay in informing you, but better
late than never.
From: GON1210@aol.com
To: ladislaokertesz@hotmail.com
Date:
Fri,
18 Jul 2003 13:33:55 EDT
RE: Msbc
Reunion Annoucement.
Miguel
Gonzalez MSBC 1985
I don't know who the
informant is, but the idea of the reunion being an invitation only is not true.
Of course, you have to be a past student of the Abbey to attend. Please find
attached the information regarding the reunion.
The price of the tickets has been dropped to $350.TT in
order to encourage more past students to attend.
If you have any questions you can call us at the numbers list in
the attached letter.
Miguel Gonzalez
-----------------------------------------------------------
REMEMBER – WE COULD DO IT IN THE PAST
MOUNT St. BENEDICT COLLEGE
THE ABBEY BOYS
1º SCHOOL REUNION
15TH & 17TH of
AUGUST 2003.
April 26, 2003.
To all former members of MSBC
We, The Abbey Boys Committee will like to
announce the 1º School Reunion. As most of you have already heard the reunion
will be a two-day event held in TRINIDAD ON FRIDAY 15TH AND
SUNDAY 17TH OF AUGUST 2003.
Friday the 15th will be our dinner and dance event held at
the Centre of Excellence in Trinidad at 7pm., this will be a formal
function where by most of then old boys, teachers and other staff members would
be meeting for the first time since the school closed in July 1985 or since
they graduated. We will have a mini show presented by past students giving
speeches, jokes of the pasts to juggle our memories or just some good “ol talk”
as Trinis will say, we may even have some surprises. We invite anyone of you
that would like to give a short speech to contact us in advance. So let us all
get together to celebrate this Grand Reunion!.
Sunday the 17th will be a family/Sports day held at the
sports facility grounds up at Mount (just like the good old days) at 12 noon.
At this function, we will have activities for everyone to participate both
young and old. We will also have football games so that you can show how good
you are or use to be. So don’t forget your sport gear.
It will be a “bring your cooler” event but
we will supply the all the food.
Tickets are $450.00 TT per person. This
price includes food and beverages for the dinner & dance and food for the
second day. All US and Canada residents please pay the equivalent of US dollars
75.oo.
Note: All tickets must be purchased by June
30, 2003.
Tickets can be purchased at the following
contacts.
Trinidad and Tobago
Mount St. Benedict – (868) 662-5286 or
662-2259
Ask for:
Abbot Francis, Francis Pereira (Kaki) or
Maxim DeCommonmond
Email: MSBC85@aol.com
Robert O’Connell - (868) 625-4213, 663-2671
or cell 754-2187
Leonard Abbott - (868) 692-3135 or cell
763-7073
Kerry Castillo - (868) 682-9940, 637-3634 or
FAX 632-3473
Aaron Chin-Albert - (868) 667-8839 or cell
678-0696
Avalon Kalloo - (868) 640-2462 or cell
768-8372
Alex Almandoz - (868) 652-3466 or cell 680-1538
Mr. Alex Almandoz, a Trinidadian with 26
years of experience in the oil and gas industry and owner of Altech Services
Limited, a local rig service company, has been appointed as LGO's Country
Manager in Trinidad and will be directly responsible for all LGO activities.
Miguel Gonzalez - (310) 534-0025, 534-8856 or cell 720-7907, FAX
534-0048
Email: gon1210@aol.com or msbc85@aol.com
Barry Raeburn - (908) 591-5918
Email: johnrae1@hotmail.com or johnrae1@yahoo.com
Even though the word of this Grand Reunion
has spread, we are still searching for those past students we haven’t been able
to contact. Those of you who may know or have information of a classmate that
hasn’t been contacted, please give any of the above contacts the information so
we may contact that person(s). We appreciate any help in this search.
We look forward to seeing everyone at the
Grand and Memorable event.
------------------------------------------
EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz, 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:
15LK5763FBDAL,
Damian Ali
72LK9750FBTFE,
Terrence Ferreira
14LK0006FBRLA,
Roland Lambkin
14LK7397FBDPHWFE,
Derek Philipps and Wife
