Newsletter for past alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
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Dear Friends,
Here is news on school teachers Yip Chuck, Chow Fat, David Basanta, Marcus Kitty, Katz,
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Hi Specs:
Yes I was very much involved in the Scouts during my entire tenure at the Mount.
I forget the name of my patrol, but I made it all the way to Queen's Scout.
Unlike yours, my scout uniform is long gone, but I know I wouldn't fit in it anymore.
I was also a drummer in the School marching band for three years.
This came in handy later in college when I tried out as a drummer in a heavy metal rock garage band.
We called ourselves "Fly in the Ointment".
We didn't last long, but we had fun and we were very LOUD.
My house was St. Anthony (Red & White).
During my first few years at the Mount I competed in the Aqualads Swim team, won a few medals, but quit.
Later on, I wasn't very much into organised sports, preferring to go in the bush to hike, build dens, and hunt with my air rifle.
I remember hiding from Fr. Cuthbert and Fr. Bernard so they wouldn't order me to go down to the sports field, and I would sneak away with some friends into the bush behind the Refectory.
We would hike to visit my secret den to smoke, go bird hunting, catch tiny fish by the reservoir, eat raw the cocoa fruit, or climb up to the "White Stones."
Please keep me posted about the reunion plans for next year.
Attached are 2 some photos that are sure to bring some memories:
Let me know if you got them OK.
Maybe they can be included in a future circular (?)
Attila Gyuris
MSB 1964-1969
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From: Attila GYURIS [mailto:gyuris@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 6:56 PM
Hi Specs:
If you see Cecil Camacho, tell him I have his old Chemistry Book.!
[Michael D'Ornellas] I certainly will.
Is Mr. Basanta retired? I am sure he is, just asking.
Do you know if he did keep teaching at the
[Michael D'Ornellas] Yes, he worked to the very end and has retired.
So, who operated the projector when you got on the Black list and couldn't watch the movies? Or were you exempt?
[Michael D'Ornellas] As far as I can remember, I only missed about three nights over the seven years.
My assistant was Miguel Dvorak and later on, Glenn Evelyn.
To be honest I cannot remember ever getting black listed ,,, I know quite a few times I did not make the honors list.
By the way, if my memory is correct, I think you were a Scout.
My patrol was 'Parrots' and my house was St. Francis.
I still have my scout uniform, scarf, badges and everything.
When I get together with Fr. Cuthbert we still greet with the left hand shake .. just habit I guess ... he gets a kick out of that.
He was and still is my favourite at Mount, we were very close.
I try to visit him at least six times per year.
Merry Christmas and I hope Santa is good to you. :)
Thanks for all the updates and prompt answers.
You are a wealth of info.
Feliz Navidad
Attila Gyuris
MSB 1964-1969
PS; I understand that some group of old boys (not sure who they are ) are considering another Old Boys reunion next year at the Abbey. If this is in fact so, I will keep you posted. It will be great if you could make the trip .. it is usually held during August
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Michael D' Ornellas
Hi Attila,
Here are some answers to your questions.
I was told that David Narine died of cancer in
I cannot remember if he was head prefect.
You are correct, Yip chuck was a very heavy smoker .... I am not sure if he died of lung cancer.
No, I do not know what ever happened to Mr. Chow Fat
Basanta lived on
I will pass your regards to him and Miss Marcus.
When I see her next I will take some pictures and sent it to you.
Cecil Camacho is a prominent Lawyer here in
Yes, I operated the projector at Bennett's Hall for seven years and was responsible for ordering the movies.
I took over that position from Fr. Augustine ( RUG HEAD )
Have to run now ...... once again,
Merry Christmas.
Specs.
-----Original Message-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Attila GYURIS [mailto:gyuris@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 9:43 PM
Hi Specs:
Great update, thanks.
I too remember David Naraine, especially in the production "Hello Dolly" in which he was dressed as Dolly and a "Man for all Seasons".
Sorry to hear his passing.
What was the cause, do you know? Wasn't he a head prefect at one time? Either before or after
Don't remember anything about Ronald Torry, but the last name sounds vaguely familiar.
I didn't get to take Biology in Form IV and V, since it was either that or Physics.
Nobody couldn't take both due to schedule conflicts.
So I didn't get to have Mr.Yip Chuck, but I remember him.
He was a heavy smoker too wasn't he? Sorry to hear he died too.
Do you know what became of Mr. Chow Fat?
If you see Mr. Basanta, please give him my fond regards.
He was my Spanish teacher also, and probably of all of the other Venezuelans too, of course a cakewalk subject for us.
I think he used to live in a house Tunapuna village on the East side of the main road up to the Mount.
Same for Miss Marcus. Give her a hug for me.
She (along with Mr. Chow Fat) was my favourite teacher in Foms IV & V.
When you see her next, please tell her that her Chemistry classes (and especially her lab sessions in qualitative and quantitative analysis) influenced me the most into choosing my degree in Chemical Engineering.
Would you believe, in my library I still have that green "A New Certificate Chemistry" by Holderness & Lambert textbook that we used in class.
It is such an excellent book that I still refer to it occasionally, even though it was published over 40 years ago.
And I am the second owner too, because the first owner was Cecil Camacho, his name and some of his handwritten notes are in still in the inside pages of the book.
Thanks for the name of the piano teacher.
It still doesn't ring a bell.
Specs, besides your many talents as the class clown, and abstract art painter, weren't you one of the film projector operators for the Saturday night movies?
Peace and Merry Christmas to all,
Attila Gyuris
MSB 1964-1969
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Michael D' Ornellas
Dear Attila,
Thanks for this info.
I often wondered what had become of Lindsay.
I remember him quite well .. he was an extremely talented artist and painted many back drops for our plays.
I think Lindsay was connected with '
If I am correct, he was friendly with David Narine, who was very talented and was responsible for many grand productions at Bennett's hall.
Unfortunately, David passed away quite some time ago.
Another talented guy in that group was Ronald Torry .... I have no info on him.
Chow Fat was my Math teacher, he was an extremely good teacher.
I understand that his brain got the better of him.
Mr. Yip Chuck was my Biology teacher ( That was my favorite science subject ) He also was extremely good teacher.
He died of cancer about 15 years ago or longer ... he lived in
I made several visits to his home after I left the Mount.
Another teacher I see from time to time is Mr. David Basanta, he was my Spanish & English teacher.
Last year, I arranged an evening of Sacred Music at the
She had a wonderful time and is still bright as a button.
I am planning another some time in 2007.
I think your Piano teacher was Professor Katz ( not sure if spelt right ) He was Jewish.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Specs.
-----Original Message------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Attila GYURIS [mailto:gyuris@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 3:15 PM
Hello Lindsay:
Good to hear from you after all these years!
Yes, I agree with you, the Chinese teachers were the best and the strictest.
I also always wondered what became of Mr. Chow Fat.
I think he inspired me to get into engineering school.
---000---
Sooo...what kind of fine arts are you into?
Are you still playing the piano?
After leaving the Mount I never continued the lessons, since we didn't have a piano at home.
Sometimes I wish I had.
I can still play "chop-sticks" on the keyboards though,... and a pretty mean air-guitar!
Do you still remember the name of our piano teacher? I forget.
I think he was polish if I remember correctly.
Do you remember when he took us to a classical music concert once in Port-of-Spain.
I remember the concert was so good I fell fast asleep.
Attila Gyuris
MSB 1964-1969
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Lindsay John Moffat
Wow, great to make contact...
Yes I remember Mr. Chow Fat very well.
Your description is accurate.
I also remember him as a good teacher who could control the class with a focused look silence and more than a few throbbing of the muscles of his cheekbones!
Algebra was not by best subject but Biology was and it was taught by Mr. Yip Chock who was my favourite teacher of all.
In fact the Chinese teachers there were the best.
Will never forget them and by strange coincidence was recently thinking of them with affection and wondering what happened to then and indeed if they were still alive.
I can't remember the frogs legs jumping and I never learnt to spell!
Wondering who I am?
Though under the artistic name of Lindsay John now my full name: Lindsay John Moffat..................
Now living in
Wonder how this got through to me??
Always glad to hear from 'Mountainsiders' after all this time.
Keep in touch and regards to all.
Lindsay
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From: Attila GYURIS
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 14:47:29 -0800 (PST)
If I remember correctly, the skinny, chain-smoking, ping-pong playing Mr. Chow Fat was my Physics, Ordinary Math and Advanced Math class teacher in both Form IV and Form V.
I thought he was the best teacher of the bunch.
He was allergic to chalk dust and he constantly had to go to the infirmary to see the nurse for treatment.
One time he even had to use latex gloves to teach the class.
Somewhere in the MSB box I still have a copy of a letter of recommendation from him for my university applications.
Miss Kitty Marcus was our Chemistry teacher in both form IV and form V.
Attila
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Achong wrote:
Hi everyone ....
Andres: I believe Mr. Chow Fat was in the Chemistry class, though I may be wrong.
Also recall one of the Fathers in our science class doing the experiment with the headless bull frog suspended by a spring and jumping when electricity was applied. Was it Fr. Voosh?
See if we could get some help here....
Regards,
Stan
> ----- Original Message ---------------------------------------------------
From: Andres Larsen
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 11:18 AM
Hello Stanley and Jan:
A few questions on Mr. Chow Fat:
Was he our Biology or Chemistry teacher?
If I remember correctly he was an excellent ping pong player but also a chain smoker.
If someone would curse in class, or speak when not spoken to, he would say something like:
Go wash out your mouth with soap and water.
Was it in his Biology class that we used to make headless toads jump with electric jolts and was it there that we drowned stray cats in order to make arrow quivers out of their furry skins?
I remember there was a time when we all had this craze with bows and arrows.
Regards
Andrés Larsen
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So, now you have all the exchanges and photos.
That is it for now, till the next one
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Photos:
62LK0001FBVGRP, Fr. Bernard, Ladislao Kertesz, Yip Chuck
01LK0005LKEGRP, Ladislao Kertesz, Roberto Castelani, Roberto Bodington
57RB0004B7, Fr. Abbot, Adalbert van Duin
53KA0008SCOUTSBOOK, Kenneth Austin’s memoirs.
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