Bulawayo's Moray School Friends

My name is Susan Doward. My sister, Claire (on the left in the photo), and I went to Moray from 1963-67. We have fond memories of friends, teachers and staff that we'd like to share. If you went to Moray, or are a current pupil, we invite you to sign our guest book and add comments.

Or even better, let's build a community of Squidoo lenses about Moray -- start your own with photos and memories! And we can link to each other (leave the address in the guest comment list below).

(We had one link here to another Moray Squidoo lens that recently disappeared -- any other volunteers to start a [free] Squidoo web page and post your memories and photos? See the orange "Build your own page" at the top of this page.)

Susan remembers Alfred, who always had a smile and a joke, who rang the school bell when playtime was over, and Head Master Mr. Creasey who kept a bundle of canes visible in the corner of his office, but was a very nice man. (Did you know his brother was John Creasey the novelist?)

Our motto, on a patch to be sewn onto our green blazers was "Overcome Evil with Good." School colors were green and yellow. Green tunics, yellow shirts, green and yellow striped ties and hatbands. Grey felt hats for the girls and green caps for the boys.

Other memories: field days, tuck shop in the cricket pavilion, the rumor of an Egyptian Cobra lurking at the bottom of the playing fields, gum trees, coveted gate duty wearing a BSAP style belt and shoulder harness and saluting the parents' cars, art club, netball and hockey, and Father Gavin our student-teacher from Umtali in 1965.

Claire Doward would like to know where friend Cindy S. is today? Susan would like to know where Georgina is? Georgina left Moray in 1965 for Australia.

Elsie lives in Bulawayo, as do Leslie and Aloma. Susan K. and Ann W. live in South Africa. Keith H. lives in Port Elizabeth, S.A. Charles H.J. lives in Melbourne, Australia. Where is everyone else? Let us know -- sign the guest book below!

Front row, left to right: (?), Audrey D., Beverly O., (?), Avril T., (?), Shirley H., (?), Leslie B., Denena G. Middle row, left to right: (?), Georgina T., Isobel H., Esme vH., Carol, Susan K., (?), Susan Doward. Top row, left to right: Duncan, Stephen B., Ian H., Michael J., Stephen, Charles H. J., Philip M., Keith H., Peter B.

Claire Doward is fifth from the right, second row. Can anyone identify the others?

Top row (left to right) Beverly O., Aloma C., Shayne F., Mrs. Mosel, Avril T., [?], Shirley H. Middle row, Lesley B., Isobel H., Susan K., Susan Doward, Esme v. H., [?], Ann W., Denena G., Audrey D. Front row, Stephen and Peter B., Stephen H., Charles H.J., [?], Ian, Keith H., Duncan.

Claire Doward is fourth from the right in the second row. Can anyone identify the others?

Top row, (left to right) Catherine C., Susan K., Ann W., Michael J., Phillip M., Alistair, Denena G., Esme v.H., Susan D.; Middle row: Shayne F., Leslie B., Aloma C., Avril T., Miss Kets, Shirley H., Audrey D., Elsie B., Isabel, June. Front row: Carole, Charles H.J., Keith H., Peter B., Duncan, Stephen B., Ian, Stephen H., Beverly O.

Standard 2 in 1967 with Ms. Dolan (?)

Do you remember producing a magazine in Mrs. Mosel's 1965 class? We all wrote stories and poems for it. A copy still exists in the Doward family.
See some of the stories below.

We have had a dreadful drought. It has brought disaster, and killed many crops. Also many [people] and cattle have died of starvation. The only thing that can help is rain on the hot, dry and dusty countryside.

I have been longing for rain, and the pitter patter of rain on the roof, and on Saturday it came. It rained hard and soaked everything. My friend and I looked out of the window, and we saw beautiful sights. There was rain dripping off the leaves, little streams that ran into each other coming down the garden path, and running down slopes making pools of water at the bottom.

About half an hour later, when the rain had stopped, my friend Sally and I went outside and of course we went straight to our little trench. To our delight it was full of rainwater, and floating on the top were mulberry leaves which had dropped off the mulberry trees. Also on top was a white foam with a few mulberries floating about. After a while we went off to look at everything else in the garden, and we decided that everything looked beautifully fresh and new. But what I liked best was the fresh clean smell, and what Sally like best was the way the sky looked such a beautiful blue, and we both liked the smell of the mud.

I like horse riding best. I get great pleasure out of it. I like it because I love animals. I started horse riding last winter and enjoyed it very much.

The first horse I rode was called Beauty. She is a chestnut horse, and every winter I ride her. Once my mother took a picture of me on Beauty and the photograph came out very well.

One day I had to ride Trigger, who was a "bucking bronco", because Beauty had put her foot in a snake hole and her ankle was sprained. When I rode Trigger a dog barked at him, he stumbled and I went headlong.

I then decided to ride Prince. He is a lovely black horse but he walks too slowly. By the time I had ridden Prince for four weeks I had had enough of a slow horse. By the time four weeks were up Beauty's foot was better so I was allowed to ride her again. I was thrilled and I gave Beauty two lumps of sugar and four carrots. She was so pleased, and she nudged me twice. Then it was bedtime, Beauty went to sleep and I went home.

One morning in early spring I opened my window to let some fresh air into my room. Suddenly I heard a swish of wings and a beautiful dove alighted on the bird bath.

Suddenly a little bird flew down. It had a cool bath and then flew away. The dove was very hungry and was looking for something to eat. It was a handsome bird with emerald feathers on its nick, grey wings, and the rest of its body was purple.

I threw some birdseed on to the lawn and the dove ate it and flew away

I am a father of four children. I sell matchsticks for my living, we are poor but we manage. Tomorrow it will be Christmas and I only have two shillings so I had to beg for clothes and food but I was unsuccessful. I went to the bazaar to buy food and presents with my money but I was only able to buy a loaf of bread and a couple of fish, so I went home heart-broken because my children would pretend not to worry about presents but every child loves to receive presents ...

On Christmas night we sat at the dinner table while my wife brought food in. She put a plate of fish in front of each of us and some bread. We folded our hands and I said grace. When we had finished grace a knock was heard. Tim, my oldest son, excused himself from the table and opened the door. Outside stood a man in white with brown hair, with food and parcels at his feet and angels singing behind him. Tim was a long time at the door so I went to see what he was doing. When I got there I asked this man in and he replied "May I bring my belongings in?" "Yes, of course" I replied. When this man cam in my youngest son said, "Oh Daddy, it's Jesus." He was right. Jesus sat down and gave everyone a present and food. We enjoyed ourselves tremendously. After dinner Jesus lifted my youngest child upon his knee and told us beautiful stories about God, his Father. Then he left us.

This poor family of mine were the luckiest of all families for they were poor but they had the most wonderful Christmas Party that anyone has ever had.

It was a hot summer's afternoon and finding myself with nothing to do I asked my mother if I could take our dog for a walk. My mother replied "Yes, you can take the dog for a walk. I'm sure he'll like it." I took down his collar and called for him and immediately he was at my side.

We were soon out of the gate and running along the road. Our dog, a handsome young Alsatian, was a very fast runner. I found it difficult to keep up with him. We were walking up a hill when I noticed how dark it was getting and I looked at my watch -- it was only half past three. Then I saw a flash of lightning and heard the rumble of thunder, then down came the rain.

We ran under a tree for shelter and I remembered that it was dangerous to be under a tree during a storm so we turned homewards and ran. The rain beat upon my face and hands, and as for my dog he was as soaked as I was. As we turned the corner into our road I heard a crack. I looked behind and saw that the tree under which we had been standing had been struck down by lightning. I was nearly home when I slipped and cut my knee. I hobbled onto the back verandah and knocked on the door and my mother was terrified at the sight of me. She put on some soup then turned on the bath taps.

By the time she came back the soup had boiled and I drank it with gusto. Then I hopped into the bath, got our and dried, and while I was putting on my pyjamas mother dried and fed the dog. I had a nasty cold. I was very tired and dropped into a deep sleep.

What I like doing best is yachting. I like doing it best because you can sail for racing and for pleasure as well. When we did not sail we just watched.

When we became more experienced my dad built us a small dinghy of our own. He built it for us because it was safe. The first time I went out some of the rigging broke. We were with an experienced skipper so he knew what to do. We beached the boat and carried it back to the club and fixed it.

Now we are older we sail a bigger yacht, called a Dabchick. We like sailing in a breeze. On Sundays we go to the dam and sometimes race. After racing we unrig the boat and put the gear in the car. A few weeks ago I won a race.

Sometimes when my dad brings the boats home I sand them down and he paints them. I like yachting and I hope I can sail until I am very old.

All October the grass grew browner. All the flowers were drooping in their beds. All the trees gasped during October. All the flowers when picked lasted for five minutes only. The sky was bright with the blazing sun -- not a cloud in sight.

The animals lay either in the flowers, grass and water, or they dug holes in the ground in the shade and slept. The birds bathed in the bird-bath and slept under the shady trees. The cats wished they had no fur. The dogs wished they could shave. The birds kept fluffing their feathers up to catch the small breezes.

I thought that if I did not swim I would die. I bought dozens and dozens of ice creams. I took ice blocks from the 'fridge. I went to sit under the burnt trees. I thought that the world would burn up.