St Stithians College

Infobox School2
name = St Stithians College


motto = One and All
established = 1953
type = Private, Boarding
locale = Suburban
grades = 0 - 13
head_name = Rector
head = Stephen Lowry
head_name2 = Exam board
head2 = IEB, A-levels
city = Randburg, Johannesburg
state = Gauteng
country = South Africa
students = 760 boys, 451 girls (College)
school_colors = Red and blue
mascot =
free_label = Fees
free = R 101 237 p.a. (boarding)
R 58 149 p.a. (tuition)
website = [http://www.stithian.com/ www.stithian.com]

St Stithians College is a private college in Johannesburg, South Africa. St Stithians College consists of several private schools within a co-ordinate model and includes a boys' college, a girls' college, a boys' preparatory school, a girls' preparatory school and a foundation phase, all of which are located on one campus in Randburg.

As a Methodist school, it has ties to Kearsney College, Epworth High School and Kingswood College. Boarding is offered at the boys' college.

History

The idea of setting up a Methodist school in Johannesburg came to Mr G.K. Tucker who wanted to base it on the pattern of his old school, Kingswood College in Grahamstown. The Methodist Church did not have the money so he turned to people who would be interested in financing it.

He met two Cornishmen, both born in 1859, Albert Charles Collins and William Mountstephens, who were Methodists and promising new businessmen who had started to make a name for themselves in their new country.

Collins, who never married, died first and this led to the creation of the Trust for building the Methodist school Tucker had dreamt of. The Trust was formally opened in April 1941 and, at Mountstephens' suggestion, was named after Collins' birthplace, Stithians, a village in Cornwall.

These trustees were D.F. Corlett, C.H. Leake, J.B. Webb and G.K. Tucker.

The Trust was able to purchase a piece of land, which was part of the farm Driefontein (one of the "fonteins" can be found on the grounds) for an amount of £8713 in 1943 but nothing further was achieved until after the War. At first it was thought that building costs might drop and so the trustees waited until it became obvious that prices would not drop and so the decision to build was made in 1951.

Mountstephens lived to see the land purchased, but not the school built; his widow on the other hand, was to take an active interest in the school until her death. The school was to have been a secondary school only and at first the debate on co-education was open. Circumstances were to make decisions for the Trustees: the area was new and remote; its people wanted a boys' school and a preparatory school as well as a secondary school.

On 3 February 1953, St Stithians College was formally opened, and foundation scholars were enrolled at both Grade 8 and Grade 1 levels. The school thrived under Wally Mears, its first headmaster.

The Badge

The Badge is based on the coat of arms of the Duke of Cornwall, which is a Crusader shield on which are displayed 15 golden Bezants in the shape of a triangle with the motto 'One and All'. The story of the 15 bezants occurs during the Crusades when the Duke of Cornwall was captured by the Saracens. A ransom of 15 bezants was set up. All the people of Cornwall contributed to raise the money for the ransom. It was paid and the Duke was set free. The inhabitants had all helped together One and All to raise the money – hence the motto.

The founders decided that the shield would have to be modified to suit the school, as a new badge. It was then decided that it should have a dark blue border along the outside edge of the shield with 15 gold bezants arranged equally along either side on the blue border. On the inside would be a silver shield on which the red cross stands out boldly to signify the Christian foundation of the College.

Notable alumni

*Denis Beckett, writer, journalist, and host of the TV show "Beckett's Trek"
*Gavin Hood, Academy award-winning director of "Tsotsi"
*Dave Matthews, lead singer of the Dave Matthews Band
*Brigid Osborne, model and runner-up Miss SA 2006
*Tokollo Tshabalala, Kabelo Mabalane also known as *bouga luv, and Zwai Bala, members of TKZee and Zwai's younger brother, Loyiso Bala.
*Thomas Pule Mofolo - also known as *Tom$ta. P, associate director of the; "the ministry of tomorrow", " [http://theministryoftomorrow.com/] " [http://theministryoftomorrow.com/Images/MOT-LOGO.gif] , and founder of the KEEP IT R.E.A.L global humanitarian movement.
*Charles Simkins, professor of political economy and head of the department of economics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and chair of the executive committee, South African Institute of Race Relations.
*Grant Elliot, cricketer of the New Zealand National Team.
*Jean Basson, South African National and Olympic Swimmer.

t Stithians Today

St Stithians is a member of the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa, the Round Square association, the G20 Schools group, and the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and is considered to be part of the (unofficial) group of schools in South Africa known as the Elite Seven.

St Stithians Boys' College has a friendly rivalry with St John's College.

Tuition fees for 2007 are R53,350 p.a. whilst boarding and tuition at the boys' college is R92,880 p.a.

St Stithians subscribes to a set of values laid out in the [http://www.stithian.com/webs/rector/Policy%20-%20Saints%20Charter%20Final%20-%2016%20march%202006.pdf Saints Charter] .

St Stithians has 10 Houses, 8 of which are day boy houses; Henning, Krige, Mears, Penryn, Pitts, Tucker, Webb, Wesely, and 2 boarding houses; Collins & Mountstephens, which are the founding houses.

On Thursday March 2 2007 the Collins boarding house caught fire and was destroyed within 3 hours. Damage was estimated by some at 8 million rand. The occupants were eating dinner elsewhere, the school's choir was performing, grade 6's were having an induction and waterpolo practice was happening and nobody was hurt. Repairs began and the boarders were moved into lodging built on one of the cricket fields. The Boarding House repairs were completed in early 2008.

There's a great legend of a ghost named Pixie Louw, who apparently was once a scholar and a boarder at the Collins boarding house. His death was supposedly caused by a motorcycle accident. Whether this incident is factual or not, is debatable. Some believe that the ghost's existence is just a yarn used as a scare tactic for freshmen.

(Addition to this story from Jeremy in Sydney Australia) Pixie Louw was a popular matric student at Saints in 1979. He was killed when he and a friend rode his unroadworthy unregistered red MX Honda bike up to Randburg just above Saints. On the return whilst heading down the steep tar road that joined the dirt path through Saints forest (now all developed) the brakes failed. The friend who's name I forget, jumped off, but Pixie attempted to steer the bike around the 90degree T junction at the bottom, failed and hit a tree. I was arguably the last Saints boy to see them as I was having a cigarette (as one did) in the bathroom of Mountstephens house, the other boarding house as they drove past. I found out just recently that Pixie's story is part of the Saints Prefects Exam. He was not the only one killed during that era. Another popular kid, Greg Wood was killed during a motorcycle rally around 1981 and Steven Hoare was killed fighting with 44 S.A Parachute Brigade in 1982 (see the memorial at the SA National Military History Museum). He was in a low level Puma helicopter hit square on the nose by a RPG fired by a Swapo cadre. The chopper went straight into the ground, Steve jumped out and landed in a tree and was killed by Swapo as they were being pursued by South African troops. It was the largest single loss of life in one incident during the Angolan Border war and Steve's loss hit our matric year of 1980 very hard. Both Greg and Steve were 1st 8 rowing honours, Steve was Saints 1st Team rugby prop in 1980.

Addition to the story from Brett JHB.Richard "PIXIE" Lowe [correct spelling of his surname] was a border at saints in collins house from std 3. His dorm was the 4 bed unit, as you came up the stairs first door on your left.Pixie was average height 1.6 m well built with longer than regulation straight blond hair. Pixie had a older brother at the school called Mark Lowe. Pixie played first team rugby at center and flyhalf and was a great guy. He borrowed a friends bike [B.Kingwill] to go to the shops with Doogle "BOON" Ross. The bike had a fault where the throttle would stick full open from time to time. This happened on the way back, on what was then the trade-mans entrance. Boon jumped off and Pixie did not have the time to before the bike hit a fallen tree. The bike landed on top of him killing him instantly. Pixie's church service was held at the school chapel. Rest in peace PIXIE 10D.

Academics

The colleges write the Independent Examinations Board exams.

References

* [http://www.stithian.com/school_history.htm School History]
* [http://www.stithian.jhb.school.za/webs/bcollege/History/historyindex.htm Visual School History]

See also

* List of boarding schools

External links

* [http://www.stithian.com St Stithians official site]
* [http://www.saints.za.net Old Stithian Association]