Circular No 624

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

Caracas, 19 October 2013 No. 624

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Dear Friends,

Do you like the photos that I annex every time I send out a Circular??

If yes, then please let us know about the UNKNOWNS, and data of your classmates if the photo contains a friend of yours.

Remember that memory fades, and at our age faster than normal, so, before it retires, please help us and place names on the faces.

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ROBERT DUMAS

23 May

Hi,

As I was thinking back of my days under PG

I began to think about my days at the Mount in a rather sober mood and just whimsically wondering why good times like those have to go by so quickly, thanks for memories and for persons like yourself who keep them alive.

Here are some of thoughts from one of my senior moments:

The shortcut with all those juicy thoughts. Whatever became of Tom?? I remember those soft drinks and snacks on a Saturday afternoon, Tom (if he took to you) would always ensure that your boots had a good 'dubbing' put on them so as to keep the leather pliable.

I also recall being there when the swimming pool was being built and being in awe looking down from the tennis courts at the opening of the pool: (1956)

And oh those long waits to see if Bro Vincent would allow us to walk back to the Abbey School the long way around, that was always the highlight on a Saturday, and my days as a proud St Francis member ( the best).

I was there also when they constructed the Seminary and the new Refectory (1961) (although I never had the pleasure to eat in it) I remember the bread and food fights at the old refectory, (old bell towers) we would get there via the steps under the dormitory pass the big boys room and tread carefully along a path on the side of the mountain, pass the woodwork shop where I got mount 'cedar' tops made.

When I was sent to the dorm by the library, I remember Prada was the big boy in charge of my dorm, what a great guy... and then there was Mr. Taliban, Fr Eugene, what a guy.

I was one of the first boarders he sent into the showers next to the basket ball courts cold as hell, but he took a pleasure in that fact I am sure,

Whatever became of Pancho and Swami Baby

Joe sat in front of me in Prep A at the time, then there was RugHead Fr Augustine hmmm/ever the serious guy and last but not least our favourite algebra teacher Mr Yip Chock I believe his name was,

He would appear out of nowhere on a Friday afternoon and enter Prep A, in which was the longest blackboard I have ever seen.

he would begin to write sums on the board and then proceed to climb the stairs of the 'pulpit' (form I) in the far corner of the class from which he would survey all and sundry, needless to say as he entered the class I would whip out my favourite too which was three pencils strapped together and begin to write my line...

The way of the transgressor is exceedingly difficulty indeed, indeed, indeed,

It happened every Friday that I would be given penance on Saturday.

I believe in the time I spent on the Mount I must have seen about 6 movies, penance like rain.

Have you any information about Stephen Malin Smith, Wayne O’Connor, David de Boehmbler these were some of the posse at the time which was the bane of Fr. 'Taliban' Eugene.

It was good to be allowed to have graced the hall of the Abbey School and to have the memories; maybe others can be encouraged to reminisce a bit,

The young ones do not know half of it

Thanx

Robert Dumas

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Re: MSB Old Boys Database April 12, 2009

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

Hi Robert,

Thanks for getting in touch.

I see that the e-address we have for you is correct, and I'm happy about that.

Your note has also given us one more name - that of Clement James - which we hadn't listed before, but I will now do so, as a result, so thanks!

What are you doing in 2009?

Where do you live and work or are you retired?

Have you a family?

Perhaps you could spend a few minutes, just to give us a brief summary of Robert Dereck Dumas, as I'm sure others would like to know a little about you too.

Happy Easter to you and yours.

Nigel 

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On 14-Apr-09, at 2:21 PM, ROBERT DUMAS wrote:

Hi Nigel,

Keep up the good work; I think you are doing a fantastic job...

The name is Robert G. Dumas,

I left MSB in Form 1 due to family reasons, my classmates at that time were

David de Boehmler,

Wayne O'connor ,

Stephen Malin-Smith

Clement James

Just to name a few around 1957/58 I believe...

I was an active member of St Francis House (we won almost everything) back then,

I know the guys from St Anthony would dispute that...

Whatever happened to Bro Vincent, the best sportsmaster MSB ever had, and Tom, our groundsman???

I remember you very clearly as a scout, marching in the band, you all made us very proud back then...

You may want to research Stephen Malin-Smith and Clement James both as far as I know live in T&T, Clement is the Communications office at ALUTRINT (tried to contact him with no luck)...

Keep up the good work, Nigel

Regards

Robert

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Announcement of the death of a prominent Caribbean man.

From: Nigel Boos  

Thanks for this information, Neil.

For some reason, I'd never heard of John Felix before this, as a student at MSB.

However, I've now added some information to the MSB OB database, from notes sent to me by Bandit and yourself, and I'm very thankful for them.

I know Lionel Roberts try well, and we have been frequently in touch with one another.

All your notes are interesting.

Nigel

The notes below, from a friend in Florida, Neil Espinet (not an OB of MSB) are in reference to JOHN FELIX, an Old Boy of MSB, who became a prominent Caribbean man in Florida.

John died a few days ago, and he will be sorely missed by the folks in Florida, among others.

May his soul rest in peace.

Nigel

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On 2013-08-26, at 12:57 PM, florita4@verizon.net wrote:

Don and Great POS GENTLEMAN Nigel.

I knew or got to know John Felix just about the same time as the Bandit De Castro.  He was involved in anything Caribbean, Trinidad and Maracas,

Nigel, John did go to Mt. St. Benedict, but he did so for only 3 years, in the late years when it was then acceptable for vast amounts of non-whites and boys from not wealthy or upper-class families.

Apparently this was the period nearing the end and the closing of the college.

It could have been the period of religious brothers I think Don Basil Mathew, and Brother Lionel Roberts, who is now married and was a brother later in Brazil.

Lionel is close to De Castro, and lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife Marlene.

I have heard John Felix ramble on about Mt. St. Benedict, its location, structure of buildings, etc many times.

Lionel Roberts is a short in height Negro, appox age 82 years old;

He was never mentioned by any of you guys so I as an outsider of the Mount never told you.

Contact Bandit on him,

As regards to John Felix, he accompanied me twice to Erica Williams-Connell functions.  He was a magic personality,

The Bandit and Felix went to all Caribbean carnivals in Florida.

John Felix was one hell of a friend to us both.

We will go to his funeral together.  John founded the Caribbean-American Cultural Association [CACANA ].  It can be found on Google ,

He was also prominent in the election and re-election of Trinidad-born, twice mayor of Orlando/Long wood, John Maingot.  He was a close friend of the Venezuelans – a descendant of settlers in the Maracas/Paramin region.  He was a gentleman, and a proud Caribbean man, involved in serious Caribbean issues in Florida.

John will be missed tremendously by the younger, born in America, children of immigrants from the West Indies, who live in Florida.

To find more on John Felix research under CACANA 

Thank you for thinking of this special person, not from an upper or rich family who laboured in the planting of cocoa, coffee, and bananas in the hills and back-woods of Paramin.

Bless you Nigel, and thank you from depths in my mind, memory and 16 years of a relationship with John Felix. 

Gracias y hasta luego amigo.  

Neil desmond espinet d' Caribbean - man ..........

John Felix 's e mail address;    caribbeanamericanculture@gmail.com  

Johnfelix@gmail.Com, 

(Bro Vincent / Lionel Roberts, has been invited many, many times to participate in the Circulars, but he has not been forthcoming to our request, Editor)

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On 08/26/13, Don Mitchell<idmitch@anguillanet.com> wrote:

I Googled his name and found this John Felix of Orlando: https://twitter.com/westindian2 

If any of you is on Twitter, you may be able to access his account and see if he is the right one.

Don

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From: Nigel Boos

Sent: Monday, August 26, 2013 11:39 AM

Subject: Announcement of the death of a prominent Caribbean man.

Bandit and Neil,

Thank you for this note.

I am sorry to hear of John's passing, but this is the first time I'd heard that there was ever a boy at MSB by this name.

I've added him into the database and indicated that he has died.

Is there anything at all that you can tell me about him, for inclusion in the dB?

For example, can you perhaps, make a guess as to the years he attended school at MSB?

One other thing - can you explain for me what he was prominent for?

I worked at Amoco for a number of years, and I'd been involved with hiring a John Felix who actually worked in the HR Department with me.

He was a fine man, and a friend of mine, but I do not recall him ever mentioning MSB to me.

Further, I never heard him speak about Paramin, even though I had personally done some PR work in those hills on behalf of Amoco, and he might have known about it.

By the way, do you know what he died of?

May he rest in peace.

Nigel

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On 2013-08-25, at 11:41 AM, david decastro wrote:

He was also a Mount Saint Benedict boy.

And a very good friend of mine--rest in peace—

'Bandit’

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Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 10:16:37 -0500

From: florita4@verizon.net

Announcement  ; death of John Felix ; Orlando Region ; Florida / USA .

August . 24th , 2013 ;

This sorrowful notification, is to inform you of the passing of an extremely generous and faithful Trinidadian, who was born and walked proudly out of the hillside and cocoa estate region of Paramin/Maracas Valley,

He must have seen and known the secrets of the 'sauta dou' spiritual flow current, of that region’s sand bar and the 'funge-current’, sometimes doubted spiritual flow of the Maracas Seas in the region offshore and opposite to the tiny town of Paramin, as this was a man unafraid to give his opinion about his home, his friends, that region, that gave a sacred honour and special gift to brave Caribbean men only who are blessed by the special saint of the village 'St. Joseph of the Valley

Go slowly Juan.    

Sincerely and positively,

Neil Desmond Espinet .

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Ladislao Kertesz at kertesz11@yahoo.com,

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Photos:

MSBAP15MI6512, Mount Inside

73WD45862FBB, Wbladimiro Diaz doing his thing

60AF0012AFRWORK, About school work, Andres Freytez

13LK7426GMILKE, George Mickiewicz and Ladislao Kertesz