Hospi. as is obvious was the universal short form for the School Hospital at Lovedale. Red blankets, cots painted white and tough Matrons and something ghastly which I can taste even after 45 years called “Alber” (?) are memories of the Hospital.
With children in their hundreds, illness spreading was not infrequent. Once when we were playing near the Bursar’s house, we heard a distinct voice ask in customary, slow, measured tone ” Are you going where I am going? We have mumps, measles and chicken pox”. It was Mr. K.I.Thomas, who though the Headmaster was known simply as Princi. To me and many of my generation, he was the best HM one could have. Having just read “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” to us he was Thomas of Lovedale rather like Arnold of Rugby.
The first Doc I can remember was Dr. Shaw. Tall and well built he was famous for the sixers he hit at cricket. As the story goes ,his sixers used to bounce off the Hospi. roof from Top Flats. We were much younger then and gave the balls he hit almost guided missile -like propensities. After him for many years was Doc Braganza. I think he was an army doc. -rumoured to be from the Remount Veterinary Corps.
The first Matron I remember was by far the toughest of them all. Mrs. Richter. MaRic could, and frequently did, bring the roof down when she went after two of her staff. Guys who closely resembled popular cartoon figures of those days called Mutt and Jeff. They were called, you will scarcely believe, Muthu Mari and Mari Muthu.
After her came, if I remember correctly, Ma Hurley and later Ma Sangamitra. The prefix Ma being Lovedale’s word for Ms/Mrs.
Hospi. was ok for a couple of days. One got bored there in no time but it was fun when you had boys come in in droves following mumps or measles.
