Down the Memory Lane – Lasallians Remembered

Brother Richard Dolby was born on 5th December 1894 in Upper Burma (now called Myanmar). He arrived in Hong Kong on 6th January 1932. Brother Richard taught Class 2 for one year in La Salle College and was then transferred to Malacca in April 1933. Brother Richard passed away in Burma in 1975.

Brother Defenseur Dupont was born in France on 23rd January 1885. He arrived in Hong Kong on 8th February 1934. He taught the Class 1 (equivalent to today’s Form 6). He died in Singapore in 1963.

Brother Herman Fenton was born in County Limerick, Ireland in April 1913. He taught in La Salle College from 1947 to 1969 and was once the Sports Master. In 1965, he became the First Principal of La Salle Evening School, which in September 1969, evolved into Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) College in Homantin. Brother Herman passed away peacefully in February 2009 at the ripe old age of 96. At the 40th Anniversary of Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) College, held in February 2009, Brother Patrick Tierney, Guest of Honour of the opening ceremony shared the following on Brother Herman, the Founder of the school: “Although we are sorry he cannot be with us today, we thank God that Brother Herman is still alive and still keenly interested in the affairs of the College. In fact he holds the distinction of having founded 3 schools in all: La Salle Evening School, Chan Sui Ki(La Salle) College and Chan Sui Ki (La Salle) Primary School.” Brother Herman’s funeral mass will be held at 9:30 am on 25th February, 2009, at St Teresa’s Church. The burial will be held immediately after at the Happy Valley St Michael Catholic Cemetery.

Brother Gerfried Hastreiter was born on 23rd August 1912 in Germany. He arrived in Hong Kong on 25th April 1933. He taught Classes 2 and 3. Mr. Henry Lau (1940) who later taught in La Salle College, said,” He was my Form Master when I was a pupil in Class 2B, equivalent to Form 5B nowadays. He was a German, and as such, he exhibited all the characteristics of a German stereotype: disciplined and pedantic. He taught Chemistry, Mathematics and Religious Knowledge. In class, he seldom smiled, and had no time for diversion of any kind. Hence, his was a solid lesson. Invariably, he began his lesson with oral questions on topics taught during previous lessons, mainly on definitions of chemical terms and chemical reactions. We had to rattle off from memory because we were taught neither the Ionic Theory nor the principle of gain or loss of electrons or protons during a chemical reaction to be able to balance a chemical equation. Dialogue between Teachers or Brothers with pupils was very minimal because the Staff Room was regrded as a Sanctum Sanctorum and was thus off-limit to pupils. Though the pedagogy was outdated and might even be condemned by modern educators, it provided most of us with a solid foundation of basic skills and knowledge which stood us in good stead when we were in the university.” Brother Gerfried was one of the sixteen Christian Brothers who were massacred by the Japanese in Manila on 6th February 1945.

Brother Casimir Husarik was born on 22nd July 1914 in Czechoslovakia, gifted with a marked aptitude for languages. In early years, he studied in Lembecq, Belgium and Dover, England. He later obtained an Honours Degree (French) from the University of London. Brother Casimir came to La Salle College in 1933, just one year after its establishment. From this time onwards, he spent 44 years here. This is an unbroken record. He was involved in all major events in the first four decades of the school. Brother Casimir started off as the Master of Class 2 (equivalent to Form 5). He took special interest in the establishment and development of the LSCOBA. He was the 2nd Vice-President and the Hon. President of the LSCOBA in 1960’s to 1970’s. Whenever he met an old boy, he would check whether he had joined the LSCOBA or not. Our strong foundation is in debt to his contribution and devotion. As with many Brothers, he had to leave for Indo-China (now called Vietnam) during the Japanese occupation. He was one of the architects, with Brother Cassian, who planned the re-establishment of the school after the war. He served diligently during the Perth Street era. In 1957, he was appointed Sub-Director and Vice Principal upon the death of Brother Cassian. Brother Casimir then witnessed the glorious return to La Salle Road in 1960. Brother Casimir became the 5th Principal and Director of La Salle College in 1965. He stayed in office for 6 years. Brother Casimir proved himself to be a teacher of merit and a wise administrator. He showed great energy and perseverance in teaching, sports administration, school magazine, Legion of Mary, etc. Being the longest serving Christian Brother of La Salle College, he is the right person to define the La Salle tradition which he identified as: “the tradition that stands for high academic standards, excellent moral tone and intelligent discipline” Mr. Christopher Wong (1967) of Chicago shared: “In 1965-6, Brother Casimir agreed to change the school blazer to black, after Maryknoll Convent School changed their uniforms. The universal Lasallian badge was allowed to replace the embroidered school badge.” On 10th May 1977, Brother Casimir died suddenly from a heart attack while in La Salle College. His students would remember him for his cheery disposition and capacity for hard work. The real secret of his success and popularity was his genuine unfailing kindness.

Brother Anthony Knoll was born in Toronto on 28th October 1916. He received his elementary education at St. Helen’s School in Toronto where he had his first contact with the Christian Brothers. He was deeply influenced by a Brother Clement. Eventually he decided to join the Order. In October 1938, he arrived in Singapore with three other Brothers. He was posted to St. Joseph’s Institution. During the Japanese invasion, he was imprisoned in Changi Prison and later in Sime Road Camp. In prison, he took care of the sick and the old. After liberation, he became the Director of St. Joseph’s Institution, Singapore. In 1953, Brother Anthony became the Director of St. Xavier’s Institution, Penang. In short, he rebuilt these two schools, which were ruined by the war. His hard work cost him ill health and he was advised to take leave. He spent a year of rest and treatment in Canada. In late July 1956, he was posted to La Salle College, Perth Street campus. For the next twenty-five years, he served in Hong Kong, by preference as a simple teacher. He was always concerned about the spiritual development of students and recruited boys for Rosary Crusade. Brother Anthony was a devoted spiritual director of the Legion of Mary in La Salle College. In 1972, Brother Paul Sun, superior-general in exile of the Sacred Heart Brothers in Mainland China, invited Brother Anthony to help out as Vice-principal of St. Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese School. Brother Anthony could not disappoint his dear friend, although it meant that he had to live outside La Salle College. He faced this challenge with full perseverance. In May 1975, he reached a stage of physical and emotional collapse and was brought back to La Salle College. He was later sent to Canada for rest and treatment. He returned to La Salle College and served in the library. Once or twice he collapsed in the library but he always returned with minimum delay. On 28th July 1981, he was up with other Christian Brothers and said the Morning Office (prayer). He placed his host in the communion plate and left the chapel for his room. After breakfast, he was found dead fully dressed in his white robe. ___________________________________________ The following information was obtained from the HK Catholic Archives: http://archives.catholic.org.hk/memory/A-Knoll.htm On Tuesday morning, 28 July 1981, Brother Anthony left the Oratory in La Salle College evidently feeling unwell. Shortly afterwards another member of his community, feeling concerned about him went to his room and found him dead in his bed. Thus suddenly came to a close the life of one beloved both by his confreres and by his pupils. He died at the age of 64. Brother Anthony came from Canada to the mission-fields in 1938. His first appointment as a teacher was to St. Joseph’s College in Singapore. Here he became a very able teacher, very thorough in method and very devoted to his pupils, who liked his kindly ways. Came the Second World War. The Japanese invaded Malaya and advancing southward very soon besieged Singapore. The city fell and Brother Anthony, while sleeping in a corridor, contracted a severe cold. In that condition he was taken away by the enemy for internment in Chanji Gaol on the island. There with a few more Brothers he undertook the task of teaching the imprisoned children as well as attending to the sick. After the capitulation of the Japanese Brother Anthony was repatriated to Canada to recuperate. Then he returned to Singapore and resumed his professional duties this time in St. Anthony’s School close to his former school. Not long after that he was appointed Director of St. Joseph’s Community and school. During his term of office he endeared himself to all, both staff and community, by his refined and kindly ways. His was never the harsh word to utter. From this community he was transferred to St. Xavier’s College in Penang as Director. Here his health began to deteriorate rapidly. Though suffering much he bore his infirmities with heroic, Christian fortitude, never losing his equanimity. Once more he was advised to take a holiday home with the hope of a restoration of health but this was not to be. He returned to the Far East as a member of the La Salle Community in Kowloon. Here he laboured assiduously in the classroom until his retirement in 1977. It has been said of him that he always preferred to teach the backward or retarded pupils and in this he was very successful. After his retirement he assumed the office of School Librarian which office he held until the morning when Divine Providence chose to call him to his eternal reward.

Brother Vincent Kozak, FSC, of La Salle College, Kowloon, died on Friday, 15 June 1990, aged 81. He had been suffering pain and discomfort for some time and had been hospitalized several times. On 14 June he fell gravely ill and was admitted to St. Teresa’s Hospital. He died early in the following morning. Brother Vincent was born in what is now Czechoslovakia on 8 June 1909. He joined the De La Salle Brothers on the Feast of the Assumption, 1925. Three years later he went to Burma, where he was to serve in the Brothers’ institutions for almost 39 years, spending long periods in St. Patrick’s High School, Moulmein, and St. Peter’s High School, Mandalay. He was principal of St. Theresa’s School, Rangoon, in 1965, when all the Brothers’ schools were nationalized. He and many other Brothers were forced to leave the country. He came to Hong Kong in 1966 and spent the rest of his life in La Salle College, Kowloon. The salient facts about any great teacher’s achievement are found, not in lists of dates and places, but in the life of the students he helped to form. Thousands of Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, Confucianists, Hindus and others in Burma and Hong Kong and in many lands oversea bear in their careers and their characters the stamp of Brother Vincent’s training. In the homily preached at his Funeral Mass, he was described as preeminently a Boys’ Brother. He gave himself wholly to the service of those he was teaching. Many of them, now middle-aged or elderly, still salute the memory of what he gave them. Brother Vincent retired from teaching in 1973. Among the various activities of his years of retirement, he took the post of Sacristan. His community recall with affection and gratitude the care with which he provided all possible helps to devotion, small and great. In retirement, as in his years of labour, he took delight in community life, enjoying to the full the consolation of his Brothers’ companionship. They will miss him, but they will always rely on the help of his prayers. Information obtained from http://archives.catholic.org.hk/memory/V-Kozak.htm