"Some 1972's a Few Years Earlier - With "Apache" our Maths Teacher"

Richard Jourdain writes:

Hi Guys

In response to Patrick's heartfelt please, I am attaching a photo of my family for your records.

Seriously, I hope you all have a great reunion. I look forward to the feedback and photos.

I am struggling with the thought that it is now 40 years, I still prefer the class of 72  ( much better).

We are all well thanks and working too hard at work and at  home on the small holding outside of Melbourne, Australia.

My 3 kids have all left home and have managed to purchase their own  places with a bit of surety from our side. It is great to have the home to ourselves again.

Chris (my baby) gets married in September (15th...my birthday).

By the way after 88 ultra marathons (incl 20 comrades and 19 Settler's – Grahamstown to Port Alfred, and a number of Washi 100 milers),  and who knows how many marathons (too short so never counted them), I have logs for about  80 000k's. I have 15 silver Comrades medals and 5 bronze. My fastest time was the up run in 1996 with a time of 6:38:41. My highest place finish was in 1979 when I finished 56^th overall.

cheers & regards

Some News from Peter Craighead

 Just a few words from Calgary, Canada…   

I seriously considered the gracious invitation from Izak many months back but my schedule just doesn’t permit this time around. Thanks so much for the few messages already scattered on the blogspot – gave me goosebumps to read Leslie Green’s MVA (motor vehicle accident) story and how his life changed in one moment!

I am incredibly fortunate to have a great family, live in a great country, and to be able to contribute in a profession that has allowed me to thrive. Bruce Bailey and I started our medical careers back in 1973 as first year students at UCT, where we graduated in 1978. Having married a PE girl at graduation we spent a few years in PE, but I returned to UCT where I completed my training as a cancer specialist in 1986. After three years in PE as a specialist my family and I moved to Canada in 1990, where we have been ever since.

I have been in medical leadership roles since 1997 and became the overall director of our cancer centre in 2007. I also am the academic head of our university Oncology department. I really enjoy my job as the director and academic chair, mainly because I have a niche in developing emerging leaders (sounds like Izak and I share a similar passion). My role as academic head has been helped by the excellent skills I acquired in my training in Cape Town. I have published well over 50 manuscripts in international journals, and my own particular research interests lie in the treatment of women with cervix cancer. Our academic unit attracts about 40 million dollars in grant funding, and publishes about 180 manuscripts annually.

I have two children, one 28 and the other 25 years old. My son Neil is an emerging opera singer, who has an amazing bass – baritone voice. He is currently completing his 3^rd year as a singer with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. Jessica, my 25 year old daughter is completing studies in Anthropology, and hopes to graduate this June.  My wife has worked part time most of our marriage and is a speech language pathologist. She has ended up doing augmentative communication most of her time, using computer based technology to help disabled kids communicate in some way. (ala Stephen Hawking).  I am blessed with a great marriage, and amazing kids.

Alas, I still miss South Africa! Despite the opportunities for growth that I have experienced; the personal wealth that we have been able to accumulate to look after ourselves in old age; and a job that allows me to contribute to a broad goal of curing cancer, I miss the people of our country. We have visited frequently, especially during the illnesses of our now deceased parents; but when we leave it is usually with a heavy heart. Canada has become home for us, and our kids are Canadians through and through! I’ll be there in spirit in two weeks, when you discuss the good days and remember those who aren’t with us. I considered Bruce Bailey and Andre Koetser to both be friends and miss them both. I miss especially Andre, with whom I communicated until he passed on. I want to especially remember Izak for his friendship during those tough years at Graeme. It is fully my fault that I haven’t kept up correspondence with him since then.  I remember rushing down to Birch’s with him on the day I was honoured with colours for “Lifesaving”, and given an honours cap to boot. Probably the only time an honours cap will be given for “Lifesaving”, all because I chose to plunge into the waters at Kenton and bring back to the beach 4 younger students who were struggling out there! Both Izak  and I were excited on that day that those of us who were more attuned to academics were somehow being recognized for the contributions we made to the school. As I finish I want to thank all of you for what you meant to me between 1968 and 1972, and the pivotal role the school played in forming me to be the person I am now.

Peter Craighead

Some news from Isak Smuts

When the headboy tells you to get on the blog, you get on the blog, so here I am, George.

After school I spent 1973 in Australia as a Rotary exchange student in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. I came back to Rhodes in 1974 and spent 6 years getting an honours degree in History and an LL.B. In 1974 and 1975 I played in a dance band, Abacus, with Peter Dalbock, M M Tarr and the Bilsbury brothers. Had a lot of fun and made some pocket money, playing two Christmas seasons at the Grand Hotel in Port Alfred, amongst other things. Also played in subsequent bands with non-Graemians, including Rollercoaster and Knocker's Bottle. Was President of the Rhodes SRC in 1978.

Spent 1980/81 in the army - not the greatest soldier of all time, ending up in Grootfontein in Namibia as military law advisor.

Have practised as an advocate in private practice in Grahamstown since 1982. Had some interesting times, including a brief to serve as a delegate at CODESA and the Multi-party Negotiating Forum when the new  constitutional system was being designed. I became involved in the bar's advocacy skills training programme, and apart from training young South African advocates over the past 15 years, I have taught on courses run by the English bar at Oxford and Nottingham, and at a course for young practitioners in Hong Kong. I am at present the vice-chairman of the General Council of the Bar of South Africa, and a representative of the advocates' profession on the Judicial Service Commission.

I married Debbie Boshoff, who ran her own educational consultancy for about 15 years and for the past five years has been running the communications department at Kingswood College. I have two sons, Nicholas, who is doing a sound engineering diploma in Cape Town, to give vent to his musical talents, which cover clarinet, drums and guitar, and Joshua, who is in matric and was selected last year for the national schools' jazz band as a trombonist.

I've been involved in Rotary, serving as President of the Grahamstown Club in 1989/90 and charter president of the new Grahamstown Sunset Club in 1999/2000. Have hosted 13 exchange students from other countries, trying to pay back for the privilege I had in 1973 - my wife was also an exchange student in 1980.

For the rest I live peacefully among the potholes in Grahamstown, walk on the Mountain Drive as often as I can (those who haven't been here over the past decade would not recognise it, Working for Water cut out all the eucalypts and wattle some years ago), listen to Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton and drink red wine. I also do a bit of writing about the constitution and the law - had a piece published in the Business Day on 16 February which those who need a cure for insomnia can access on www.businessday.co.za under the title "IZAK SMUTS: Zuma should look at what binds the arms of the state".

Particularly for those chaps who can't make the reunion (the others will see what's up when they're here) I would urge you to consider donating to the school. The management of the school has done an extraordinary job in preserving standards and improving the facilities in extremely adverse circumstances, given the machinations of the Eastern Cape education department, and it is schools like Graeme that are going to make the difference if South Africa is going to be a winning nation, rather than a failed state. So do it!

Look forward to seeing the rest of you the week-end after next.

The attached photo is of the Grahamstown Golden Oldies cricket team at the national tournament in Bloemfontein two years ago - I'm in the front row second from left behind the grey beard camouflage

 

News from Leslie Green (ATTO)

1973 - Enrolled at Rhodes University for a Pharmacy degree.

 
 

RUGBY  Career

1973 - 1975 Represented Rhodes University U20A of which I captained in 1975. Also represented BORDER U20 side in 1974 and 1975.

1975 - 1978 Half way through 1975 chosen to play for the R.U. 1st XV and played for them until 1978

1976 - Chosen to play for BORDER Senior Team which won the Sport Pienaar Trophy.

1979 - While doing my Pharmacy Internship in East London - played for Old Selbornians 1st XV

1980 -  Went to Pretoria to do my 2 year National Service. This is were I had GOOD news and BAD news.

           I was told that if you play for the league rugby sides you will never leave PRETORIA, so I was determined that I will not play in the trials as I wanted to get back to the Eastern Cape where my girlfriend (now my wife) was still at R.U. I ignored the first trial and subsequently received an army order to attend the final trials. I was a bit apprehensive at the start of the trial but after a while I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a great trial. I was selected for the First Reserve Team (actually 2nd team).

Everyone of us in the 1st and 1st Reserve team had represented our provinces !!!!! The First XV was made up of many Springboks. The team was Johan Heunis(E.P), Edward Krantz(OFS), Dirk Hoffman(WP) Christo Wagenaar(Natal), C. Rautenbach, Guys Ferguson(Natal), Harry Viljioen(N Tvl) Dorlf Minnaar (NTvl), hooker forgotten, Boerem Venter (E.P) Theuns Stoffberg(W.P & NTvl) George Rautenbach (EP) Andre Skinner (NTvl) Flank - Permanent Force Captain, Abe Malan (W.P) Well you can see with a team like this I was more than happy to play 1st Reserves. Then came the disaster - The 1st team flyhalf - Guys Ferguson was chosen to play for the N.Tvl U25 team and I was promoted into the first team with Harry Viljoen as my scrumhalf, I could not wait for Saturday. I sneaked off early on the Thursday afternoon from Surgeon General Head Quarters where I was posted in Pretoria. I wanted to get to the Voortrekker Hoogte rugby field as soos as possible. On crossing a pedestrian crossing a car with a paraplegic driver knocked me into the air and I landed head first into the tarmac. I was concussed for two days and woke up  in 1 Military Hospital . I suffered a severe head injury with 90% hearing lose and 100% loss of balance in my right ear. This meant it was the end of my rugby career and any contact sport because if I get a bump on my left ear I would be in a wheel chair for the rest of my life, I have not played since !!!!!

1977 - Met my wife at Rhodes University - she is also a Pharmacist

1978 - Graduated with a B.Pharm. degree

1979 - Internship in East London

1980 - 1981 - 2 year National Service in Pretoria at Surgeon General Head Quarters

1982 - Married in East London and moved to Cape Town

1982 -  2003 Started work in a retail pharmacy of which I bought in 1984. Stayed there for 19 years

2003 - To date Working at Pharmacroos Pharmacy in Medicross - part of NETCARE

 
 

Family:  My self and wife are very proud parents of two sons and one daughter.

             My oldest son is now 26 - he has completed a B. Accounting with HONOURS as is awaiting his 2nd Board

             exam results (24th Feb.) to become a C.A. He made all the A teams in his school days in both rugby

             and cricket.

             My younger son (24) excelled in his school sport at Wynberg Boys High School. He played for the all the A

             sides in rugby and cricket. Played 1st team rugby from  Grade 11 as scrumhalf - George, he had a bullet pass 

             both left and right, being left handed he is ambidextrous. Had to give up cricket in the U16 has his knee used to

             swell up every time he bowled. He decide to take up umpiring seriously and did all the exams up to provincial

             level. He started refereeing  three years ago and has progressed extremely fast and is now a Div 2 ref. - can ref

             1st team schools, U20A and second team club games. He qualified this year as an Electrician with a wiring

              License and has started up his own company

              My daughter - Well she excelled at everything she did. She is now 19 and in her second year at  UCT  doing a

              Business Science degree towards being a C.A. Academically she did brilliantly in Matric getting 6 A's and 1 B

              for an optional subject namely Applied Maths. Sporting wise - HOCKEY - she was outstanding, representing

              W.P from the age of 12 and has been chosen every year to represent W.P. at the yearly inter-provincial

              tournaments.

              My  wife is a Supervising pharmacist at Red Cross Childrens Hospital

 
 

We live very happily in Tokai in Cape Town and have been in the same house since 1989 and never want to move.

I am bitterly sorry that I will not be able to make the re-union but I will be on a diabetic course in Johannesburg with three of my doctor colleagues from Monday 5th to Sunday 11th March. It would have been nice to see some of the 1972 group and Croc Coetzer. What has happened to some of those brilliant rugby players of 1972 eg Wade Buckley, Johan Vermeulen, Dallas Dewey, "Slap" Coetzer, "Black" Bodill etc

Regards

Leslie Green

P.S. I will try and send you some pictures

FUNDRAISING PROJECT

The 1972 fundraising project has got off to a good start and we really appreciate the cash donations from Cuan King,Anthony Poteand Pat Knowles and the data projector from Nigel Pitt. Lets keep those donations coming guys!

Nigel Pitt

Yes im currently in Oman, working in the E&P of oil and gas ie exploration and production for Petroleum Development Oman, PDO. Im a safety engineer. I work for seventy days straight and get three weeks off every seventy days ie every two and a half months. Ive been here since 13 May 2011. Money is tax free so i dont feed the likes of JuJu and his cronies. Oman is an amazing country and the Omanis who are Abhadi's ie they are not Shia or Suni Muslims are even more amazing. Muscat is the cleanest city in the world i think, never seen anything like it. Our people have much to learn from this culture.I will write a long letter for you to share with all by email for me and give them my best regards. I have such wonderful memories of school and many ol photos. If you do a slide show during the get together let me know. I live in Cape Town now. I have an amazing girlfriend there. So im off on the 2nd Feb departing from Muscat via Dubai to Capetown for three weeks and have to return to Oman on the 26th Feb. My next rotation period is the 11th May. Sadly i wont be able to come down as my back to back who supports me when im gone is away that time. So basically in a year i work 280 days and get 85 days off. Its a tough life in the desert my friend. Not many westerners can cope with this lifestyle. Its the money that drives us. Have to make a living you know. My son Julian, whom you spoke to is a mechanical engineer with Eskom at the moment. My eldest son works for Barclays capital in London. Anyway Patrick ill drop a letter, its the best i can do unfortunately.

Chat soon My email is nigel.np.pitt@pdo.co.om and my cell is +968 936 79180. Please give to everyone would love to hear from the guys.

Ian Suttie Smaldeel Hunt

Ian Suttie with son Bruce posing with the spoils of a Smaldeel hunt.

Data Projector

Nigel Pitt has Kickstarted our fundraising project by donating a data projector! A sincere thank you.

Ist Hockey Team

I could not forget the fist Hockey Team

1st Cricket Team

1st Cricket Team (Will be good to see all together again)

The Amazing First XV

The 1st Rugby Team

The Prefect Body

Our Amazing Prefect Body

All of us together

Class Photo of 1972