Pretoria Boys High School

Pretoria Boys High School, also known as Boys High or PBHS, is a public, fee charging, English medium high school for boys located in Brooklyn, Pretoria, in the Gauteng province of South Africa.

The school's distinctive red-brick buildings, which have national monument status, were built in the Neoclassical style and date from 1904. The main building of the school, sited on Waterkloof Hill, sits opposite to the distant Union Buildings on Meintjies Kop.

The school currently has around 1500 pupils, including 300 boarders. There are three boarding houses located on the school grounds. Rissik House and Solomon House are part of the original school complex completed in 1909, while School House was built a few years later.

Sporting facilities include rugby union facilities, a gymnasium and cricket facilities, two swimming pools, Olympic standard athletics grounds, several tennis and squash courts, a basketball court, an astroturf, a shooting range, a rock-climbing wall and hockey fields. The school grounds also includes a second campus (Pollock Campus), a man-made pine forest and an artificial lake (Loch Armstrong). The grounds form a protected bird sanctuary and are home to several species of birds.

The school has a well-established musical tradition and has a formal symphony orchestra, jazz band (the Dixie band), choir, pipe band and folk group.

History

The antecedent of the current school is the historic Staats Model School, built in the 1880s by the Government of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (later Transvaal) in central Pretoria. This school was not in operation for very long owing to the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War in 1899, during which time the building served as a prison; Winston Churchill was briefly imprisoned there.

Pretoria High School (1901-1903)

With Pretoria under British control, it became apparent to Lord Milner, the Colonial Secretary at the time, that the educational facilities in the city needed attention as there was no secondary school for English-speaking pupils. The Staats Model School was duly refurbished. It was renamed "Pretoria High School" and became the first of the so-called "Milner" schools in the Transvaal, opening on 3 June 1901 with Charles Hope as headmaster. Initial enrolment was 32 pupils, both boys and girls, which increased to 132 by August of that year. Mr Hope left 15 months later, along with the girls, who were finally accommodated into the old building of the former Transvaal Republic's "Staatsmeischjeskool" (State Girls' School). This was renamed the Pretoria High School for Girls.

Pretoria College (1903-1909)

Under the new headmaster, Harold Atkinson, enrolment increased to 100 boys by 1903. The name of the School was also changed to "Pretoria College". Mr Atkinson left at the end of 1905 and was succeeded by J F Acheson who stayed with the School until it moved from Skinner Street to its current site in 1909. Formal devolution between primary and high school pupils only occurred in 1905.

The New Buildings and Bilingualism

Milner's intention was to create a stable educational infrastructure in the new colony's capital and duly set aside 2 km² of ground to the south-east of central Pretoria for the construction of new academic institutions. The southern most 0.6 km², which included the "Waterkloof Kop" (Waterkloof Hill), was chosen as the new site for Pretoria Boys High School. The architect, Patrick Eagle, met the challenge admirably and designed an impressive edifice rivalling its larger contemporary, Sir Herbert Baker's Union Buildings. Eagle chose to site the main buildings on the ridge of the hill giving the school its well-known dramatic setting.

The new school buildings were officially opened in 1909 by General Smuts, then colonial secretary of the Transvaal. One year later, the four colonies of the Transvaal, Orange Free State, Natal and the Cape formed the Union of South Africa. Keen to forge unity between English and Dutch (Afrikaner) South Africans, Smuts' influence was evident when, on 6 April 1910, the school absorbed 100 boys and staff from the Dutch-medium Eendracht High School to form a dual-medium high school. The combined school was now named "Pretoria High School for Boys - Pretoria Hogerskool voor Jongens". Smuts would later send his own sons to the School.

Devolution and Re-Establishment (1920)

The dual-medium institution would last ten years. By 1920, the divide between English and Afrikaans speakers had become apparent nationwide; this was reflected in the need for a separate Afrikaans high school in Pretoria. Consequently, the Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool was formed immediately south of its parent, becoming the first Afrikaans-medium high school in the country, several years before Afrikaans attained official recognition as a language (and not a semi-creole of Dutch). The two schools enjoy close ties to this day, especially in an enthusiastic but friendly rivalry in sporting events. PBHS would now be left in its present form, known only as Pretoria Boys High School, an English-medium public school.

Headmasters since 1909

William Hofmeyr (1909-1935)

General Smuts handpicked the first headmaster of the institution - William Hendrik Hofmeyr, a Cambridge graduate who would become the school's longest serving headmaster. He was with the school for 25 years. Hofmeyr had seven sons and they all attended the School; three went on to become Rhodes Scholars. One of his sons, Will, became a member of staff and a famous coach. The Hofmeyr Cricket Oval, named after him, is regarded as one of the finest school cricket ovals in the country. Hofmeyr senior stayed as headmaster throughout the First World War. The war cost the school 28 Old Boys and a memorial in front of the main building, along with a bell chime, was erected in their memory with the inscription, "To the Glory of God and in memory of those of this school who gave their lives in the Great War this clock is dedicated". The chimes are identical to those of the Union Buildings and are based upon the Westminster Chimes.

Daniel Matheson (1936-1949)

Hofmeyr was succeeded by Daniel Duff Matheson in 1935 and under him the enrolment increased from 450 to 800 boys. Matheson saw the School through the Second World War when once again the cost was felt and the School lost 93 Old Boys. Matheson left in 1949 and in 1960 a drinking fountain at the pavilion was erected in his memory.

Noel Pollock (1950-1955)

Noel M Pollock was the first Old Boy to assume the position of headmaster. Pollock's office was marked by many changes and he did well in maintaining morale within the School. In his final year, 1955, the School achieved their best matric results and the first cricket side went through the season unbeaten. It was at about this time that Boys High had a fruitful turnout of great cricketers. Among others were Ken Funston, Eddie Barlow, Syd Burke, Glen Hall and Jackie Botten. Hockey was also introduced at the school and in 1976 Boys High became the first school to send a hockey team to England.

Desmond Abernethy (1956-1973)

Another Old Boy, Desmond Abernethy, left his post as an Inspector of Education to become a headmaster, a move he described as "downward promotion". Before Abernethy left in 1973, the School reached an enrolment high of 1000 boys and Art became a popular subject. Great schoolmasters of the time included Walter Battiss, Larry Scully and Clinton Harrop-Allin. Music became very popular as a school subject and Boys High produced Leo Quayle, a renowned musician.

In the early 1960s, renovations began once again as new classrooms were built and the old school hall was demolished and replaced by the current school hall, opened on 26 August 1964 by the Hon Mr Fox Odendaal. 1961 saw another record when Alan Hector, Peter Corbett and Neville Holmes were awarded their S A Schools' Caps. 1972 saw one of the greatest years in Boys High rugby when the school lost only one match.

Malcolm Armstrong (1974-1989)

Malcolm Armstrong was the eighth headmaster of the School, while being only the second born in South Africa. Armstrong placed great emphasis on a balanced life and for this reason a great number of clubs and societies were founded during his term of office. In 1989, 90% of the matriculants gained a university entrance certificate, [Gauteng Department of Education] a great achievement in terms of academics. He was also responsible for the building of 13 staff houses, a new gymnasium, laboratories, a new swimming pool and the moat that would be named Loch Armstrong in his honour.

William E. Schroder (1990-present)

In 1990, William ("Bill") Schroder succeeded Armstrong as headmaster. A former head prefect of Rondebosch Boys' School, Schroder embraced the changing political landscape of South Africa and successfully oversaw racial integration, private funding for additional staff (beyond the government-subsidised quota), extensive administrative modernisation while maintaining the school's high academic, cultural and sporting standards. Schroder has been quoted as saying: "I have no doubt that we can withstand any problems that the future may throw at us. I believe that a school such as ours must try to remain ahead of change, as it has in the past. I believe Boys High can become a genuine microcosm of the new South Africa."

Bill Schroder is scheduled to retire at the end of 2009. His successor has not yet been named.

Notable alumni

*Eddie Barlow, Springbok cricketer
*Jackie Botten, Springbok cricketer
*Charles Kimberlin Brain (C. K. 'Bob' Brain), Paleontologist, Cave Taphonomist
*Edwin Cameron, Supreme Court judge and AIDS activist
*Mark Fish, South Africa international football (soccer) player
*Ken Funston, Springbok cricketer and hockey player
*Damon Galgut, novelist
*Glen Hall, Springbok cricketer
*Richard Kunzmann, novelist
*Elon Musk, internet entrepreneur
*Oscar Pistorius, 100m Para-Olympic Sprint Champion (Beijing, 2008)
*Chiliboy Ralepelle, Springbok rugby player and first black SA national rugby captain
*Vause Raw, South African politician and leader of the New Republic Party (NRP)
*John Smit, captain of the RWC 2007 winning Springbok team
*Max Theiler, Nobel Prize laureate who produced the vaccine against yellow fever
*Roy Wegerle, US international football (soccer) player
*Francois Viljoen, U.S.A mens national rugby union Eagles player
*Peter Hain, British Cabinet Minister
*David Epstein, Mathematician and Fellow of the Royal Society

The School has produced eighteen Rhodes scholars, several Supreme Court judges, an archbishop, a bishop, thirty-two high-school headmasters, five national cricketers, three Springbok rugby players (two of whom have captained the side) and two English Premier League football players. [John Illsley: Pretoria Boys High: The Story of a South African School (2001)]

The Old Boys Association

PBHS has a vast and active network of Old Boys, forming one of the largest alumni organisations in South Africa. The Association publishes an annual journal and review, "The Phobian", which is distributed to Old Boys across the globe. Members of the Association meet annually at the School for the Annual Dinner, and regular reunions of each matriculating group are organised 10, 20, 30 and 40 years on (echoing the refrain of the School song, "Forty Years On.")

The School songs and prayer

The official school song, "'Tis Here We Learn To Live", was written in the 1930s by two Old Boys (the composer of the music, Dr George Findlay, was a prominent Pretoria dermatologist). However, the School later adopted Forty Years On (originally the School song of Harrow School.) It is this song that is sung at all School Valedictions. The official school song was relegated to obscurity until it was revived as the School's rugby anthem.

Tis Here We Learn To Live""'
"We are entering life together,
"Free of sorrow, and of care,
"With a youthful fire and vigour",
"Naught can e'er our hope impair".
"Though we know indeed but little"
"Of the life we have to dare",
"'Tis here we learn to live";
"'Tis here we learn to live".

"Forty Years On"
"Forty years on, when afar and asunder
"Parted are those who are singing today",
"When you look back and forgetfully wonder"
"What you were like in your work and your play".
"Then, it may be, it will often come o'er you",
"Glimpses of notes like the catch of a song",
"Visions of boyhood shall float them before you",
"Echoes of dreamland shall bear them along".
"Follow up, follow up, follow up, follow up, follow up"!
"Till the fields ring again and again",
"With the tramp of the thirty good men" -
"Follow up"!
"Follow up"!"

"The School Prayer"
"O Lord, God of Truth, Whom to know is everlasting life, and to serve is perfect freedom, grant that we may draw near to Thee in thought, word and deed. "Inspire us with the love of Thy creatures and Thy laws, that in all humility and teachableness, with patience and understanding, by honest and earnest labour, we may seek after knowledge as a blessing that cometh from Thee".
"Whether it be our part to teach or learn, to rule or obey, make us feel Thy presence in our several duties, filling us with reverence for the beauty and wonder of Thy universe, and pouring on us a spirit of justice, gentleness, and mutual goodwill".
"Thus by Thy grace, may we use this house of learning, that we may prepare our powers of body, mind and spirit, to advance the good of man and the Glory of God".
"Amen".

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.boyshigh.com/ Pretoria Boys High School Official Website]
* [http://www.pbhsob.org/ Pretoria High School School Old Boys Association]
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