Newsletter for past alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
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Dear Friends,
I am extremely sorry if this Circular that I am sending out today might affect the status quo, that exists between the Association promoters and the Monastery’s leader.
But at least something is going to happen after you read this Circular.
Sorry Joe, but I perceive no forward movement, and our dreams are being fooled.
I was at several meetings with the purpose of forming the Association.
That was in May, and four months have passed without any visible results and not only that, but I foresee no visible result, if we keep working in a pussyfooting manner.
Why, because the impetus we had at the beginning of the year has been lost, yes, we have lost our North and have spent undue energy to admit that we have lost it.
I presume that it was not planned this way, but at this time there is not enough energy to get up from our chair and jump the next hurdle.
Maybe it is not an obstacle, but we have made it into an obstacle by not finding a way out.
In all venues there are obstacles and the most difficult to overcome are not those posed by Nature but those set up by individuals.
We have not been lucky in the pursuit of our goal because we believe that the road we were taking was the correct and more elegant one and least difficult, but no way, forget the gentleman’s way or forget the idea of an Association being set up in TRINDAD.
If we do not take measures to restart and finish, we shall be as guilty as those that are past and did not do anything when it was their time.
PART II shall appear in CIRCULAR No. 415 and so on, every month we shall keep track of the results so that the idea does not die.
Now back to our Circular.
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ASAA Committee Meeting
Monday, July 20, 2009 4:50:14 P
From: Nigel P. Boos
Arthur,
Thanks for your input and opinion.
As the original founder of the Old Boys Association (albeit under a somewhat different name), I believe that you have a prior right to be heard, and I am therefore forwarding your email to the existing committee for their kind consideration.
I am very much in favour of two representatives of the Association meeting and talking with Fr. Abbot, to understand his hesitation in approving the use of the name "Abbey School
God bless you.
Nigel P. Boos
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RE: ASAA Committee Meeting (12th July 09) Results PLUS.
From: Art & Val Knaggs (av_knaggs@hotmail.com)
Sent: Mon 7/20/09 7:15 PM
Nigel,
Many moons ago I Invited and Chaired the Group of Old Mount Guys to form our association, which has progressed beautifully all these years, and I marvel at the "Torch Bearers".
Actually, I disagree with many of the shattering (very un-Christian) words expressed in Hudson´s letter, and strongly condone any of the three proposals of the ASAA Com.
Jesus died because so many of us cried 'Crusify Him'.
His reply, "Forgive them for they know not what they do."
A voice in the wilderness!
Art
-----Original Message-----------------------------------------------------
From: Nigel P. Boos <nigelboos@eagles-wings.ca>
Sent: Wed, Jul 15, 2009 4:38 pm
Subject: ASAA Committee Meeting (12th July 09) Results PLUS.
Thanks for the update, Chris.
I believe that talking to Fr. Abbot is the very best thing that can be done.
Did any discussion take place re: the money still being held at Royal Bank here in Ontario
Thanks again.
Nigel
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MSB Old Boys (!) Committee Meeting Sun 14th June 09.
From: Nigel P. Boos
Chris,
I would appreciate if the Committee would please discuss the disposition of funds collected on behalf of Kitty Marcus and donated by some of the Old Boys.
Hudson McKoy and I are the signatories to this account, and I would hope that by now some decision could be made by the ASAA Mgt Team as to what should be done to honour the old lady.
Thanks.
Nigel
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On 15-Jul-09, at 2:34 PM, Chris Knowles wrote:
Gentlemen,
At our meeting on Sunday last it was decided that I should contact Dennis Gurley with the following alternative names:
2. Mount Old
3. Mount Alumni
This has been passed on.
Meanwhile, Dennis advised me by phone that he and Peter Tang will be meeting soon with the Abbot, and I am hopeful that we may get somewhere with our original Association name choice.
As a result we will have to wait a while until we get feedback.
In anticipation,
Chris.
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PLEASE LOOK AT THE ATTACHMENT AT THE END OF THIS CIRCULAR FOR THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO FR. ABBOT FOR HIS SIGNATURE AND HIS UNFAVOURABLE REPLY:
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 8:58 AM
Dear Che Che and other Old Boys;
Please find attached (for your information) the exchange of correspondence with Fr. Abbot concerning the use of the “Abbey School
Regards,
Dennis
As you have noticed, the steps and formalities were conducted in a straight forward and legal manner.
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MSB Old Boys (!) Committee Meeting Sun 14th June 09.
From: Nigel P. Boos
Chris,
I would appreciate if the Committee would please discuss the disposition of funds collected on behalf of Kitty Marcus and donated by some of the Old Boys.
Hudson McKoy and I are the signatories to this account, and I would hope that by now some decision could be made by the ASAA Mgt Team as to what should be done to honour the old lady.
Thanks.
Nigel
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MSB Old Boys (!) Committee Meeting Sun 14th June 09.
From: Don Mitchell CBE QC
Sorry, I can't be there. I have a couple of suggestions re name.
If the initials "MSB" won't work, how about "Prison on the Hill", the title of our school song back in the 1950s and 1960s?
How did the problem with name come up?
Did you get a lawyer's letter?
Or, was it just a word of mouth objection?
Word of mouth, as you probably know, is not worth the paper it is written on.
Hopefully, you will let us have a report on Ladislao's visit that he can publish.
I have no idea what happened.
No doubt, he will publish something from his point of view, but it would be doubly interesting to see the Trinidad point of view.
Don
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On 5-Jun-09, at 3:18 PM, Chris Knowles wrote:
Gentlemen,
A committee meeting is proposed for 7.30pm Sunday June 14th in the Members lounge at the Queens Park Cricket Club, Elizabeth Street , Port of Spain
The Agenda is 1. To discuss the Association name,
2. To Discuss matters arising from Ladislao's recent visit, incuding Association publicity etc.
3. Any other matters.
Item One is occasioned by difficulties in obtaining permission to use 'Abbey School
There is a Cricket Festival during this month at the Oval, and parking inside the car park may be a problem, so street parking may be necessary. However, I think that by 7pm (on a Sunday) things may be over owing to impending work on Monday!
When you get there call me on 345 7987 so I can direct you if necessary.
I would appreciate a response so I know who will be there (or not).
See you there,
Chris.
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On Jun 29, 2009, at 4:42 PM, "Don Mitchell CBE QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com> wrote:
Hello Old Boys,
Since I now understand that the principal obstacle is the refusal of the Registrar of Companies to permit the name, I recognise that there is no way around it, having once served as a Registrar of Companies myself.
May I suggest "Escapees from the Prison on the Hill", for those of you who remember the old school song.
Alternatively, and as a second choice only, if Trinidad permits letters and numbers to form the name of a company, as Anguilla does, how about the acronyms "ASOBA" or "MSBOBA"? We would know what the word means, which is all that is important.
Regards,
Don
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De: Nigel P. Boos [mailto:nigelboos@eagles-wings.ca]
Enviado el: Martes, Junio de 2009 03:17 p.m.
Dear Peter,
I believe that this is the correct way to go.
Have a chat with Fr. Abbot and find out, from his point of view, what the problem is, with the use of the name "The Abbey School Old Boy's Association" or "The Abbey School Alumni Association", or whatever.
It appears to me that Fr. Abbot seems to have either heard of or witnessed something which has turned him off re. our group.
We need to get that straightened out.
I find it difficult to understand why he does not respond to my very few emails which I have sent him, with strong suggestions for the benefit of the MSB community. Perhaps I do not have the correct email address for him.
The one I have is: jaebp@hotmail.com.
Perhaps you could ask him to confirm his email address for me?
Good luck. Enjoy the chat.
Nigel
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Monday, June 29, 2009 10:53 PM
From: "Don Mitchell CBE QC" idmitch@anguillanet.com
Sure, an excellent suggestion.
Don
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History Questions about the Old Boys Association
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 7:21:20 PM
From: Nigel P. Boos
And thank you too, Arthur, for your most wonderful contribution over the years, towards the Mount St. Benedict Old Boys as a group. I'm sure you must be happy to see how the whole thing is working out today, and the interest that is being shown by everyone, in reminiscing about the past, good old days at the Abbey School
Might I ask you to do something for us? We need to know something about the history of the Old Boys Association, ever since you started it back in whenever. Why you did, what you did, when you did, how you did, where you did, etc.
And what was OASIS all about (what did OASIS really mean, anyway?)
Who took over the running of the Association after you? Was it Duncan Ferguson? Was it Trevor Soodeen? I'm getting information from so many sources that I'd like to hear it from you yourself, to settle the issue.
I know that there was also a President's Trophy awarded to the boy who most wonderfully reflected the values of the Abbey School
I do remember that one year I was asked (did you ask me?) to become the President of the Association and my reluctant response was that I was too busy or some such, but nevertheless, I had to drive up the hill to the old school on "Prize Giving Day" to present the President's Award. After that I promptly left TT for some other country and never went back for many years.
Some help in understanding the development of the history would be very welcome.
Thanks, Arthur, and keep well. Love to Val and the kids.
Nigel
Now to the photos
Regards
Ladislao Kertesz, kertesz11@yahoo.com
So now you have all the exchanges and photos.
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09LK1765VISITTTASS, Doing legal paperwork.
09LK1763VISITTTASS, Peter Sammy and Christopher Knowles
Doc on correspondence with the Abbot in PDF file.
08UN0384ESMERALDAGRP, Definitive names to the photo.
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