Interview (former) student Henk and Akiko

SintLucas is 75 years old. How has the school changed over the years? Henk Toonen, former student, and Akiko Knijff, currently still studying in Boxtel, talk about their experiences.

In 1969, Henk Toonen graduated from the Dutch Catholic Secondary Technical Painting School St. Lucas. He had trained there for four years, eventually leaving the school with a diploma as a Master Painter. All his working life, he has been in the painting business, most of which years with his own company until 2012. “I had clients all over the Netherlands,” Henk proudly explains. “For example, I worked for Vendex KBB (Koninklijke Bijenkorf Beheer, ed.). I maintained all the premises of V&D and Bijenkorf, from Groningen to Maastricht.”

Why SintLucas?
Ninety per cent of the students at SintLucas back then, were sons of painters, who would take over from father. The school was leading, so students came to Boxtel from all over the world. “My father, however, was in the hospitality industry. By pure coincidence I ended up at SintLucas,” says Henk. “I drew and painted a lot, but really as a hobby. Until someone said to me: you should go to Boxtel and eventually I ended up here with my folder of drawings.”

Akiko is currently studying Decoration & Restoration Painting (DRS) and is now in her third year. “My father also went to school here,” the student explains. “I knew about this school since I was a little girl. When I was looking for an education after high school, the choice was quickly made. I started at Spatial Design Product, but eventually switched to DRS. Painting and drawing was just more my thing, ever since childhood.”

Specific tools
Every student at SintLucas works with specific tools, which must have been no different in the 1960s. Henk: “My tools were a small case with a couple of fountain pens, pencils, a pencil sharpener, eraser and a quill. The latter I used to polish off drawings after erasing to make sure there were no marks on them. It was strict huh!” “Mine is a bit different from Henk’s,” laughs Akiko. “For my training, you have to buy a painting case with a lot of brushes and materials in it. Of course, I also have a case, but without a quill!”

Difference between now and then
When you spend a few years on a course, there are bound to be special moments that will always stay with you. “The first thing that comes to mind,” says Akiko, “is that it felt like coming home when I first entered SintLucas. From the first moment I enjoyed going to school and being able to do what I like.” Henk agrees, but also indicates that his situation was different after all. “We were interns, we had a boarding house and lived in rooms at people’s houses. And then after a party, which the Boxtel girls loved (St. Lucas was a boys-only school at the time, ed.), running up the stairs at night as quietly as possible when you got home.”

Unique school
“StLucas, to me that is synonymous with creativity galore,” Akiko replies when asked what characterises StLucas. “The school is super unique and so is every individual walking around here, both students, and teachers.” “I also notice that when I come here,” Henk adds. “I’m still here regularly to assess work or on open days. Of course, the school has also expanded in many more directions compared to when I was a student, it has become so diverse. And I really have the impression that students like it here and are motivated to study. We had to in our time, because Dad’s company had to be taken over. In addition, the strict regime and discipline was typical of SintLucas. You really had to make sure you were not sent out of class and had to sit by the red lamp in the corridor where the director’s room was. Then you had a very big problem. I also studied in the Beatles era. It could easily be that the headmaster sent you to the hairdresser because he thought your hair was too long. And when I came back, I had to show whether it was short enough. You can’t imagine that now, can you?”

And after SintLucas?
Henk indicated earlier that he eventually started a painting business after his studies. Akiko, however, is still on the eve of her career: “I plan to start a decoration and maintenance company together with my girlfriend, whom I met here. I myself would like to do that part-time, so that in addition I can realise my great desire to become a teacher at SintLucas. That means that after SintLucas, I want to do another teacher training programme. Why this combination? I can’t choose!”

Golden future
As a pensioner and expert by experience, Henk wants to pass on to the current generation of students that they should definitely complete their studies and make sure they become a good professional. “There is a real need for skilled workers in the Netherlands. It was in the newspaper just this morning. The mbo used to have an image problem, but fortunately that is changing now. Make sure you become good at your trade and then you will have a golden future.” Akiko has her thoughts on this too: “If you start at SintLucas or you’re just getting on, my advice is to do what teachers ask of you. There is so much knowledge and experience at our school, you can use that for the rest of your life. And above all, make sure you have fun!”