- Lovedale (South Africa)
Lovedale was a mission station and educational institute in the VictoriaEast division of the Cape Province,
South Africa (now inEastern Cape Province ). It lies 1720 feet above sea level on the banks of theTyumhe (Chumie) tributary of the Keiskama river, some 2 miles north of Alice.The station was founded in 1824 by the
Glasgow Missionary Society and was named after Dr John Love, one of the leading members of, and at the time secretary to, the society. The site first chosen was in theNcera valley, but in 1834 the mission buildings were destroyed by natives. On rebuilding, the station was removed somewhat farther north to the banks of the Tyumhe. In 1846 the work at Lovedale was again interrupted, this time by theWar of the Axe . On this occasion the buildings were converted into a fort and garrisoned by regular troops. Once more, in 1850, the natives threatened Lovedale and made an attack on the neighbouring Fort Hare, built during the previous war.Until 1841 the missionaries had devoted themselves almost entirely to evangelistic work; in that year the
Lovedale Missionary Institute was founded byEdward Govan , who, save for brief intervals, continued at its head until 1870. He was then succeeded by the Rev. James Stewart (1831-1905), who had joined the mission in 1867, having previously (1861-1863), and partly in company withDavid Livingstone , explored theZambezi regions.The institute, in addition to its purely church work — in which no sectarian tests were allowed — provided for the education of natives of both sexes in nearly all branches of learning (Stewart discontinued the teaching of Greek and
Latin , adopting English as the classic); it also took European scholars, no racial distinction being allowed in any department of the work (indeed; until it became part of the newUnion of South Africa in 1910, the laws of theCape Colony were "colour-blind"). The institute gave technical training in many subjects and maintained various industries, including such diverse enterprises as farming and printing-works. Eventually it included a primary school, high school, technical school, a teacher training college, a theological college and a hospital.The school buildings rivaled in accommodation and completeness those of the schools in large English cities. The educational and industrial methods initiated at Lovedale were widely adopted by other missionary bodies.
Lovedale later became a branch of the work of the
United Free Church of Scotland . It was closed in the 1950s under theBantu Education Act .Lovedale Press , in Alice, continues to publish religious and educational material in several languages.Lovedale is also the name of a house on the Isle of Iona in Scotland. It is believed that a previous resident of the house had South African links, which explains the naming of the house in an area where Gaelic house names predominate.
References
* R. Young, "African Wastes Reclaimed and Illustrated in the Story of the Lovedale Mission" (London, 1902)
* J. Stewart, "Lovedale, Past and Present" (London, 1884), and "Dawn in the Dark Continent" (London, 1903)
* J. Wells, "Stewart of Lovedale" (London, 1908).
* The Gov'nor OBSERVER COLUMN ("The Financial Times", June 14, 2001)
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