RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-FEB-22

2019-FEB-24-0655Hrs

May His soul Rest In Peace and Rise in Eternal Paradise

Clifton DeCoteau 66

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-FEB-22

2019-FEB-23-0130Hrs
I’m pleased to know that Elmer is managing well after such a difficult time . Hope she continues to do well.
Marina Ramsankar 66

RE: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-FEB-22

2019-FEB-22-1805Hrs

How sad to hear of the passing of Alphonsus Antoine.  My condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.  It is always difficult to deal with the passing of yet another member of our family.

Marina Ramsankar 66

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-FEB-22

2019-FEB-22-0343Hrs
Greetings to Ekmer and may Crotie rest in peace.
Richie 64/66
Ronald Richardson 66

RE: Mausican sisters meet in Grenada and Montserrat

2019-FEB-22-0301Hrs
Hi Errol,
This is on a happier note.
Thank you for supplying this invisible ,strong chord that binds Mausicans together no matter where on  this earth we wander. Blessings to you today and always..
I was privileged to visit Elmer O Neal  Roberts our sister  of 64/66 from Grenada in Grenada this month. I leave on Sunday please God for Trinidad.
She has almost fully recovered from her terrible burns .
I met an energetic,independent ,determined , and cheerful woman who still has a challenge with her knees but is taking it in her stride! Thank God
In January 2019 I returned to Montserrat to get documentary evidence of my roots .....
My maternal grand parents were from  that beautiful land. There I met our sister  Pat Allum Ryan 63/65 vibrant and happy coping remarkably with her unnoticeable  health challenge.
I also discovered that  her husband Norman Ryan and I are related through my maternal  grand mother Sarah ( Herbert )Beach!
In one day I was able to obtain my grand parents birth certificates and marriage certificates.
Grand father  was born in 1888, grand mother 1889 and married in 1911
Try to imagine trying to get these documents in Trinidad and Tobago.  I say no more.
Love from Myrdith  ( Osborne )  Brumant 1964/ 1966.
Myrdith (Osborne) Brumant 66

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-FEB-22

2019-FEB-22-0127Hrs
What a wonderful time we had at last Sunday's Mausica Carnival Brunch at the Aquatic Centre in Couva. Nice music, much to eat and most of all, great camaraderie.
Thanks to Carol Brown and team for organizing the get together.
Now on to the Cuba Reunion.
Gwendoline Williams 69

RE: Mausican Pioneer went missing

2019-FEB-21-1936Hrs
Greetings brothers and sisters .
I thought this was going to be a happy message, but alas it is tinged with sadness.
We never know how our last days will be. If we have good health thank God and try our best to maintain it. If, not try to fix it carefully and sensibly.
I came to visit Elmer Roberts, a  Mausican sister from 64/66, who has recovered from having 3rd degree burns to her left arm and leg and had to have skin grafts because she had a stroke and fell in a fire in her back yard a couple years ago. Today she walks independently,  cooks and does her house work generally without assistance.
Then  while here I learnt that  Alphonsus  Antoine aka Crotie  63/65 had Alzheimer's and went missing since Monday 18th February.
Today, 21st his body was found not far from his home. May he rest in peace.
This is all I have learnt from Elmer O'Neal Roberts in St Georges, Grenada..
Myrdith Osborne Brumant 64/66
Myrdith (Osborne) Brumant 66

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-FEB-08

alive healthy and well

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-JAN-25

2019-FEB-03-0501Hrs

My Mausica brothers and sisters, clearly this is a season of "passages" or "transitions" euphemisms for death......us Mausicans coming to terms with the reality that despite the robustness of our spirits, we too, like our ancestors must ultimately commit to dust.....

But something did happen at that place that is infinitely larger than can easily be explained...something quite magical....there could only be 220 of us there at a time, on the original model.....except for the pioneering first year.....and what came out of there in terms of human spirit, from days when lecturers stood at lecturns...and try to explain and to reason....

We are finding out, as the greats pass on, that Mausica itself will not die....

They did teach us in choir that with death the soul will jump for joy....they taught us the importance of myth.....

as they lowered the Cuff, spirits moved....owl was hooting, dog was howling, star was pithching, uhm hmm......

I looked around and saw giants.....that the place had created.....out of Jepson's little Library....

I have been wondering though about the mythical character the Ray-Ray man Fideray, and the importance of myth in constructing legacy...some of us went to UWI, and other places.....but it is Mausica to which we look.....it is that place that remains the guiding star...

Sokapoo!

Scratchy

(Theodore Lewis)

Theodore Lewis 69

RE: Fw: REUNION 2019

2019-JAN-31-2113Hrs

Greetings and a Special Hello to the Mausican Family.

Please find below a report on the status of Reunion 2019.

At our get - together on Sunday 20th, the following decisions/recommendations were made:

(1) It is impractical at this time to continue negotiations for our planned cruise.

(2) For this year the cruise can be replaced with one of the following options:

     (a) Visit to St. Vincent - End of June/beginning July. This is to coincide with Vincy Mas.

     (b) Visit to Grenada - August 8th to August 15th. This time will coincide with Grenada  Carnival and return to Trinidad in time for CARIFESTA which starts on August 16th.

     (c) Visit to Cuba - Mid July.

You are kindly asked to indicate your preferred option by February 15, so that a final decision can be made at our "Carnival Brunch" on Sunday February 17th.  Everyone is invited to attend.

You can send your responses to: Howard Spencer at howieaw51@hotmail.com.

or Carol Brown at cambrown6@yahoo.com.

or Carlston Gray at carlstongray@yahoo.com. or twogray@optonline.net.

Regards,

Howard Spencer 74

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-JAN-18

2019-JAN-18-0859Hrs

Thanks Rodney for continually promoting family values over the years. It was a joy read about Auntie Vida.

Like Errol, you have kept the blog going reminding us in do many ways the privilege and joy of being Musicians.

We continue to give thanks to God for farsighted leadership of Harry Jo, Mrs. Cuffie,  Mr. William's (Fitzie), Mr Maundy, Ms. June Joseph. Ms. Roopchand, Matron and so, so many others. We the graduates have truly been blessed.

Again, Rodney, many thanks for keeping the Mausican flame burning brightly.

Blessings

Gwendoline Peter-Williams 1967/1969

RE: POST CHRISTMAS , PRE CARNIVAL LIME

2019-JAN-17-2117Hrs

Mausicans,

Remember our get together on Sunday 20th January, this Sunday, at the Aquatic Centre, Balmain, Couva from 2.00pm.

Come and share some ideas as to what we can do in July.

Ladies bring a dish, men drinks.

Lets do it as only Mausicans can.

Howard

P.S. Carlston in Tobago already.

Howard Spencer 74

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-JAN-11

2019-JAN-13-0041Hrs

Scratchie I thoroughly agree with the sentiments expressed.How fortunate we were o have had such dedicated teachers to teach us to be effective teachers.They indeed shaped our world.Now and again I get in touch with our music teacher June Joseph.As far as I’m aware she is still going strong and teaching  music if you please.

Shirley Hyacinth-Wilson

1967/69 How the years fly.

Shirley Hyacinth-Wilson 69

RE: Ms.Hordatt's Celebration

2019-JAN-05-1433Hrs

Hello Errol,

Happy to report that I attended Ms. Hordatt's  hundredth birthday celebrations and happier to report that Mausica was well represented.  I am sure all who attended would agree that it was indeed a wonderfully memorable occasion.

There were lots of photographers there and I suspect some will share their pictorial memories on this medium as I have chosen to do.

Blessings and love to all.,

joy!!!

Joy Valdez 74

Re: Fwd: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-JAN-04

2019-JAN-04-1418Hrs

My best memories of the assembly performances are Eulalie Henry with her rendition of Claire de Lune, Joan Kidd's Summertime and Lord Coughee (Desmond Waite's) ukulele. Don't remember what Desmond did but I remember the little ukulele

Bernice Stephens 65

Re: MAUSICA WEEKLY EMAILS 2019-JAN-04

2019-JAN-04-0537Hrs

On Evelyn Hordatt's century, I offer this remembrance, which I should say I had the opportunity to recall in her presence at a gathering we had about six years ago at a hotel somewhere in Maraval/Cascade. She remembered in delight, and called on me to repeat before all the Mausicans gathered. The setting was demonstration teaching in the auditorium at the college. And of course a class of children from D'Abadie were there, and she, the greatest Early Childhood Educator ever, was the Teacher of record.

The lesson was how do people call fowls.

Now for those Mausicans who did not grow up with fowls in the yard (people like Rodney Foster), this might need some interpretation. Otherwise it could be mis-interpreted as some fowl-naming ceremony. What Miss Hordatt was after here was for the children to express the various ways in which they heard people call their fowls at feeding time. Now in Marabella where I grew up I had yard fowls, and one way in which I called  them when I had corn for them was to say out loud Tee, Tee, Tee, Tee! And that brought them in. I had other sounds I could make, one sort of like a black bird chirp.

One child in the class said that the way her/his mother called fowls was to shout out "All you eh want?". And that brought them in. Remember that for demonstration lessons,we students were upstairs on the  the library balcony looking on at this below. Miss Hordatt lost it with this rather original call, and laughed uncontrollably.

-------

While on this question of Demonstration Teaching let me add a remembrance here of Lance Lougheide as Teacher of record. And Mr. Lougheide's lesson for these children of D' Abadie was on why a torch was the roadside traffic signal used to indicate to drivers that they were in the vicinity of a school, and should slow down.And in the course of this lesson he explained to these children that the origin of the flame was Greek mythology, and that Prometheus was the Greek god of fire, and that the flame was associated with knowledge and learning, hence the roadside torch near to schools.

These Mausica lecturers were not ordinary.

Theodore Lewis (67-69)

Scratchy.

Theodore Lewis 69

RE: Greetings

2019-JAN-03-2224Hrs

Greetings, Blessings and Best Wishes to all for the New Year 2019.

I also bring greetings from our fellow Mausican and friend, Ainsley Belille, who is presently hospitalized at the Brampton Civic Hospital, Ontario. Terry Walker and I visited with him for a couple of hours last Friday, Dec. 28. Felix Edinborough joined us by video call and brought well needed smiles to Ainsley’s face with his Pierrot styled remarks. Our friend Ainsley is not well. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

I would also like to extend deepest condolences to the family of my friend Elmo and our dear Ma Cuffie. May they RIP.

Conrad Thomas a.k.a Tom.

Conrad Thomas 65

RE: Thank you

2019-JAN-03-1932Hrs

Dear Errol,

Thank you for the wonderful initiative of the Mausica Blog which keeps us connected to one another. It is ubuntu in action.

We have shed tears together on the loss of our loved ones from the Mausica Family and have also been moved to commiserate with those who have mourned the loss of  their family members. We have shared wonderful, pleasurable memories of the Mausica experience and have celebrated one another 's successes.

I have had many occasions for self-reflection this year and have had an amazing journey, that has brought home to me that we are not in control of all that happens to us. Earlier this year, I suffered a great deal of physical pain. At one point I was hobbling about on crutches and travelling from USA to France and Italy against doctor's advice, but with the reservation that if I must, that I do not travel alone. It is because of Mausica experience that I have done the work of in my own little way, like so many of you, that earned me the national award and because of my Mausica training I can stand as an independent senator and remember those early morning assemblies that helped to hone our debating skills.

This last week, I have had so many memories flooding back of my Mausica days and our special lecturers. I remember Mr. Dukhan and his preoccupation with Harribance. I recall Beryl Wood saying, " I am only one Wood." We dared not say, 'Miss Woods.' The Cuff saying: "A change is as good as a rest," and my not understanding then, but now, remembering and understanding,  when I spent Christmas with my daughter in Florida,this year, and while working hard in her kitchen, after having left all the books and papers behind, and yet feeling refreshed in a new place. I recall Miss Roopchand telling us, "My name is Constance Roopchand, but I am called Fanny. I am divorced." I recall going to her home, which was then near UWI entrance,  to pass the time before I attended a late class and her assuaging my hunger with Crix, that never tasted so good. I recall Mr. Maundy's smile and June Joseph's sense of style in dressing, Mr. Lougheide's enthusiasm and Miss Hordatt's gentle ways and Mr. Brown telling me how disappointed he was in me when I played a heated round-bottom flask and put a pillow in my butt and wined down the place. Ah Mausica! Thank you for the memories and for encouraging us to continue "moulding a nation through service".

Happy New Year to you all.

Hazel Thompson-Ahye 70

RE: LIVING The Legacy

2019-JAN-03-0017Hrs

My Fellow Mausicans,

Here is an idea for us in " Living The Legacy " and also "Leaving A Legacy".

Recently at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Decatur, GA , a  " The Holy Cross Tree of Life" was unveiled in memory of one of its members who was a longtime benefactor and who had left a substantial monetary gift to the church.

I immediately thought of our beloved MTC and how fitting it would be to plant "Trees of Life" in memory of all the visionaries and the students who fulfilled the dreams of Dr. Eric Williams, Harry Joseph, Daphne Pilgrim Cuffie , Fitz James Williams. Hamlyn Dukhan, Beryl Woods,  Linda Edwards,  Ms. Hordatt and so many others.

For example St Mary's Anglican Church, in Tacarigua, Valsayn Tearchers College, NAPA and SAPA and NALIS all have ample wall space to plant such trees to memorialize  those visionaries. Donors will  water and fertilize the roots with their monetary gifts. Green leaves of varying sizes will create forests to fund our dreams.

Who will manage the money?

Let's sit down and talk. Work out the details just as the founders of MTC debated and fought many a battle to make our campus a reality. We have the will. We will find a way. Let's make 2019 a year of focused action.

Mr. Williams words still haunt me ."You  do it."

We must do it.  If we are to leave a legacy; then we have to live the legacy.

Our graduates who are all over the world can plant "Trees Of Life" wherever they are.

As usual,

Rodney Foster, 66-68

Atlanta, GA

Rodney Foster 68

RE: Ms Evelyn Hordatt

2019-JAN-01-1454Hrs

Dearest Errol,

A very Happy New Year to you and to all my fellow Mausicans. I wish you all,  every good and perfect gift that comes from our Heavenly Father above. Thanks again Errol for all that you do for our Mausican family.

I recently became aware that there will be a thanksgiving service for Ms. Evelyn Hordatt, on 04 January 2019, in celebration of her hundredth birthday. I do not have all the details, but I thought that I should share this short piece I wrote about her, based on my personal memories, in 2013 when we  hoped to publish a history of Mausica Teachers' College.

I attach it.

Many blessings,

much love,

joy!!!

"Ms. Evelyn Hordatt

I cannot think of anyone meeting this lovely lady for the first time and not having warm feelings towards her. Her petite size, her welcoming smile, her energetic personality all give testimony to the gentle and compassionate soul that she is. We all loved Miss Evelyn Hordatt and very quickly we made her family. Even some of the males on campus referred to her as “Auntie”, in our conversations about her; they still do.

I remember choosing her as confidant when I suffered the confusion characteristic of “Separation Syndrome” when I first entered Mausica. I spoke. She listened attentively. She understood. Compassion was what I felt and I was able to move on. Years later, I discovered that she has shared her gift of compassion with numerous others who like me choose her as confidant.

Ms Hordatt was our “Infant Methods” tutor. We now refer to it as Early Childhood Educator. After our Teaching Practice sessions, we would recount tales of our experiences to her.  One of the tales that has been told a number of times is one in which my fellow Mausican had very firmly and very loudly put out a disruptive student who had been loitering in the classroom during the recess period. Ms Hordatt was shocked to hear of the method used. She looked sweetly at the teacher trainee and calling her by name she gently said, “Now, how much better it would have been if you had put a surprised look on your face and asked, ‘Are we supposed to be here?’”

My fellow Mausican did not give in; she replied in a tone filled with indignation, “Miss Hordatt, I know them children and no amount of ‘Are we supposed to be here?’ not getting them to leave any classroom.” We all laughed at the dramatic way in which this was done. Miss Hordatt laughed with us and gently told her after the laughter had subsided, “At least you would have tried.”

I also remember another teacher trainee relating how she had remembered Miss Hordatt’s advice when one of her young charges started using obscene language in the classroom. She had used the surprised look and had gently told the child, “You shouldn’t be using words like those, do you hear Mummy using words like those?”

The student promptly replied, “Yes Miss, my mummy does cuss plenty.” Miss, however, was well prepared and quietly asked, “Do you hear Miss using words like that?” The student got quiet and hung her head. “Well,” said the teacher, do like Miss and don’t use those words.

I know that Miss Hordatt has made a valuable contribution to the Girl Guides’ Association at a national level in our country. When my daughters were children and attended national Girl Guides’ and Brownies’ activities, I would often see her there. The last time I saw her was at Holy Saviour’s Anglican Church where she is a member and one known for living her faith. She was also known for her steadfastness in praying for young people at the church. Miss Hordatt had just celebrated her ninetieth birthday. I was delighted to see this charming lady. She greeted me as warmly as ever, smiling and happy to see me and to hear that we had shared the Mausica experience.

Joy A, Valdez"

Joy Valdez 74