IN Leeubekkiestraat in die woonbuurt Newtown op Fort Beaufort woon een van die Katriviervallei se mees gerespekteerde inwoners, \u2019n afgetrede skoolmeester in murg en been, Michael Essop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Met Mid-Karoo Express<\/i> se besoek die afgelope Sondag is oom Mike nog in sy kerkklere geklee en pronk sy palmtakkie reeds teen die gang se muur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Michael Essop is op 12 September 1935 op Fort Beaufort gebore. Hy onthou sy kinderjare nog soos gister. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn my kinderdae kon mens my geboortedorp se karre op jou vingers en tone tel en was verkeer nie naastenby so druk soos vandag nie.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hy onthou nog hoe die boere van die omgewing klokslag Saterdae op Fort Beaufort toegesak het om op die dorpsmark hul ware te verkoop. Van vrugte en groente tot eiers, plaasbotter, tuisgemaakte gemmerbier en konfyte en selfs speenvarkies en slaglammers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oom Mike het sy skoolloopbaan aan die St. Joseph\u2019s Katolieke skool op die dorp begin in \u2019n tyd toe kloosternonne nog ore rooi ge-trek en sitvlakke met die dik liniale van daardie tyd warm gewiks het. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
N\u00e1 standerd 6 is hy na die legendariese Holy Rosary Kloosterskool op Cradock en het daarna aan die destydse Perseverance Onderwyskollege by Kimberley as onderwyser gekwalifiseer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In sy onderwysloopbaan het oom Mike onder meer op prim\u00eare skole by Mankazana, Keiskammahoek, St. Joseph\u2019s op Fort Beaufort en later, nadat die familie na Oos-Londen verhuis het, by St. Francis Xavier in di\u00e9 stad onderrig gegee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Op 31 Maart 1956 het oom Mike trou ge-sweer aan sy vrou, Louisa, \u2019n nooi McDonald en uit hul huwelik is ses dogters en twee seuns gebore. Die familie het dertien jaar in Oos-Londen gewoon voordat hulle in 1968 na Hertzog in die Katriviervallei verhuis het. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hier was oom Mike tydlank waarnemende hoof by Balfour Prim\u00ear voordat hy tot prinsipaal by die Tidbury\u2019s Toll Prim\u00eare Skool aangestel is. Di\u00e9 was \u2019n rustige plattelandse tweemanskooltjie waar oom Mike 20 jaar lank saam met sy eggenote onderwys gegee het. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOns het sommer saans op ons r\u00fbe in die kooi personeelvergadering gehou,\u201d skerts oom Mike. Toe hy in 1996 aftree het die skool ook ontbind. Oom Mike se wederhelf het hom elf jaar gelede reeds ontval. Hulle is gese\u00ebn met nege kleinkinders en ses agterkleinkinders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luidens oom Mike was dit uiters uitdagend om prinsipaal van \u2019n plaasskool te wees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOuers en kinders het jou as \u2018Meester\u2019 aangespreek en benewens jou taak as prinsipaal was jy ook vir die gemeenskap ambulans, huweliksberader, begrafnisondernemer, posbode en moes jy gereeld pensioen en toelaevorms vir families voltooi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn my tyd was kinders stout en nie onge-skik soos die geval met vandag se kinders is nie. Ek het nie r\u00earig lat geswaai nie want die kinders het respek vir ons gehad,\u201d s\u00ea oom Mike met \u2019n vonkel in sy oog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hierdie oud-onderwyser gaan nog gereeld Sondag kerk toe, bestuur nog sy motor oor lang afstande en lees daagliks sy koerant en bring ook sy vrye tyd voor die kassie deur.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IN Leeubekkiestraat in die woonbuurt Newtown op Fort Beaufort woon een van die Katriviervallei se mees gerespekteerde inwoners, \u2019n afgetrede skoolmeester in murg en been, Michael 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