Ken Matende writes:
I was in Kaptagat from around 1969 to 1974. I have very fond memories of Kaptagat. I am glad that I attended the school. As Kaptagat Alumni Mark Warwick and I have have been corresponding with Liz (in Halifax) and Mary Thuo (in Pennsylvania). I currently reside in Vancouver but schooling in Halifax.
Does anyone remember the periodic invasions of army worms on the school playing fields? They used to become a writhing mass of green and yellow.
I remember 'Chiity, Chitty Bang, Bang' with his ferocious attacks on the behinds of anyone who went astray. Mr Rushbrooke was even worse in his use of corporal punishment. I remember him telling me to bend over, touch my toes, and 'enjoy'(!) the pleasures of his size eleven tackie. Why did I receive this? Because I hit his wife on the hockey pitch (remeber where it was? ... just after Fernickity's Den) with a hockey ball, quite unintentionally. Incidentally I was hockey captain at the time and ended up giving up the sport!!!
Do you recall the school photographs we'd take by the swimming pool. There was a chap who used on of those really old cameras and hid in a black cloth.
I remember Richard Walugembe who was the first 'African' prefect. I was so inspired by his leadership and I became the first African head prefect a few years later. I was shocked to hear Richard has since died.
Mr Tax was one unique person. I can never forget him smoking 'nyota' (the cheap cigars). He taught me carpentry and Swahili. He offered one Maasai (100 shillings) to anyone who could catch a crow, and he said he taught crows to talk.
Mr Tax never put on long trousers - those well ironed khaki shorts of his! I remember him putting his arm on my shoulder during a Greek Mythology class and proclaiming "Hapana fikiri kijana" ... you can't do it. He got carried away with his Latin classes till we nearly missed lunch.
Page maintained by Andy Russell, last updated 21 Dec 00