Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 3 December 2011 No.526
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Dear Friends
Start with the following music.
Here is an interesting message from Glen:
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Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2011 7:11 PM
Thank you Ladislao, very interesting what will happen for 2012, best regards Glen.
(Does anyone know anything on the celebration????, editor)
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FROM: Hans Hermans
Sunday, December 11, 2011 9:01 P
Hi again;
I’ll begin by trying to remember some names:
Chris & Hugh(?) Henderson [I think they were both in my class and lived in San Fernando ]
Anthony ? [Father had clothing store I think in PoS]
(Somewhere I must still have a picture of our soccer team, but can’t find it right now)
Teachers:
Fr. Chrysistom – Latin
Fr. Ildefons – Geography
Br. Vincent – Sports and general discipline
Br. Gabriel – building
Br. Bruno – chicken farm
Fr. Augustine – did not teach at the time, but I played violin with him (Mr. Katz music teacher)
Fr. Benedict – think I did bookbinding with him but may have wrong name
Fr. Paul – Physics & Math
Fr. Bernard – English
Fr. Francis – just a friendly monk, don’t think he taught at that time.
I’ll include a few of the pictures for now:
17= Br. Bruno
15=Abbot van Duin
13= taken around 1952 visit of ? with most of community. (I can identify several if needed)
4=mass at soccer field. Occasion of 40th? Anniversary.
Don’t dare to send more this time.
Hans
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From: ladislao kertesz [mailto:kertesz12@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 8:03 PM
Dear Hans
All photos are welcome.
The abbey is not releasing Fr. Benedict’s photo collection, so we must rely in your help.
Thank you for the info, please give me the names of the classmates, as many as you remember
Also info on the teachers, mathematics?? language??
I know that time has taken its toll but we need your help
I graduated in 1960 so we are not that far off.
You must remember Csaba Jakobszen he graduated in 1957.
God Bless
LAdislao
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Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 7:23 PM
Hi Ladislao;
Thanks for replying. I do live in the US since 1955.
Below is a short CV.
I have several pictures from the Abbey days.
Any interest in them?
Hans Hermans
1611 Stephens Dr.
Wayne, PA 19087
I attended the Abbey School from 1951 to 1955.
At the time, my parents lived in Curacao.
After graduating (Cambridge University still gave the exams and I still have some of the questions), I went to Boston College, studied Chemistry, and graduated in 1960.
Next I went to the University of Notre Dame and received a Ph.D in theoretical chemistry in 1966-67.
During that time I also became involved with computers (Notre Dame was one of the first Universities to own a main frame Univac 1106).
After several years at the University Radiation Lab working to interface the lab more closely with computers, I was hired by Univac and moved to Philadelphia.
In the mean time I married the daughter of one of my parent’s closest friends.
I had to get her in Holland and bring her to the US.
Eventually we had 5 boys who, by now, have 9 children of their own.
My oldest grandson is graduating from college this month, the youngest is 3.
I worked with Univac (which changed names several times and eventually became Unisys) for 30 years building software, hardware, and mostly doing research in the later years.
We spent 2.5 years in China in the 80’s to transfer some Chinese technology which I had developed here in the US back to China.
Wonderful experience!
After retiring in 2000, I worked as a consultant for my sons for some more time and presently enjoy each day playing tennis or platform tennis.
We will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in July of next year.
At the Abbey School I was part of the soccer team (played also for the district team in Port of Spain ) and was ‘sports captain’ during my last year.
(There was only one captain for all sport activities at that time.)
We graduated with a class of 8 if I remember correctly, but because the examination results did not arrive until several weeks (months?) after we took the tests in Dec., I never learned who graduated with me and who did not.
During the last 2 years of my stay, I attended the seminary at the Abbey, but after graduation decided that this was not my calling.
As requested, I attach a fairly recent photograph of myself and my wife Ann.
Hope to see if there still are any ex-students or monks who remember that time.
Best Regards
Hans
Ps. Some of the pictures I have were taken during the 40th anniversary I believe, not really sure though. They were collected by my father for some articles he wrote about the Abbey. (He was a journalist)
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From: ladislao kertesz [mailto:kertesz12@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 5:05 PM
Dear Hans
I have placed you in the U.S., is this true??
Please send Curriculum Vitae and a photo so that you may appear in the Circular.
God Bless
Ladislao
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FROM: Hans Hermans
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 11:03 PM
Here are a few more pictures:
1: Fr’s Ildefons & Abbot at anniversary ‘party’
2: View from the ‘back’ entrance. Church and seminary in background
8: Mass at anniversary party: from left, ?, Fr. Chrysostom, Fr. Abbot, Fr. Paul, Fr. Anselm, Fr. Cuthbert (Prior in back right of altar)
12: Fr. Anselm with some ‘yankee’ visitors in front of old church. (Don’t know when this was taken)
Am still trying to remember more student names.
Only one I remember was Struyken, (don’t remember his first name), son of former governor of Curacao .
He came to the Abbey school a few years after me.
Last I know, he still lives in Curacao (Last saw him about 10 years ago).
I remember him especially because his father, the governor, sent a Dutch Navy ship to Trinidad one Christmas so that we could ‘hitch’ a ride to Curacao for vacation.
Was a lot of fun!
Hans
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From: ladislao kertesz [mailto:kertesz12@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 9:55 PM
Thank you Hans
Your help shall the circular with the photos
Keep on, thanks
God bless
Ladislao
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From: d l dlqtrini@hotmail.com
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 5:19 PM
Hello Sir,
I do not recognize your name, but I happened to google my name and saw that you had correspondences with Allan Harris, a former classmate and good friend.
I was unable to get his email address.
Could you provide it or forward my email to him.
I now reside in North Carolina, USA.
Thanks,
David Lai Quong
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Friday, December 23, 2011 8:23 AM
Yes, Allan Harris is the gentleman who provided the list of students, during out time, that attended Mt St Benedict.
My name appears on the list.
He is now the captain with an airline Dubai.
Allan and I both attended MSB 77-82.
We were roommates.
David Lai Quong
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Here are new photos of the old and really old 1943, about the time the first Mt.St.Benedict school, which turned into the Abbey School in 1944.
Ladislao Kertesz at kertesz11@yahoo.com,
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Photos:
Mount Inside No. 6407 page 14.
55HH0001FILFABBOT, Fr. Ildefonse and Fr. Abbot van Duin at the Tennis Court.
09HH0001HERWFE, Hans and wife Ann.
43HH0012FAN, Fr. Anselm in front of the old church.
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