How The OBU Has Supported the School Over the
Past 80 Years?
Prior to 1930 – the OBU purchased the
fields of St. Michaels and Leeuwenhof (previously hired from the
Administrator of the Cape Province) for the High School and Junior
School respectively; also paid for building the changerooms and
groundman’s flatlet at each field. With the relocation of the
high school these fields were sold and the proceeds used to develop the
Old Boys’ War Memorial fields at the High School in 1960.
The Russell Clock was donated and installed
in the High School Quadrangle in Orange Street and later relocated to
Newlands.
After World War II the finances of the OBU
stepped up, particularly after a large fete held in 1947 in conjunction
with both schools, which was opened by the Prime Minister, General Jan
Smuts.
Victoria Scholarships established approx. 1935
SACS Old Boys’ War Memorial Scholarships
established for each grade after World War II
War Memorial plaques featuring names of SACS
Old Boys who lost their lives in both World Wars. (Transferred to
Newlands Campus in 1960)
Prominent Old Boys negotiated with the Cape
Province Administration to move SACS from Orange Street in Cape Town to
one school campus in Newlands.
With the move to Newlands – High School
in 1960 and Junior School in 1954 – fund raising by OBU was
incorporated into the J H Hofmeyr Memorial Fund, which was organised by
the OBU. Appeals were made throughout the country with Chief Justice A.
v.d. Sandt Centlivres as the main trustee. Well over 40 prominent Old
Boys served on various committees to promote the fund raising.
The three chief aims of the Fund were:
Building of the J H Hofmeyr Memorial Hall at
a cost of £75,000. The Hall was completed and opened in March
1960.
The OBU also funded the installation of the entire Hofmeyr Hall wood
paneling, foyer marble as well as the printing of all the names from
the old school panels.
The staff room and High School headmaster’s study were also
panelled with cash from this fund as well as the marble for the High
School’s main foyer and furnishing of red leather chairs for High
School staff room.
Further development of both schools to the
value of £25,000 - the Junior School swimming pool was partially
paid from this fund.
Pediments on front facades at High School, Junior School and J H
Hofmeyr Hall were also paid from this fund.
Construction of roads, laying out playing
fields and planting trees financed by OBU from 1960-67
Once both schools were established at
Newlands, the Old Boys’ Union established the SACS Foundation
through which both schools benefitted in many ways:
Housing for staff in Palmboom Road.
Apartments at Foundation Close in Palmboom
Road adjoining the Old Boys’ War Memorial Fields. These
properties were later sold to provide finance for the Schools in 1990
and more recently to provide the headmasters’ residences.
Governing Body teachers are presently assisted with housing subsidies
from the SACS Foundation.
The value of SACS Old Boys’ War
Memorial Scholarships were increased.
Cost of the Junior School Cultural Centre
was aided from funds from the SACS Foundation.
The High School Lecture Theatre and
refurbished Library were funded by the SACS Foundation in the late
1970’s and early 1980’s.
Low interest loans made for the building of
the new Resources Centre, Arts Block for the High School and Computer
Centres for the High and Junior Schools.
The OBU continues to assist individual boys
whose families are unable to pay for special tours etc.
The Hockey Astroturf and Aquatic Centre are
the most recent projects to benefit from low interest loans from the
SACS Foundation.
The OBU is presently involved in the OBU 175
Appeal. The chief aims are:
Scholarships
Assistance to both Schools with development
projects
To support the administration of the OBU
The Constitution of the OBU, among it’s
clearly stated objectives are:
To promote the welfare of the Schools
through the co-operation of Old Boys by providing scholarships, prizes
and contributions.
To provide assistance, where necessary, to
deserving students and/or staff of the Schools.
Great to hear from you again – pity about
the circumstances.
Thank you for your kind words. I really do
not deserve it.
As stated in many of my talks. I simply
refuse to allow Jane to become just another statistic.
By pushing the anger aside, I could concentrate on hopefully turning
her death into something meaningful.
It is damn hard, but it seems to be coming together.
I love South Africa and will not allow a few thugs to take
our suburbs over.
We MUST stand up and be counted.
The people are hungry for positive messages and signs of hope!
(It is hard to believe, but I have been invited to talk
in Soweto and Chatsworth (KZN) after the radio interview on
SAFM).
If I can only prevent this from happening to one
other family, it has all been worth while.
Incidentally, I had calls from Richard
Street, Trevor Johnson and Pam Schultz, besides a host of Old Boys.
I truly appreciate your note. Please stay in
touch.
Archie Henderson writes in The
Times (14 September 2009) about sportsmen who fought in WWII, including
Simmy Lewis ('33) who was an amatuer boxer. Read the article here.
Headboy Sam Wegener's Prize Giving Academics and
Culture Speech and Valedictory Address
Prize Giving Report -
Academics and Culture - October 2009
Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Ball, Mr. Wicht, honoured quest Mr.
Clive Roos, parents, staff and fellow SACS men
Tonight, I am proud to
present the academic and cultural report. It has been a very
eventful and successful year for all those involved and, although it is
only those who have excelled that are mentioned tonight, all the
academics, debaters, singers, musicians and artists have contributed in
some way to SACS‘ wholesome and balanced image. In other
words, they, through their imagination, creative flair and intelligence
have all played a part in ensuring the school does not become dominated
by brawn.
The final Grade 12 exams are now
fast approaching and we, the class of 2009, will certainly have to work
hard to match last years’ matrics’ impressive results. Of
the 140 that wrote, 137 received Matric Endorsements and all passed.
Lawrence Meire - a prefect of last year - came 9thin the Western
Cape and last years’ head boy, Matthew Davey - as well as
achieving 100% for maths - came 3rd in the province. No
pressure…
Nevertheless, the Matrics started
this year well. Based on last years’ November results, there were
a total of 14 Academic Full Blues awarded. The Gr.11s had similar
success, with 12 achieving their full colours and subsequent
’boffin’ status.
As is custom, these top academics
from Gr.11 and 12 - as well as the leading Gr.10 pupils - participated
in the Internal Scholarship Exams in February to determine this
years’ Victoria Scholars. Congratulations must go to
Richard Symmonds, Michael Davey and Daniel Goldstone of the junior
division, who came 3rd , 2nd and 1st respectively. The
senior division, however, raised a few eyebrows. The Gr.11s were very
rude, completely stealing the limelight. There were no matrics in the
top 3 spots and all the blame must go to Neil Du Toit (3rd), Daniel
Sturrock (2nd) and Fergus Wegener (1st). Though it must be said that
Fergus’ success was largely due to years of advice and aid from
his elder, more experienced brother. Jokes aside, well done to those
three Gr.11s. It is a impressive achievement - especially against such
tough opposition.
The World War II scholarships were
awarded at the end of the first term. These go to the pupils who
achieved 1st place in their previous years’ end-of-year
results. Marcel Roodt (a Gr.9) was honoured for his efforts in Gr.8.
Daniel Goldstone of Gr.10, Gareth Schumann of Gr.11 and Sam Wegener
were the other recipients.
The Annual UCT Maths Competition
was held in April this year and as always, SACS was well represented.
Of the 7000 participants from around the Western Cape, 63 were
from SACS. There were good performances all round but a special mention
must go to Lance Li, our maths wizard in Gr.11. In the initial stage of
the competition, he came 6th. This was good enough for him to be
invited to the UCT Invitational Mathematics Challenge where he achieved
an amazing 1st place.
Our leading debaters have also had
much success this year, most recently their outstanding performance in
the National Individual Debating Championships. Overall, Neil du Toit
came 41st, Chad Beyer came 9th and David Harris 1st. In addition,
Chad and David were selected for the National Team.
The English and Afrikaans best
speaker competitions were held at the end of the 3rd term. In the
English competition, Sam Ndlela won the junior division and Sibusiso
Mbonambi, the senior division. In the Afrikaans competiton, Andrew van
Lingen won the junior division and Neil Tu Doit achieved 1st place
in the senior division.
The Inter-house One Act plays,
held in June, lived up to their reputation of being highly
entertaining. Russel were the overall winners. Sibusiso Mbonambi of
Shaw won the Best Director Award and Wayne van Niekerk of Rosedale was
the best actor in a leading role.
Perhaps the cultural highlight of
the year was the school’s production: a Century in Song. It ran
for a week during the middle of May and attracted large crowds. The top
singers and dancers of SACS teamed up with the equally talented girls
of various Cape Town schools. Without them, the cabaret would have
surely been a testosterone-filled flop. The show’s cabaret format
was a dramatic change from last years production of Grease and the
cast, crew and band did well to live up to the high expectations that
Grease’s success left them. A special mention must go to the
ever-patient Carol Alpert, who choreographed and directed the
show.
All in all, 2009 was - and will
hopefully continue to be - a very good year for the boffins and culture
vultures of SACS.
At this point, I would like to
break a few laws of report-giving. I realise a report of this nature
should remain devoid of emotion and opinions. But now, as I report on
all the musical happenings of the past few months, I would like to say
how much I’ve enjoyed being a part of SACS music. Music is the
aspect of SACS that is closest to my heart and this years’ Matric
music class must surely rival as one of the most talented in many
years,
There really were a large number
of gigs, concerts and performances for the SACS Music Department this
year. This included the annual Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festival, a few
afternoons of ‘Jazz in the Gardens’, the annual UCT RAG
procession, a performance of Vivaldi Gloria by the choir in the City
Hall - despite the choir and band nearly being decimated by swine flu -
and many other events showcasing the music groups of this school, all
of which were successful. Bearing time allocation and subsequent levels
of drowsiness in mind, I will focus just on the highlights of this
years’ musical events.
The annual Walter Swanson bursary
competition took place in May. After an evening of fierce competition,
Rory Stott was declared the winner for his performance on the Clarinet.
The Christopher Brown competition held similar rivalry. Francis Bowers
and Yanick Bathfield emerged after an evening of high-quality music as
winners of the vocal and instrumental divisions respectively.
For the third consecutive year,
the Senior Jazz Band toured Grahamstown for the annual National Youth
Jazz Festival. The festival is during the middle of winter, but the
freezing temperatures of the inner Eastern Cape did not prevent the
band from giving a good performance, having a lot of fun and learning
much from South Africa’s - and indeed the world’s - jazz
professionals. Huge congratulations must go to Yanick Bathfield, Simon
Ackermann and James McClure, who were successful in auditioning for the
National Schools Big Band. For James, this was the third year in a
row.
Just a few days ago, SACS held a
Concerto Festival in this hall - this being only the second time a
concert of this kind has taken place at this school . The program was
expanded since last year and the concert featured 8 of the
school’s top performers being accompanied by a full orchestra.
Mrs. Graham was once again fantastic in her organizing of the evening
and Mr. Walton very professional in the conducting of the orchestra.
Finally, I would like to
acknowledge the efforts of all the pupils and staff who are actively
involved in the many other hard-working and highly relevant societies
and cultural groups. Societies such as the MSA, the Xhosa Society, the
Christian Union, Interact, first aid, the Multimedia Club and the
dedicated team of library workers. They all contribute to what SACS
strives to maintain: a well-balanced education. That is, after all,
what makes SACS special. To put it simply: the sophisticated mix
of both jocks and boffins - of both brain and brawn.
Thank you for your attention.
Valedictory Speech - 20 October 2009
Good Morning Mr. Ball, staff,
parents, Matrics of 2009 and SACS men
I’d like to start with the
first four lines of my favourite Dr. Seuss book, ‘Oh, the Places
You‘ll Go‘. They go like this: “Congratulations!
Today is your day. You’re off to great places. You’re off
and away.” The book is filled with excitement and optimism.
It’s positive. I’m sure that’s how many people here
are feeling this morning. However it would be silly to assume that the
feelings in this hall are limited only to those of joy and wonder.
Between all of us, there are pangs of sadness, indifference,
nervousness, fear and - I daresay particularly among a few of the staff
- relief. Valedictory services, by their nature, are ceremonies of
mixed emotion. This one is no different. Today, we mark the end of a
chapter and - as is probably the case for us, the matrics - we mark the
beginning of a new bookaltogether.
I would like to refer back
briefly to when my life at SACS began. I joined SACS in Grade 1 after
moving here from the UK. There, my school’s playground area was a
small tarmac. So when I arrived at SACS and saw the large green fields
and swimming pools, I was amazed. I was even more amazed when we, as a
class, were invited to take off our ties, socks and shoes and go to the
fields to kick a rugby ball around… and this was all part of the
normal school day! I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t realise
it then but this is one of the many reasons that mark SACS as such a
great school - why we are so lucky to be here: True to its mission
statement, SACS offers countless opportunities in sport, culture
and academics - opportunities to excel, to achieve, to grow, to
participate or simply, to have fun.
Matrics, we may have joked about
what we’ll be doing or where we’ll be in 10 years time, but
the reality is that most of us don’t really know. Sibusiso may be
our next president, the Bombay College of Knowledge may still exist or
Sadiq may have opened his own university but actually, where will we
be? Or more importantly, who will we be? By then, we may have settled
all over the world; we’ll be different in so many ways. But
we’ll still have and will always have one thing in common: this
school and the memories it has given us. Some of these memories are
good, some are bad but it is the great ones that will survive. These
memories come from the laughs and the friendships, and even the
disappointments and life lessons. These memories are priceless and
because of this, we have much to be grateful for.
Firstly, to the Staff of SACS: On
behalf of the matrics, I wish to thank each one of you for everything
that you have given us. Not just the numbers, the methods, the words
and the other quantities, but also the qualities. Our appreciation for
your enthusiasm, knowledge and support is beyond words and as far as
memories go, Meneer Giliomee, your rendition of She’ll Be
Coming ‘Round the Mountain at this year’s Inter-house
Idols is one of the many best. Dit was onvergeetlik.
Within the staff, I wish to say a
special thank you to the Administrative staff for your tireless
and hard work. Also to Mr. Guiney - for so ably and calmly managing our
grade - and Mr. Jones - for always listening and providing many
stimulating conversations.
A special mention must also go to
Mr. Samuels. Sir, I think it is very special that we, the matrics, are
becoming Old Boys the same year as you. We shall remember that familiar
intercom call of, ‘Mr. Samuels will now ring the bell’ -
especially those that preceded break time - and we thank you and your
staff for your many efforts and your dedication to SACS.
To the relatives - the moms,
dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles. I’m sure your emotions are
just as, if not more, mixed than ours. Thank you for everything - from
the cheers from the side of the sports field to serving us in the
tuck-shop; from listening to us at music concerts to helping us with
our homework - it all helped.
At this point, I have a few
personal thank yous.
Mr. Nel and Mr. Anderson: I
believe you are here today. The impact you had on me during my time in
the Junior School - and subsequently the High School - is huge.
I’m sure many agree with me when I say that you are true legends
of this school. Thank you so much for all that you did for me and more
than half of those seated in front this morning.
To Mawende Mentile and your
Spirit Committee: I doubt I will ever forget the sight of you charging
up and down the sideline of Memorial A with that blue and white jester
hat on. Thanks to you and your team for all the posters, the cheers,
the songs and the memories.
And then, the Prefects. Gaza,
Captain Force, Kaboom, Ethiopia, Mboks, Me-elville, DJ Doog, Jock,
Sean, K-Fed and lastly - my friend who’s loyalty and support has
been of so much help this year; the guy who has been with me at the
bottom of the alphabet since Grade 1 - Bryce, aka: Breemay. Guys, it
has been a honour being your leader. We’ve achieved much this
year, both in the school and amongst ourselves. I want to thank you for
the countless laughs and golden moments we shared - for all the support
and all the work you have done this year. But more than this, I want to
thank you for being yourselves. It was the best thing you could
be.
I also want to wish the new
Prefects the very best of luck for 2010. As both Michael Newdigate and
Matthew Davey said before me, I wish you to better what we, the
prefects of 2009, have done. I say this because I believe in the
progress of this school and I believe that you will make the most of
the amazing opportunity you have been given.
My next thank you goes to a man
who truly cares for this school: Mr. Perkin. Sir, you have given much
time to the prefect body this year and we greatly appreciate your
massive effort. Your genuine manner has allowed us to grow hugely and
we have learnt many lessons along the way. You have been supportive and
always willing to lend a helping hand. And for all this, we - and
especially I - thank you very much.
During the course of this year, I
came to realise something: SACS High School is a highly complex and
diverse institution. Being 180 years old, it has deep roots in
tradition, yet it is also expected to - and strives to - adapt to the
constantly challenging ways of our current society. I can only imagine
the extreme demands of being in charge of such a school - and I have
great respect for the man who is. Mr. Ball, sir: You and ourselves, the
class of 2009, shared a common first day all the way back in 2005. It
has been a journey for sure, and sometimes a bumpy ride. I have learnt
much from you this year and I thank you for your guidance and support.
On behalf of all those you lead, I salute you.
The matric gift this year
will be the staining of the four back windows in - the Hofmeyer Hall -
with the 4 house crests. This is a token of our gratitude,
Earlier, I said that this is a
ceremony of mixed emotions. But what emotion is shared by everyone
here? What emotion is the common binding force? I believe it is pride -
pride in SACS. We are proud to be associated with this school - the
oldest in the land. We are proud to have played a part in its great
history. Matrics, we may think that we’ve now competed our part
in SACS’s history but the truth is, we haven’t. Even now,
as we become old boys, we will still play a part in shaping
SACS’s history. As we leave here and move on, we will always
carry the flag of SACS. I trust that we will all do it with pride.
With this in mind and in closing,
I quote Dr. Seuss once again.
“We have brains in our head
We have feet in our shoes
We can steer ourselves
in any direction we choose”
Sport has a huge influence on all of our
lives. We derive satisfaction from playing a sport we enjoy. Sport
creates camaraderie, team spirit, enthusiasm, motivation and the will
to succeed. These qualities demonstrate the beliefs of the SACS
sportsmen. We hope that most of our boys have experienced some of these
qualities during the year.
We started our sports year with unbelievable
performances by our rowers. They re-wrote the record books
by winning the Buffalo Sprint Regatta for the first time, the Selborne
Regatta for the second time and then put the cherry on the top with
victory at the SA Champs. This is the first time that we have won all
three prestigious regattas and are possibly the only school to have
achieved this accolade.
Sailing is now an official sport at SACS.
Over the past 4 years, SACS has been blessed with a group of sailors
who have been inspired by their parents to put the time into planning,
training and competing at the highest level. Our sailors enjoyed fair
winds as they successfully defended their inter-schools title. To top
it off Matthew Whitehead and Matthew Shaw were selected for the SA
Junior Sailing team.
The Waterpolo players have not enjoyed
the same success as in previous years but have played with heart and
never doubted their abilities. We held our own in the Mazinter cup and
the SACS tournament. Our top players are Shaun Marshall, Tristan Shaw
and Matteo Viotti who were chosen for the Western Province U19A
side.
Just as good in the pool, except without a
ball, are our swimmers. Results have varied from gala to gala. One
swimmer has excelled, namely Zaahir Gamiet, who is following in the
footsteps of our Olympic swimmer, Sebastian Rousseau. He won gold in
all five events in which he participated. He also broke two South
African records at the South African National championships.
Other sporting achievements in the water have
been from the surfers and body boarders, who had a
successful season. Daniel Wilson is top of the log and is currently
representing our country.
It was critical that James Park-Ross stayed
on his board, especially when testing the waters in Australia
as the South Africanwaveski representative.
Moving onto the courts,
SACS basketball has been extremely strong this year with the
U16A side being unbeaten and winners of the SACS tournament. The U14A
team were also successful winners in this tournament. The first team
did well, with exceptional performances from Blayne Tomlinson and
Matthew Lawton.
Interest in tennis has increased
tremendously at the school with the 1st tennis team producing a
high standard of results.
SACS squash and badminton produced two SA players.
Andrew Gillard, ranked number 2 in our country’s U16 squash team;
while Jamie McManus travelled all over Africa with the SA U18 Badminton
side.
SACS rugby players have benefited from
the mental training received from the coaches and the input from the
Sports Science Institute. This mental attitude has prevented teams from
suffering those cricket score defeats especially from schools in the
northern suburbs.
The most successful rugby sides this year were to
be found in the U15 age group. Our top rugby player this year, judged
by his hard tackles and skilful play was Godfrey Tundube.
On the hockey field the under 16A
team performed spectacularly, winning all but two matches. The results
of the other teams varied throughout the season but it is good to see a
general improvement in the standard of hockey and the determination
displayed by the players. Many players gained selection for provincial
teams, and Lungelo Mafuya was selected for the SA under 16 side.
The cross-country teams enjoyed runaway
successes this season. Races were run in different venues across the
Peninsula. The under 19 team won all their races and the under 14 team
won 7 out of 9 races. Two runners had a superb season, namely, Bryce
Wicht who won all his races and Marewaahn Gamiet who won 5 of his. SACS
was named the top cross-country school in their league.
The cricket competition this year has
been of a very high standard throughout the country. A highlight of the
cricket season was the selection of Kirk Werners for the SA U17 team.
The under 14 age group has shown great potential and enthusiasm which
needs to be nurtured for the future. Our first eleven ended the first
term with a win over a strong Wynberg side known for its cricketing
strengths.
This year’s trip to Paarl
Boys’ athletics was entertaining. Eight buses were
filled with enthusiastic SACS supporters. We definitely won the first
prize for school spirit. This “GEES” gave our athletes the
kick they needed to achieve some fine results. We also performed well
at the Triangular hosted by Rondebosch Boys High. We achieved 10 first
places and 15 second places.
The Spirit Committee encouraged the boys
to attend all sporting events. The Prefects would like to thank their
leader Mawandi Mentile and his team for their support throughout the
year. Without their efforts the FNB Classic Clash vs Wynberg, the
Triangular, the Paarl Athletics meeting and many other fixtures would
not have been a success.
Lastly, SACS achievements in other sporting
codes such as shooting, biathlon, ice hockey, touch rugby, fencing,
judo, baseball, golf, lifesaving and cycling all brought credit to the
school. Two boys achieved South African colours for ice hockey, namely
Adam de Carvalho (U16) and Uthman Samaai (U18). There were no less than
19 sportsmen who achieved national colours in their respective
codes.
In the water and on the field SACS boys have
done their best to spread the name and swell the fame of the SAC.
The Spectemur Agendo Award recognizes outstanding
members of the SACS community. Recipients are primarily old boys, but
staff and parents who have had a close association with the school can
also be considered in exceptional cases. It is awarded to the
person who through exceptional actions in life or performance in a
particular field can be said to give noteworthy expression to the
school motto Spectemur Agendo. Click here
to see a list of the Award's recipients.
I took a year off after high
school and went to work as a lab assistant for a
year (1955) at the dynamite factory (de Beers, Somerset West)
I graduated in geology at UCT I left CT at the end of 1959 to join
Anglo American as a field geologist . My base camp was in the
NW Transvaal near Rustenburg close to where Sun
City is today. Our closest town was Rustenberg. I stayed
with them for 2 years then joined Roan Selection Trust as resident
Geologist on a mine located in the town
of Luanshyain Zambia. It was Northern
Rhodesia then. I arrived in Northern Rhodesia on Jan 1 1964
the day Northern Rhodesia split from the Federation of N. and S.
Rhodesia (Zimbabwe today) and Nyasaland (Malawi today) On Jan 2 I went
to the mine club of have dinner where I met Louise who became
my wife on July 4. So this year 2008 we celebrated our
44th anniversary. Louise is a Londoner. She was the secretary to
the general manager of the mine.
In October 1964 Zambia became a republic then
in 1966 we began to see that Zambia was going to deteriorate
under majority rule so I began looking elsewhere. I afraid to say
that the good days I knew in central Africa l have gone
forever. But then I am just an old colonial at heart.
Phelps Dodge Copper Company offered me a job
in Arizona and we arrived here in August 1966. After a year
in mining in the USA I decided to switch careers. I was
interested in computers and IBM was happy to hire me and give me the
necessary training. I was a systems engineer in the branch offices in
Denver Colorado, San Diego, California,
Austin, Texas, Chicago,Illinois and finally arrived
in Tucson, Arizona in 1982. I retired from the company
at the end of 1991 when I turned 55 afer 21 years with IBM. I
worked closely with salesmen to make sure that the systems we sold
would do what the customer wanted. Also prepared the customer to
use and program the their computers efficiently.
So I have been a gentlemen of leisure for 16
years. Now 18 years. Cannot believe it.
Louise and I keep fit hiking the mountains that
surround Tucson and going to the local health club
(gym). I do step aerobics and weight training. I work
out 4 times a week for an hour class of aerobics Louise does
other classes to keep flexible and trim. Louise hikes 2 to 3 times a
week. 2 hikes are at least 7 miles. I have a bike and
regularly bike the neighborhood.
We are also into volunteering. Louise volunteers
at the Tucson Visitors Center once a week. I am
involved with a national organization called SeniorNet. Our mission is
to make seniors (50+) computer literate. We have 5 cycles a year when
we offer various classes that last 5 weeks one class a week (3
hours) that 15 hours in total.
So now you know what I have been up to over
the last 54 years.
SACS Junior Chess Champ from the SACS Junior School Newsletter
Our diminutive Chess wizard, 9
year-old Daniel Barrish (Gr 3g), returned from one of the
largest International Chess Tournaments in the world held
in Pardubice,Czechoslovakia. Here, in a field of 236 participants,
he won 4 games, drew 3 and lost only 2, his third game lasting
4½ hours. Seven out of nine of his competitors were adults,
while his opponents’ average International Rating was 1714. His
highest rated opponent was 1950 - Daniel beat him! His last game was
against an adult Russian lady with an International Rating of 1914. He
beat her in a surprisingly short game that lasted only 40 minutes! As
if this is enough, before the Tournament, Daniel participated in the
African Youth Chess Championships held at UCT, competing in the
combined U10, U12 and U14 sections. He lost only one game – to
the current African U14 Champion – and beat the current U12
African Champion. Overall, Daniel won the U10 section and achieved a
Fide Master Title, the youngest South African player ever to achieve
this title!
In November, Daniel will compete in the World
Youth Chess Championships to be held in Turkey and, in
December, he will compete in the SA Nationals. Hearty congratulations,
Daniel! We are most proud of you!
For the Love of the Game by KC Richardson (Headmaster of Wynberg Boys'
High) fom The Argus, Aug 08
Of all Mankind’s great inventions, few
have succeeded in capturing the imagination more that sport. In a
week’s time we are about to witness the greatest sporting pageant
of all, the spectacular Summer Olympic games. Sport has a fascination
for all of us. It has the power to inspire, to enthuse, to
entertain.
It is ironic on the eve of the greatest sporting
show on earth, that the local newspapers have been filled with the
shenanigans on local school rugby fields. Referees have been
denigrated, player behaviour condemned and parental over-reaction
censured. The notion that ‘sport’ is a pleasurable pastime
has been sidelined. The camaraderie, the fellowship of sport, triumph
over adversity, the lessons of defeat, the hard work in accomplishing
victory have been forgotten in the heat of recrimination.
Somehow in it all, we have forgotten that in the
hierarchy of values of a school, sportsmanship must be ranked only
marginally below scholarship. Adults, including coaches, parents and
referees, should be unified in ensuring the time-honoured ethics of
sport are maintained on our school sports fields – to play hard,
but fairly; to accept defeat and smile when shaking the hand of an
opponent; to be competitive but at the same time co-operative because,
without your opponent, there is no game.
A few years back, a local journalist,
disillusioned after a disappointing Stormers game wrote that from now
on he would be only watching school rugby. ‘It has a youthful
innocence,“ he said, “unsullied by cups, leagues and
points.”
And he is correct. Schoolboy rugby teams tend to
play with enthusiasm and passion and, when well-coached, with an
absence of fear. Coaches of schoolboy rugby sides who release their
players from negative and safety first tactics soon find their players
revelling in the positive enjoyment of displaying their talent.
It is these coaches who have realized the true
reason why we play sport at school. It is not played for the benefit or
the glory of the school or the egos of the coaches, or the ambitions of
the parents – it is played for the benefit of the players.
Whatever the level of the schoolboy player, we
want him to learn the lessons of sport – because they are lessons
of life. In the end, these lessons will develop confidence and self
esteem in the player and he will learn, as a young sportsman, that
bitterness and sweetness are opposite sides of the same coin.
As he advances through high school, the young
sportsman soon realizes that the natural ability which carried him
through Junior School is no longer enough. As the competition becomes
keener, those players start coming to the fore who were lucky enough to
learn the lessons early in their school lives that only commitment to
hard work and the ability to fight back from disappointments, are the
foundations for a successful sporting life.
Sometimes these lessons are learnt more
effectively after losing a match or being dropped to a C or D team.
Schoolboys do not easily learn messages from winning because they fail
to examine their performance as they bask in the congratulatory glow of
parents and friends.
On the other hand, losing really does say
something about a young sportsman. His reaction to a loss is important.
Does he blame others? Does he complain about bad luck? Does he analyze
his failure? Does it increase his determination?
In the book, ‘The Hansie Cronje Story’
by Garth King, the author remarks that Hansie never lost a rugby game
in his career at Grey College. One can only wonder what lessons Hansie
missed because of that.
The role of parents in the development of any
sportsman is vital. In my career as a sports coach and schoolmaster, I
have seldom come across a truly successful schoolboy sportsman who was
not well parented. Parental support, as opposed to parental pressure,
invariably determines whether a young player will learn the proper
lessons. Some time ago, I sent the following advice to parents:
Support your son and attend the matches,
whatever side he is in.
Always be there for him, especially in the
‘down times’.
By all means set the bar for him – but
always praise his achievements especially when he has tried hard to
reach this bar.
Praise effort and commitment – much more
than results.
Never criticize the Coach as it will confuse
the players. It not only divides loyalty, but offers and excuse.
Don’t fall for the common South African sporting curse of blaming
the coach or referee.
Never over-emphasize winning as it will only
lead to a fear of failure. One of the curses of schoolboy sport is an
unbeaten season.
Do not relive your own sporting career (or lack
of it!) through your son. This leads to frustration and disappointment
on both sides.
Be a true sporting spectator. Let the referee
handle the game and let your son make his own mistakes. He will learn
more that way.
All parents want what is best for their sons
– but then so does every coach and every school. If we expect our
players to behave like sportsman on the field, then it is important for
adults not to behave like children on the sidelines.
Some years ago in America, the authorities imposed
a noise ban on parents and coaches in the Northern Ohio Girls Soccer
league. Spectators were instructed to keep their cheers and criticism
to themselves.
Some parents waved signs; others put duct tape
over their mouths to stay quiet. Goals and saves were met by smiles and
nods of approval from parents and coaches. This was an effort to put
sport back into perspective after rowdy parents disrupted games and
frustrated players. Presumably the point was made – but it was
not reported whether these measures had a lasting impact!
There is no doubt that sport can play a pivotal
role in education and it is our job as parents and teachers to help our
children cope with the pressures of today’s highly competitive
world.
As we marvel at the proficiency and expertise of
the athletes at the upcoming Beijing Olympics, let us at the same time
applaud the commitment which saw them reach the pinnacle of sporting
success. Yet, somewhere in their past, I hope they too, had a coach
like I had, who once said to me: “The next sixty minutes you are
about to play will never be repeated. Make the most of every
minute.”
Mayor's Medal Awarded to Ben Rabinowitz ('49) for
Civic Honour
Ben Rabinowitz ('49) the Mayor Helen
Zille, and his wife Sheila
“Benjamin Philip Rabinowitz, lawyer and
businessman, was born in Cape Town in 1933. This larger-than-life
personality is known as a man who truly embodies the spirit of
altruism. Now semi-retired, Ben fills his days with doing “good
deeds”, giving before being asked, stepping in where angels fear
to tread, and using his formidable legal knowledge to fight worthy
causes.
Ben contributes towards a long list of
educational, environmental and cultural causes. A champion for human
rights, he has always fought for justice, and secured many judgements
to protect those whose rights were being violated. He is not afraid to
litigate on points of principle, often at huge personal cost.
His outspokenness has resulted in much public
debate, and frequently also much needed change. The man known to many
in Cape Town as “Big Ben” is indeed an inspiration and a
fine example.”
In an article from the Cape Argus (16 April 2009),
SACS is mentioned as one of the 15 Western Cape Schools in a list of
the 100 top South African Schools. view
the article »
SACS OBU Chairman’s AGM Report –
March 2009 by Brent Walsh
Welcome
Honorary Life President, Vice-Presidents, Headmasters of the Schools,
Executive Director, Committee, Members and Associate Members –
once again it is a great pleasure and honour to welcome you to this the
Annual General Meeting of the SACS Old Boys Union in its 102nd year of
existence.
I would like to start out by extending my thanks
to the committee for the past year, in particular Justin
Hardcastle, our treasurer, and Keith Elkin,
our minuting secretary who has indicted he is unfortunately not
available for re-election this year.
There has been the sad passing of several Old
Boys through the past year – I would like to, however, mention
one in particular, the tragic passing of one of our committee members
last month, Marcello Da Silva. His enthusiasm and
support given to the OBU, and particularly the OBU office will be
sorely missed.
With reference to the SACS OBU Constitution and
the Objectives of the Union detailed therein, once again I must extend
thanks to John Ince and Sandy Edwards
for doing an extraordinary amount of work. Summer & Winter Games,
Annual Dinners, Golf Days, Newsletters and Newsflashes don’t just
happen. These events and publications take significant amounts of
administration, effort, planning and help. To this extent I must also
pay tribute to the help the office receives from the younger members of
our OBU.
It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to
our Executive Director, John Ince, who through his relentless passion
for this Institution has brought about an interest in this Old Boys
Union that has confirmed his appointment as a success. John has
indicated that he will be retiring from his full time position as
Executive Director at the end of 2009. However, it will be tough to
keep the young man down and where appropriate John will continue his
involvement with the office on a project basis continuing with what he
does best.
On a personal level, and I think I speak on
behalf of a significant number of members both at this General Meeting
and those elsewhere, in that my involvement in the OBU Committee over
the past 6 years stemmed from two main factors:
my love for this institution and,
the enthusiasm, passion, and absorbing nature
of John Ince and his inclusive way of involving as many people as
possible
While no one man can be bigger than this
Institution at any point in time I can safely say that Mr Ince is
someone who has left a lasting impression of the SACS Family on
hundreds, if not thousands of boys. These, gentlemen, are the deeds on
which one can be judged.
In this reporting period we have said good-bye to
a legend in his own right, Mr Stuart Anderson, head
of the Junior School for 13 Years. Resulting from this we have welcomed
the appointment of Mr Francois Nel and to whom we
offer our support at the start of his journey at the helm of the Junior
School.
Once again the OBU must extend congratulations to
Mr Ken Ball and his team at the High
School for the impeccable results achieved for the class of 2008. As
mentioned in the recent Autumn OBU Newsletter, and something worth
noting again, is the placement of 4 SACS men in the top 5 for Maths,
and 2 SACS men in the overall top 10 in the province. With the recent
historic successes at the SA Champs Rowing Regatta I would highly
recommend a thorough reading of the SACS Website in order to keep up to
date with the relevant details.
The OBU continues to enjoy the support of the School
Governing Body in their approval of all boys at the school
contributing to their life membership to the Old Boys Union during
their time at the school. It is support like this that reinforces the
value and presence of the OBU both in the short term and appreciating
the camaraderie of the Union over the long term.
The SACS Foundation, the key
strategic and financial arm of the OBU have continued to support the
schools in the form of bursaries, subventions to Governing Body
appointed teachers, loans to the schools’ Building and
Development Fund as well as the property investments providing housing
for the heads of our schools. Thanks must be extended to the Chairman Trevor
Fish for his leadership on the Foundation and to Tony
Pocock who has had the tough task of managing the funds of the
Foundation over the traumatic past year on the markets.
In the current economic climate where investments
and available funds are of particular concern the focus tends to shift
towards these areas requiring attention. To this extent there has been
much discussion and a strategic planning session of the OBU will be
happening with the new committee in order to address the serious
funding concerns.
Justin Hardcastle will be presenting the OBU
financials and then Dirk Kemp will be presenting the
current financial situation of the SACS 175 Appeal. As you will see
there has been an extensive amount of time and effort put into
preparing these reports and for this I extend thanks to Justin, Dirk as
well as Peter Bourne who has provided much valuable
input over the last months. The Committee felt it appropriate to use
this opportunity to provide as much detail as possible on the current
situation in order for the Members to understand our factual position.
From this point the new Committee will aim to provide strategies going
forward that will address these concerns and ensure the continuing
legacy of the SACS Old Boys Union.
Once again I would like to extend my gratitude to
the committee for their time and contributions over the last year. It
has been a tough year with much detailed discussion at meetings. I am
in a position whereby my undivided attention is required elsewhere
which will not make me available for election this year. I sincerely
trust there will be continued mutual respect of all OBU members both on
and off the committee, and the underlying driving principle of being
involved to assist the schools where possible and ensure the ongoing
success of this historic campus.
(from an email to John and Sandy at the OBU
office)
To give you a short introduction to where I am and what it is that I am
doing, I am staying on a very small island off the coast of Tanzania in
East Africa. THe island's name is Chole and it is very near the larger
island of Mafia (South of Zanzibar). I have been employed by a a
couple, Jean and Anne de Villiers, to teach their daughter, Maya. Jean
and Anne run and live in a small hotel on Chole Island and I have been
given my own small house to live in. I teach Maya every week-day, using
a correspondence school curriculum from the USA. It is a very easy and
generally quite fun set of lessons to teach and Maya is a great student.
Apart from the teaching, I am also involved with a
couple of the projects that are being run on the island by Jean and
Anne. There is a small village on the island that benefits from social
development programmes that have been started.
The project that I am involved in however, is
related to my interests in architecture (and history) and involve the
conservation and rehabilitation of some 19th Century ruins that are on
the hotel property. The ruins date back to the trading days of the
African East Coast. Chole Island was an important transport and tading
hub (despite its small size). This project that I am helping with is
essentially to reverse some of the weather damage to the bigger, more
important buildings that are collapsing quite rapidly. Up till now, it
has been a matter of preparing reports for the Department of
Antiquities in Dar es Salam, but soon we will commense the real work of
rebuilding and replastering certain parts of the collapsing structures.
I have also been doing small design exercises to
propose ways in which some of the more intact ruins may be re-inhabited
in the future, which has been quite fun and has certainly tested some
of my architectural knowledge.
In general life on the island is very laid back.
Things happen very slowly and there is much time to read and relax
(which is welcome after the hectic schedule of an architecture
student). I eat with the family and their guests and spend a lot of my
free time taking part in whatever activities are offered to the guests
at the hotel. The island is quite remote and is in fact in the middle
of a national marine park. The surrounding waters boast incredible
coral reefs and an abundance of amazing sea life. I have been given the
wonderful oppurtunity to learn how to SCUBA dive and have had fun
learning and enjoying exploring this intriguing new world. Some of the
other fun activities that I've managed to do while here (so far)
include, going to watch turtle nests hatching, swimming in pools full
of stingless jellyfishand lots of sailing.
I will be here at Chole for most of the time until
the end of January. Howeveer I do intend to make a trip to visit
Zanzibar soon and towards the end of my stay I would like to travel
North to visit the Serengetti and do some safari, which I am really
looking forward to.
I hope that all is well with you, Sir. I am sorry
not to be attending the Old Boys' Dinner, which I always greatly enjoy.
I was particularly sorry to miss my own five year reunion, but such is
life. Although it is quite difficult to stay in touch with everything
going on outside of my small island, I have managed to see some of the
Tri-Nations rugby and was glad to at leat hear of Percy Montgomery's
retirement. What a wonderful game against the Wallabies to mark the
conclusion of his carreer.
Thank you so much for all your tireless effort in
assisting my sister with finding a placement for her gap year. I had
such a wonderful year at Wycliffe College due, in no small part, to
your help and guidance. I know Claire has been particularly slow in
deciding what it is she wants from her gap year, but I'm sure she will
enjoy and benefit from anything you are able to help her with.
Please extend my regards to Sandy and my friends
and collegues at the Old Boys' Dinner. Looking at the date, I think
this may be too late, in which case, I hope that the evening was a
great success.
Situated in the wilderness area at the mouth of the Mbotyi River is
Pondoland’s best kept secret. Mbotyi River Lodge is the perfect
place for those looking for a peaceful and tranquil holiday or for the
adventurer wanting to experience authentic Pondo Culture and to explore
the many beautiful and wild treasures this coast has to offer. These
treasures include pristine indigenous forests with amazing birdlife,
gushing waterfalls in deep gorges filled with lush fauna and flora,
glorious beaches below rolling grass hills and genuine Pondo Culture
which has miraculously been unaffected by modern day living.
Mbotyi River Lodge is situated 26 kilometers from
Lusikisiki, a small section of this road being good gravel. One passes
through the beauty of the hills and valleys of the magnificent Magwa
Tea Plantation and then through lush forest. At the end of this road
lies Mbotyi River Lodge and the beginning of a new and wonderful
adventure.
The Lodge has beautiful sea and lagoon facing,
comfortable en suite rooms each with their own unique view and
ambiance. Whether you prefer the log cabin rooms or the rustic thatch,
each has a balcony or patio from which guests can listen to the rumble
of the ocean or the cry of the fish eagles whilst admiring the view.
Activities at the Lodge include Hiking/Walking Trails with trained
guides, through the forests or over the hills. Mountain Biking,
Canoeing and Paddling, Fishing, Whale and Dolphin Watching,
Bird/Buttefly Watching and Horseriding. Scenic 4x4 drives can be taken
to the Waterfalls should you not wish to hike or you can just relax on
the beach or at the pool. Children are catered for with beach cricket,
soccer and volleyball and child minders are available upon request.
The focus of Mbotyi River Lodge cuisine is on
taste and quality. The emphasis is on simple fare that delights the
palate and enhances your stay. The long Bar and Games Room, situated
adjacent to the Dining Room enjoy awesome views of the Mbotyi beach and
river mouth.
Now part-owned and managed by Nita Ross who brings
a wealth of experience from Wild Coast Holiday Reservations and Peter
and Tuffy Kirsten with their enthusiasm for people and the community,
Mbotyi River Lodge is set to be a ‘must do’ destination.
One would always wish to return to Mbotyi River
Lodge after spending some time here as there is always another
adventure or another secret that unfolds.
