Circular No 1063

 

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 1 August 2022. No. 1063

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Dear Friends,

Here are the new pictures of the New 2022 pool

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Attila GYURIS <gyuris@yahoo.com>

Sat, Jun 18 at 5:39 PM

Yes, thank you Nigel for all you have done also, and may God bless you with a full recovery.

Attila Gyuris

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Attila GYURIS <gyuris@yahoo.com>

Sat, Jun 18 at 5:35 PM

So glad to hear the pool didn't go to waste!

From the photos a few years ago, it was in a sorry state of abandonment.

I remember that pool very well.  I was a member of the Aqualads Swim team from 1964 to 1967.

My strong styles were Breast-stroke and Butterfly. 

I was there every afternoon 7 days a week for 3 years, either training for competitions, or just "skylarking" around, jumping from the high trampoline, or pushing other boys into the pool and wrestling underwater when Fr. Rupert wasn't looking.

It was always a lot of fun.

During my tenure in the Aqualads Team we didn't have any "Aqualasses" yet (unfortunately)... but we went to several swim meets mainly to POS, especially at the Hilton Hotel pool, but a few in other cities within Trinidad.

At that time, we never got to go foreign to compete.

I remember our main rival was always the CIC-St Mary's School.

After 1967 I dropped out of the Aqualads to concentrate on Scouting activities and the Marching Band.

Attila Gyuris

AS-MSB 1964-1969

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Jan Koenraadt <jankoenraadt@casema.nl>

Sat, Jun 18 at 6:32 PM

Dear you all,

My last email I tried to transport it from an email provider to Gmail on my smartphone.

I had to copy and paste all the email addresses from one to the other.

I forgot to fill in the Subject and I made a lot of typing mistakes on the tiny screen of my big smartphone.

I probably convinced you guys that my old age time has come and the typing ain't working anymore.

But that's not the case, just not having the day.

So now I have to try and convince otherwise . . . :-)

Many thanks to all the guys, Ladislao, Don Mitchel and Nigel Boos and many others, for all the efforts to bring up this alumni thing.

I truly enjoyed it.

Yeah, the swimming pool brings up a lot of memories.

One day I dived deep and I found one of the two marbles that were stolen from my locker.

I say marbles, but they were large round balls of metal, from the ball bearings of a large truck or so.

They were very special.

So I screamed in the dormitory when I discovered that they were stolen.

The prefect didn't care when I reported the theft.

Instead, he reported me for the blacklist for talking in the dormitory.

That I heard on the Friday evening at suppertime.

And father Theo picked me out to be the first "guinney pig" to go to his new founded court with a judge and lawyers, some old boys.

The judge only barked at me, the lawyer only spoke to me for a minute, I hardly grasped what I was accused of, and I got four weeks to write lines in the study every afternoon.

At summer my parents were not in the understanding mood of what happened at Mount, but on occasion my dad decided to put me on the newly founded school in Paramaribo which gave access to the university in the Netherlands.

So I didn't come back to Mount after that summer and father Theo never saw me again.

It happened because I asked my dad should I apply for Form V A-level of B-level.

Then my brother Gerard intervened and he explained my dad that there was this new school in Paramaribo . . .

In form 1, that was 1963-1964, I often used to go to the swimming pool in the afternoon.

One day brother Rupert took notice of me and started to give me the first lessons in competitive swimming.

I enjoyed the attention.

I was one class before the class where the Aqualads started.

I learned a lot in swimming and doing competitions.

How to make the fast turn at the end of the lane.

Never forgot it the rest of my life, showing it to my sons.

One day there was a course in rescue swimming and I joined and finished the course.

I got a medal and badge for it.

During competition there was this Venezuelan guy Scanone in my class.

He was born fat, he couldn't help it.

But he sure fought to be part of the gang.

And in swimming we all thought he was chanceless.

But what happened, he developed the butterfly stroke and became quite good at it, winning for his team.

We were not pro's yet, but a year later the Aqualads came and they became pro's I think.

I missed out on that one.

I learned there to swim under water, once I made it three times the length of the pool.

But then I was explained it was quite dangerous what I did, I should never do it without anybody watching me.

So I stopped.

There was a dressing room in the back, but it was also the place you could do weightlifting.

Some guys did a lot of workouts and were like bodybuilders and tried to show me.

But you need to do so much before you grow any muscles and eat lettuce all the time, I didn't like it so much.

Watching other guys, I learned how to make professional jumps from the high diving boards, how to not fall on your belly or back and so.

In the end I wasn't afraid to make a long run and a big jump from the tip of the board so it would bend deep, and do a salto.

In the extension of that I could make the salto out of a handstand from the edge of the pool.

But one time I fell on my back on the concrete edge and quit doing that.

Yeah, like Attila Gyuris, I am happy to see the pool is renovated and back in working order.

As long as people keep using it, it will stay in good order.

Everybody be well and best wishes for Nigel Boos!

Greetings Jan Koenraadt

MSB '63-'67

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...13 OCT 2009-11-01

From: Attila GYURIS <gyuris@yahoo.com> 

Nigel:

I think you got it, #1 is Gordon Micthell. 

I can't remember for certain if Ladislao Grossman was # 5, but if you think so, it must be.

I am sure Pablo. Kecskemeti or Gordon would remember and verify.

So :

#1 is Gordon Mitchell was the Aqualads team captain, holding the flag.

and # 5 is Ladislao Grossman.

Any others that are missing?

Attila Gyuris

1964-1969

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From: Nigel P. Boos <nigelboos@eagles-wings.ca>

Attila,

1.         Would the chap holding the flag (#1) be Gordon Mitchell?

2.         Would Grossman's name, by any chance, be Ladislao?

3.         Acc. to my records, Wally Gillezau died in 1971. R.I.P.

Nigel P. Boos

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On 2009-10-11, at 11:39 PM, Attila GYURIS wrote:

Dear Salah;

I remember Wally Gillizau.

Sorry to hear about his death.

How and when did he die?

He was a swimmer in the Aqualads Swim Team.

Attached is a photo of the Aqualads competition swimmers line-up as of School year 1964-1965 apparently singing something.

This photo was taken sometime in early 1965.

 ... Wally is #9 from the left of the photo (from the Flag end) with the bent left knee.

He is standing between Dennis Gurley on his right and Michael Torry on his left. 

BTW, I am # 13 from the left side of the photo, standing between Kumar on my right and Josh Shoemaker on my left.

Some of the names on this photo, starting from the left (flag) side:

#1:  ?  Gordon...(the boy holding the Flag)

#2  Pablo Kecskemeti (in the white shirt)

#3  ??  (an American guy)

#4  ??

#5  ? Grossman

#6  Alberto Ache

#7  Bernard Lange

#8  Dennis Gurley

#9  Wally Gillizau

#10  Michael Torry

#11  Roderick Smith

#12  ?  Kumar

#13  Attila Gyuris (me)

#14  Josh Schoemaker

#15  ??

#16  Phillip Tetzelli

Maybe you or somebody can fill in or verify some of the missing names.

To answer your question, I live in Southern California.

I have been living here since 1978, with as few breaks here and there for job related moves (I have lived for relatively short stints in TX, NY, GA, FL, but I always end up back here).

So I guess this is home for now.  

I have been here in SoCal steadily since 1986.

I saw the pictures of you guys with Salvador Coscarat in Montreal.

Over the years I have spoken with him a few times on the phone.

He lives over in Lousiana.

People from Lousiana are affectionately called "coon-asses". 

Regards,

A.T.

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From: Salah Wilson <sal_wils@hotmail.com>
Date: Sunday, October 11, 2009, 8:24 AM

I recognize a few people whom I have forgotten by name...

The Chinese looking guy with the sunglasses seems to be another of my long time (elementary school) friend named Franklin Chin,

I also see someone like Neville Tenia.

I also recognize Roger Farah.

I just got a couple of other emails one is from Ian Gomes, and another from Roger Gillezeau ...

Roger was in a bigger form than me but his brother Wally (who passed on R.I.P.) was in my class.....

Atilla, are you living in Trinidad?..................

This year at my home in Montreal I had a visit from Salvator Coscarat.  He came to my Steelpan school in Montreal with another friend who lives there, Angel Da Silva.

I will still be in Trinidad for a few weeks more taking care of some business...so we stay in touch.

Salah

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Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 13:46:24 -0700
From: gyuris@yahoo.com

Good one...Which one is Tony Cedeño? .... now he sounds familiar.

Attila Gyuris

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From: Salah Wilson sal_wils@hotmail.com

Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 9:41 AM

Yes, I was right, I remember you ...

I will show the pictures to my Mom.

In the tug of War photo, I am happy to see my good friend Tony Cedeno ..

he lived near the playing field up the hill.

He passed on in 1991 may he rest in peace....

Good memories...thanks...will dig up what I can find and send it also

Regards

Salah (Willy)

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From: Salah Wilson sal_wils@hotmail.com

Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 6:45 AM

That's correct Willy short for Wilson...

My Mom sends her kindest regards to you after I read her your email thanks again 

I am trying to put a face to your name 

I remember your name and i am thinking of someone who could be you ...but we will stay in touch...where do you live now

Salah

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Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 20:37:48 -0700

From: gyuris@yahoo.com

Thanks... I think you were Wilson or Willie back then, right?

Attila

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From: Salah Wilson sal_wils@hotmail.com

Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2009, 3:15 PM

Greetings, Attila,

That is so good of you to remember my Mom, I am taking the email and read it to her after I reply to you.

My name was not Salah when I attended the Mount but we were there together during that great experience I was there from (1963-1970).

I am trying to put your face together.

I am presently in Trinidad visiting my Mom and I just visited the playing field last Sunday to watch a local village game and I met Brother Rupert (after 39 years).

The memories are so great that this connection with the 'Old Boys' is something that I believe everyone cherishes, thank you again,

I have started a project with the 'Old Boys'.

I will let you know about it in my next reply to you ...

You may use my hot mail address while I am in Trinidad. ....

Got to go and read your email to my Mom..

She is now 90 yrs but well aware.

Take care and stay good

Salah

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to subscribe for a whole year and be in the circular’s mailing list or if you would like to mention any old boy that you would like to include, write to me.

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Photo:

55HH0019ENGLISHp10,

65AG0003AQUALADS, aqualads 1965

22UN0327SWIMMING, the renovated pool

22UN0035SWIMMING, the renovated pool