Over ... Duris de Jong

LA84.ORG - Well, I was born February 1, 1902 in Amsterdam. I am an only child and I suppose I was somewhat spoiled as a youngster. My father worked with one of my uncles who had three or four stores. He did the bookkeeping for my uncle, as I recall. My
mother had originally come from Rotterdam. As a matter of fact, after I moved to the United States my mother came over and lived in Los Angeles for about 25 years until she died. As a child I began taking piano lessons very early, about the age of five. I eventually became a rather accomplished classical pianist. It is an interest that I have maintained all my life, though I play less often than I once did.

LOS ANGELES TIMES - A slight, elderly man points to a pile of tattered newspaper and magazine clippings scattered across the table. A youthful, virile-looking fencer is pictured in several clippings, demonstrating the proper stance for dueling. Although Duris de Jong, 86, no longer resembles the swashbuckling fencer pictured in the articles from the 1930s and '40s, he's still able to parry an opponent's sword or elude the touch of a foil's blade.

Three times a week, De Jong drives the two miles from his Thousand Oaks home to the Conejo Community Center, where he teaches the art of fencing to yet another generation. At the conclusion of each 90-minute class, De Jong returns home to the more than 150 medals and trophies he's collected in 67 years of fencing. Prominently displayed on De Jong's bedroom wall are the commemorative badges he received at the 1928 and 1932 Olympic Games along with numerous tarnished brass medals earned during his 25 years on the Los Angeles Athletic Club fencing team. De Jong, a native of Amsterdam, competed in fencing in both Olympics for the Netherlands.

After competing in his hometown of Amsterdam in the '28 Olympics, De Jong emigrated to the United States and was a Los Angeles resident when he competed in the '32 Games. De Jong was eliminated in the semifinals of both Olympics."The medals represent a lot of hard work and cover a lot of years," said De Jong almost wistfully. De Jong last competed in 1956 when he won the California Epee Championship but has remained active in the sport, forming the Conejo Fencers Club 12 years ago so he would "have a place to fence."

The club began with a membership of two and De Jong now teaches a group of 15. Phillip Hareff, 37, of Moorpark typifies the membership; he grew up wishing he could fence like Errol Flynn after watching the movies "Robin Hood" and "Captain Blood" on television. Hareff's fencing mentor is De Jong, who was a contemporary of the man who taught Flynn fencing. Ralph Faulkner, who died last year at 95, taught the sport until the final three weeks of his life. "Fencing really hasn't changed that much since Duris competed," Hareff said. There have been enough changes in fencing, however, to cause De Jong stress. He laments the influx of electronic-monitoring devices that are commonly used in tournament competition.

When De Jong began fencing as a 19-year-old in Amsterdam, a fencer's honor demanded that he declare when an opponent had scored a "touch." A fencer scores during competition when the tip of the blade touches the opponent in designated areas on the body. "They don't care about form these days," De Jong said. "The only thing that matters now is the touch. It's not important anymore how they get the touch. "If you're a real fencer, you want to do everything just right. It's important to look and act like a fencer."

CONEJO FENCING CLUB - It was in 1976 that Duris De Jong, the great Dutch fencer, started a fencing club in Thousand Oaks, which he called Conejo Fencers. After running a successful lamp and home accessories business, he retired, and moved to Thousand Oaks with his wife Evelyn. Fencing became a regularly scheduled program available through the Conejo Parks and Recreation district. He taught classes and offered individual lessons for all three weapons in the art of fencing: foil, epee and sabre.
Because he was a competitor in two Olympic games during the 1920's, he was well aware of the international standard of competition in the various weapons. He was also a friend, acquaintance, or rival of nearly every legendary historical fencing legend of his time.

The "maestro" (Italian for "professor") as we called him, was certainly giving of his time and skill, but he was also a critical task master. His students were clear targets for this criticism mostly during their individual lessons, which were offered at every practice session, and in his "after bout" evaluations. Memories of these Duris-isms abound. "If I haven't told you once, I've told you a thousand times," or if he really wanted to make a point: "If I haven't told you once, I've told you ten thousand times!" When dealing with all of the various techniques of the sport, or a particularly complex move, with which a student was having difficulty mastering, he would many times step back and say; "K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, stupid." That usually got the point across. Another favorite: "Bend your knees!" The list goes on and on.

Maestro De Jong was also an accomplished pianist, who had particular interest in the music of Spanish composers. He and his wife shared their beautiful home with a Bluntner grand piano, and several "attack" poodles. They were also avid bridge players. During the late 1980's the Maestro's hip began giving him problems, and he opted to have a procedure done to replace it. He recovered, and returned to his chores as the Maestro of Conejo Fencers. Unfortunately, in 1990 he passed-away. Still, his legacy lives on through his many students, friends, and the club itself.

Editor's note: Shortly before his death, Maestro De Jong handed his weapons and the care of the Conejo Fencers to his student and trusted friend Phil Hareff. Those of us who were lucky enough to know the Maestro, are sure he would be very proud of the work Phil has done, and continues to do.