THE PRETORIAN
1974
The Cover — Last-Minute Briefing
The photograph was taken by Mr. Paul Lewin and appears in various forms throughout the magazine. Boys in this
photograph are identified on Page 54.
THE PRETORIAN 1974
THE ANNUAL MAGAZINE OF THE PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL
Before the Race
MacLennan, Stephen Murray, Clive Jones and Michael Codling
The photograph was taken by Mr Paul Lewin
INDEX
The School's Fifth Headmaster 6
Matrics and Prefects 8
to
18
Prefects — 8, The 1974 Leaving Group — 15, 16,
Valediction — 17,
Digni Laude — Notable scholastic achievement in 1974 19
'Morning Departure' — the 1974 Play Production 20
Remembrance Day 22
A Presentation to the School .......................................... 25
PBHS and the LEARN Fund 28
This Life We Live
29
to
45
Staff — and Distaff — Matters 46
Sport, Clubs and Societies ............................................ 47
to
68
Cricket — 47, Rugby — 49, Athletics — 51, Swimming and Water Polo — 56, Tennis — 60, Squash — 62, The Pipe
Band — 63, Natural History Society — 65, Chess Club — 66,
Debating Society — 66, Hockey — 67
Noël McAllister Pollock — A tribute written by Bob
Fair 69
Old Boys Notes ........................................................ 72
to
78
The Governing Body, the Staff, Prefects and House Captains
80
THE PRETORIAN
5
THE SCHOOL’S FIFTH HEADMASTER
MR. MALCOLM ARMSTRONG.
'I enjoyed school so much that I decided that I wanted to become a teacher’. ‘Teaching is such fun’, he remarks to a
group of senior boys gathered informally in his study. On another occasion, this time to members of
his staff he
says, ‘Teaching
is not simply a profession. It is a way of life’.
These statements and their underlying convictions reveal something of the essential quality of the
School’s fifth
Headmaster, Mr. Malcolm Armstrong.
It is in such
simplicity and dedication that he establishes strong links with the past. There is
6
THE PRETORIAN
another bond with his predecessors, for Mr. Armstrong has an innate sense of himseli: he knows what he is doing,
where he is going — and why this is his direction.
Mining was the career his father urged him to pursue after his matriculation at Potchefstroom Boys High but somehow
the son’s aspirations lay elsewhere. There followed an experimental period as a student architect working with plans
and blueprints at the University of the Witwatersrand and in an architect’s office. That finally made up his mind for
him and so he enrolled again at the same university, this time reading Arts, English and Geography being his major
subjects. He then completed his professional training at the Johannesburg College of Education. There were as well,
for such were his gifts and interests, exhilarating moments on the stage both in South Africa and later at the Guildhall
School of Music and Drama in London. Here he took part in a number of productions, one of which was Arthur
Miller’s ‘The Crucible’ in which he played the leading role. While awaiting some agent to contact him ‘for a star part
in a West End production’
he taught in various schools in
and
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around London — primary, Secondary Modern
and Grammar schools. He used this
time to visit a number of well-known Grammar schools and Comprehensive institutions. He visited Charterhouse and
once spent a week-end with that remarkable educational pioneer A. S. Neil at Summerhill.
After two years in Europe during which he
and his wife
— whom he
had met
during his university years — travelled extensively, his initial resolve, to teach, was finally strengthened and so they
decided to return homewards to education in South Africa.
Three years at the Regents Park Primary School were followed by posts at schools in Potchefstroom: the Girls’ High
School there (as Senior Geography mistress, he notes with wry humour) and back at his own school as a teacher of
English. He moved on from there to a lectureship in English at the Johannesburg College of Education and after five
years in this position was appointed Deputy Headmaster of King Edward VII High School in Johannesburg.
Mr. Armstrong became strongly associated with the work and aims of the Transvaal Teachers’ Association early on
and was elected President in 1973. He has been active on the English Academy of Southern Africa and has served on
the Council for a number of years. For the past two years he has been Chairman of the Joint Council of Teaching
Associations for the Transvaal (Transvaal High School Teachers Association, Transvaalse Onderwysers Vereniging,
Transvaal Technical Schools Association and the TTA) and is currently an executive member of the Federal Council
of Teachers Association which represents all the associations of the Republic.
His appointment as Headmaster here was preceded by a short period on secondment as Headmaster at Florida Park
High School and now he and his family have settled down in their official home, School House. The Armstrong family
circle which includes three children, Amanda, Fergus and Amon, is a close one and boys and masters alike have been
struck by its openness and friendliness. They are keen spectators at School functions and fixtures — cricket and rugby
matches, galas, debates and school plays. Mrs. Justine Armstrong has the same sense of commitment of our former
Headmaster’s wife Mrs. Eunice Abernethy: with something of the same joyousness and efficiency she heads an active
committee of women, mostly mothers, busily engaged in costume-making for the school opera. It is in such seemingly
modest ways that tradition maintains itself. Pretoria Boys High School is fortunate in having such people at the centre
of affairs.
We extend to the Headmaster and his family a most warm and sincere welcome and look forward to our association
with them in the years to come.
THE PRETORIAN
7
MATRICS AND PREFECTS
SSssxS»
PREFECTS
STANDING (BACK ROW/): J M Bradley, R B Johanson, B Nielsen, R van Putten, T P Bucke, J R Seeliger, W A
Munro.
STANDING (MIDDLE ROW): D L Rogers, P R Stockwell, M H Delaney, P T Pickering, G Saayman, B W Roodnick,
J Bielich, E B Turner.
SEATED: B R Kaplan, D V Cooper, J Dickerson, W J Downer (Vice-Head), M Marais, (Head Prefect), L P Retief, G
R Smit, R N de Beer, M P von Broembsen.
The importance of liking oneself
The other day I happened to be in church.
church elder. So, I went to church in my white
Now I never go to church, but, I am very much
pin-stripe suit and took with me five cents for
in love with Johanna, and Johanna’s father is a the collection.
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THE PRETORIAN
The dominee was talking about the Ten Commandments and how one should live according to them. I sat in the front
row, so that Johanna’s father could see me easily, cleaning my nails with my pocket knife. But then the dominee said
something which made me think. I closed my pocket knife and dusted off my lap so that I could hear better.
“My people,” he said, “you must love your neighbour as you love yourself. Do that, and you will go to heaven.”
On the way home I was thinking deeply about the dominee’s words. This was puzzling for I was not one for thinking.
If you think too much, you think of things you should not be thinking of.
“Love your neighbour, as you love yourself,” the dominee had said.
Now, I was thinking. Do I like myself? Do I love myself?
When I got home I went into my room and stood in front of a mirror. I will tell you what I saw; I wear my hair long to
hide the pimples on my forehead and neck. I didn’t shave because only men can grow beards, and that counts a lot
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nowadays, with women wanting to be like men. I wear a brace, and I smiled at myself in the mirror, so that I could see
them clearly. After all, they cost R300, and my mother said the other day that all the people in Waterkloof are having
braces made for their kids, because they are status symbols.
I also wear glasses (not that I really need them for on a clear day I can see as far as the front gate, if I stand on the
side-walk.)
This is what I saw in the mirror.
I turned my head from side to side, so that I could see if my profile was better on the right than on the left, and smiled
a Jack Nicholson smile at myself (he’s the man with the killer smile).
I looked at myself for a long, long time, and then I knew!
“Willie,” I said, “Willie old boy, I like you. I think I even love you. Yes, indeed.”
So I knew at last. But then I also remembered the rest of what the dominee had said, and I suddenly felt very, very
thankful for liking myself. I realized just how important that is.
You see, if you don’t like yourself, how can you like your neighbour, because how can you like him if you don’t know
how? And then, be“Stop that man with the gun!” Mr. Louis Dentam
in action.
cause you don’t like your neighbour, you can’t go to heaven.
So, if you want to be saved, you must like yourself. — W E F, Form 5 C
Mark
I have known Mark Marais for the past five years. I have never had the opportunity of being in the same class as him
at school, because I have not at any stage achieved the marks necessary for “A” class selection.
I have with patience and joy observed the gradual metamorphosis of my best friend fro:n a gullible form one into an
unassuming, rational eighteen-year old. Even in form one, a time of frivolous and multitudinous speculations, it was
decided that Mark had the vital qualities necessary to be a head prefect of the future. As it
THE PRETORIAN
9
happened, this was one speculation, or should I say “calculated theory”, which materialized.
Mark Marais has a fortitude of mind and a strength of character that can only be envied. I might add that he has a
temper to match, but his iron will is invariably triumphant, dowsing the flames of anger.
As I sit in this examination room writing about our head-boy, he is sitting near me. All his characteristics, which I
shall long remember, are accentuated when he is writing an examination. His back bent, intricately and carefully he
studies the examination paper in front of him. The outstanding feature however, is the look of determination on his
face.
It has been with integrity, determination and sincerity that he has tackled and mastered whatever problems he has had
to face — whether on the sports field, in the classroom or in carrying out his duties as head boy of Pretoria Boys’
High.
—
D L Rogers, Form 5 C
Marius
Since happiness has been a major dimension of my life at school, I think that I would prefer to write something happy
or amusing. It is for this reason that I have chosen to write about Marius de Bruyn.
Marius was a strange boy in many ways. He was a form five boarder at School House and there are two incidents that
occurred in his last year that I will always remember him for.
The first incident took place in the School House Reading room shortly after first prep. Marius decided he felt like
doing somersaults. Carefully he laid cushions down on the carpet so that he wouldn’t hurt himself. Next, he studiously
paced out his run-up, stood dead still for a moment, then ran and leaped into the air. He landed on his back but it was
the expression on his
face that had us in stitches of laughter.
Again and again he tried but failed to land on his feet.
You could see that it was
hurting him
but he was determined to succeed. Soon a few
of us were laughing so much that we had to leave the room and still he carried on!
The second incident occured one evening, also after prep, when he decided to go and have a pipe of tobacco in the
upstairs ablution block. He was caught red-handed and his pipe was
confiscated.
The gladiators
—
Mr John Oehley and Mr Rick Buwalda.
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For days after that he walked around yearning for his pipe. Eventually he plucked up enough courage to go and ask for
it. His request was refused but he pestered the masters until he got it back! When he walked into the dormitory with it,
we were all sure that he was celebrating the return of a long lost friend, as indeed he
was! —
R
M
Blake, Form 5 E
Raindrops keep falling on my head
A Honda 250 cc Motorsport motorbike is not all fun as the advertisement says. It is not an all-weather motorbike. I
suppose no bike is an all-weather machine but mine certainly isn’t.
It had been raining for the last week and I had to get home from Durban. So when Wednesday dawned with andemic
sunshine I grabbed my rucksack and fled saying my hasty goodbyes, I kicked
the bike into life and
roared out
of Durban — destination Pretoria. Three miles later, down came the rain and I had to make a hasty stop to
find
my
windcheater.
On I went
and I’ll say this for my
trusty
motorized steed it never slipped or slid into corners in spite of the quantity of water coming down from the heavens.
On I pressed and by nine-o’clock, I had left Durban fifty miles behind me. However I hadn’t left the torrential
downpour behind, and now I was the owner of a sodden pair of jeans.
10
THE PRETORIAN
Suddenly ten miles later I rode out into brilliant sunshine and for about half an hour my clothes steamed dry. No more
raindrops falling on my head, I thought, as I breezed into Pietermaritzburg. Stopping at a café for a cup of coffee, I
cocked an ear in the direction of the radio: “Heavy rains over the entire country with severe flooding in most regions
...” Looked like there would be several more raindrops falling on my head.
As I rode out of Pietermaritzburg I picked up a tailwind. I also picked up a passenger. Hitchhikers don’t usually try
motorcyclists but this one was in rather a hurry and he flagged me down.
“Hi, I’m Cathy, I love motorbikes and I’m going to Johannesburg!”
I said that she was welcome to a lift and so we reorganised the luggage. It looked like my luck was in picking up a
beautiful hitch-hiker and a tail-wind. Then those raindrops started falling on my head again. However this time I didn’t
get cold! Maybe it was her arms around my ribs and her leaning against my back that did it.
On towards Pretoria we rode in the rain, stopping occasionally for coffee and then for lunch. Seldom has food from the
Southern Transvaal tasted like that! We started off into the wet gale again with wonderfully warm stomachs and dry
clothes. By four o’clock we were once again riding in warm sunshine and an hour from Pretoria it really started
raining cats and dogs. Raindrops kept falling on my head.
One may think I did not enjoy my ride from Durban, but it really was a wonderful ride: it was strange and wonderful
to see the countryside with a curtain of rain between us the whole time.
—
P G Meredith, Form 5 F
The runaway
The exact date I cannot clearly member but as far as I can recall it was a Tuesday afternoon near the end of the second
term.
The sky was overcast with grey, swirling, rumbling clouds. We had just finished lunch and a few of us Form ones
were ordered to do a rain dance in front of the steps, where the local Stoep Philosophers perched themselves and
watched us, maybe with glee in their hearts. However, I doubt that we were good raindancers and the occasion was abandoned.
I then proceeded to take an exeat for town which indicated that I was going to town, that is, the city of Pretoria, to
purchase some necessities. At three o’clock, I set out with my raincoat on to disguise the uniform which is so easily
noticed.
Reaching Magnolia Dell, I experienced a change of mind and entered upon serious meditation while sitting next to the
wishing well. Once again I set out, meditation obviously having been disposed of, and got as far as the Fountains
Circle. There a blue Volksie picked me up. The driver was a policeman!
When I saw his uniform it was already too late so I decided on endurance. He asked me where I was going so I told
him I was going to Johannesburg to visit my parents as I was at boarding-school in Pretoria. Believe it or not, he
accepted my story hook, line and sinker. He took me as far as the highway and, sweating with thanks, I left him.
I didn’t try to hitch a ride but soon a young man in a Mini stopped and offered me a lift. With a little encouragement, I
eventually blurted out everything to his very sympathetic ear. So sympathetic was he, that he took me all the way
home and tried to convert my parents to my opinion.
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However, it was all in vain. I was back at Rissik House by 8.30 p.m. with a sore backside, just in time to swot for a
science test the next day. Now I am busy writing my second last English exam, and I think the gods that I have
parents who don’t listen to the tears of a little boy. If they had been sympathetic, I would not have experienced the
woes, joys, trials and tribulations of the last five years in this wonderful place.
In case you don’t realize it by now, I ran away
—
straight home — in form one.
—
L P Retief, Form 5 A
The Music Man
The person I am going to miss most when I leave this school is Chris Tolcalon. We have been together only this last
year but already it seems that I have known him all my life. When we walked into our form class this year he was
accompanying us with a stirring march played on his imaginary trumpet. He is a master as far as
THE PRETORIAN
11
music is concerned for he can play the trumpet, saxophone, tuba and drums — often all at once. Most masters have at
one time or another heard him vaguely playing “Puppet on a string” or “Those magnificent men in their flying
machines” to himself as he walks along.
His appearance often causes laughter as he seldom combs his hair and never
wears regulation school socks.
His favourites
are a pair of
scarlet socks. His habit of calling most of us lower mortals “schneets” often raises a laugh but his funniest moment
was when he sang “Rule Brittannia” for us in the
manner of an
opera star, with much gusto and
many surprisingly high notes. I for one will never forget how he played “40 years on” a la Vaudeville on his sax. The jazzed-up
version of this song sounds really good and since he accompanied it with his “Gashko” look he had us in stitches. This
looks like a seductive sneer! I will never forget Tick-Tock, as Mr Cheadle calls him. He has brightened up my final
year for me considerably.
—
P G Meredith, Form 5 F
Doing what comes naturally
There is a Geography master at this school for whom I have the greatest respect and liking. I admire the way in which
he has brought about this respect by his authority, his wit, sense of humour and mannerisms.
I really got to know him well during the rehearsals of the masters play, ‘Ten Little Niggers’. I was a member of the
backstage crew. During the periods before and after the play, and scenes where he wasn’t acting, we would laugh and
joke together. One forgot that he was a viceprincipal, and I an ordinary form five boy. Just to look at him in his play
get-up i.e. yellow socks, light brown suit, black, white and brown raffia hat, red shirt and clashing tie was enough to
result in the delay of a rehearsal. It was obvious that he was extremely well suited to his part; all he had to do was act
naturally!
An endless stream of jokes used to pour out of his mouth. Where he found these jokes, I don’t know! In the classroom,
he wouldn’t use corporal punishment. It wasn’t necessary; he got on well with everyone and vice versa. How can I
ever forget such a man? I’m sure I won’t.
—
B Abrahams, Form 5 B
Kevin Swemmer
A time to laugh and a time to weep
After being assigned to our classes on our first day at P.B.H.S., we followed a very stately black-gowned figure up to
room 42. Later we found out that the person we followed was Mr Penz-horn. I don’t think I have been so nervous in
my life as when he told us to sit down and keep quiet. I couldn’t keep quiet; my knees were knocking.
It was from that day that we gained respect for one other. With respect goes fear, thus I must have had a lot of respect,
because I was petrified of him. But whenever you had a problem you could go to Mr Penzhorn. He was always willing
to help.
The thing that I admired most about him was his sense of time. There was a time to work and for earnest talk, and a
time for fun and laughter. There were times when I hated him because he caned so hard. But today I can say thank you
to him.
Now and again he would give us a little talk or some advice, at which some boys scoffed, but it always had relevance,
even if only for one boy in particular. Probably the ones that scoffed were the ones who were most touched.
And at the end of five happy years with Mr. Penzhorn, it seems right to say thank you. I have come to know Mr
Penzhorn as a friend, and he will always remain so.
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— P T Pickering, Form 5 C
12
THE PRETORIAN
THE NEED FOR REFORM IN THE PREFECT SYSTEM
Have you ever stopped to think why Pretoria Boys High uses a prefect system? Is it because it follows English
tradition, or because it is considered to be the best system to control boys?
We are products of western civilization; I will therefore compare the prefect system to it. How many western countries
use this system? To the best of my knowledge, only England. What, you may ask, do other countries use as an
alternative system? Why do they not use the prefect system? I will attempt to answer this question.
Because I am a German, you will surely not blame me if I use West Germany as an example. While corresponding
with a West German friend I discovered that a council system is used by German schools. It is very similar to our
Students Representative Council. There are no prefects who “control” the school. Trusted members of a school are
elected every term. If a boy does something wrong, he is referred to a Judicial Body which declares him innocent or
guilty, and determines his punishment. This could be in the form of corporal punishment administered by the
headmaster.
The advantages of this system are two-fold: Firstly, it gives the pupils a sense of responsibility; and secondly, the
punished boy suffers the humiliation of being questioned and judged by his fellow pupils. However, this system can
work only if the members of the council are mature and responsible enough to ensure the smooth running of the
school. This system naturally demands a great deal from a member and it is therefore a matter of great prestige to be
elected to the council. It is the council, in turn, who elect the president, who is then inaugurated as the head boy of the
school.
Why does a country like West Germany not use the prefect system? While discussing the
system with a friend who has recently emigrated from Germany and who was a council member, a number of
astounding facts concerning prefects were revealed to me. The final choice of prefects is made by the masters and
headmaster. Thus, the boy who is chosen (note: not elected) does not really represent the pupils, but it is supposedly
his task to control the pupils. A prefect’s badge is just a status symbol which often gives the chosen boy a feeling of
superiority. I feel that this is one of the worst possible things which can happen in a school. I believe that there are
many boys in this school who should have become prefects and who would have been far superior to some of those
who were chosen. However, they now have a feeling of inferiority because they were not chosen.
Why do I say that to be a prefect is only a status symbol? A prefect has very little say in the running of the school. He
performs such menial duties as writing out “lates” detention notes, unlocking bicycle-pen gates and telling a boy not to
put his feet on the chair in assembly. When a prefect could be useful, he fails. For example, I know of a prefect who
caught a boy with cigarettes in his pocket. Boldly he asked him what he intended doing with them. The friends of the
accused came running up to see what all the fuss was about. These boys, who incidentally were also friends of the
prefect, told the prefect that he could not do a thing, because the accused had not been caught smoking them. The
prefect turned on his heel and walked away. Well, there’s responsibility for you!
May I suggest to the reader that he consider the prefect system very carefully. I am grateful for having had this last
opportunity of expressing my strong views on this subject.
— S J Schneider, Form 5 E
THE PRETORIAN
13
Rodney Delaney warming up the infernal instrument.
My game for the Firsts
I hope I’ll never play another game for firsts in my life. First of all, prior to the game, I had not played rugby for about
one and a half weeks due to an injury.
I ran onto the field feeling rather good and for the first five minutes I reckon I played quite well. But then things
started to happen: my legs got heavier and heavier and they began to ache. I couldn’t understand this but then it struck
me that it was because I hadn’t played a game for almost two weeks. My legs wouldn’t carry me and I ran around the
field pathetically. Then halfway through the second half after a scrum I got a cramp in both my calves. It wouldn’t
have been so bad if it was just a practice but there were over 400 people watching me suffer.
The next day I stayed in bed; I was suffering from nervous exhaustion (fact). But when I arrived back at school I was
really picked out for being so unfit and I was advised by at least ten people — including Mr Dentan — to give up
smoking. But that had nothing to do with it.
My dream which started about two years ago ended in a nightmare.
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—
Anon.
14
THE PRETORIAN
THE 1974 LEAVING GROUP
Ashby M H Bogiages J Cooper D V Cornish R 0 Cronje J C De Villiers C M De Wet D G
Abrahams B Ball A J 0 Brits A N Brummer A Clayden L H Cook P R
Bielich J Bucke T P Cronje C P Drabbe T M Espenschied M P Fidos M
Anderson D G Botha M W Bovell D A Dando D S De Klerk P R Delaney R L
Chambers R R Davis S L De Villiers N H Dickerson J Edelstein A R Frielick S N
Angelopulo G C Blake R M Bradley J M Campbell S De Boelpaep E M S Delaney M H
Form 5A —
Downer W J Du Plessis F Fine M Hack M E Hurlin R S Hurrell E W
Form 5B —
D'Amico M F Flieringa C Gafner M Garde C M Gilbert D E Hasenjager I M
Form 5C —
Fólscher W E Forssman N S Gernet A J Hellhoff G W Jackson H D Lionis H
Form 5D —
Delport S E Dore J P Durrant C R Engels M Esterhuysen F Freedman R I
Form 5E — T
Haskins C Joubert A E Macnamara R H Moll A J Mullins S R Munro W A
Form 5F — Mr
Fullard F Gibbs T D Gioia-Poseman L Grobler P S Hawthorne A J H Kruger E M
Mr W N Cheadle
Johanson R B Kaplan B R Marais M Newham M R Potgieter I C Retief L P
Ir H R Dittberner
Jacobson B F Ledbitter G R Maitin-Casalis N Marais P C Nurse J V Ristow G J E
Ir R I McCrindle
Louw P Nagy P Perinot G Pickering P T Prisgrove S J Rogers D L
Mr M P Moore
Kruyshaar C E Nielsen B Preece D G Rodseth A I Storey P
rs L H Erasmus
Schneider S J Slotow F A Smit B de la B Taylor L Turner E B
P J L van Heerden
Lagaay P J Le Sueur P A McKellar-Basset R Meredith P G Nel M
Papageorge A
Rogers P S Roodnick B W Rosman J P Saayman G Seeliger J P. Townshend N J
Simson M D Stockwell P R Trendler R Wensley MRP Widdicombe D D Zway P
Scholtz C C Smith G R Swemmer G J Van der Walt C W Van Dyk M C Van Straaten F M
Strike R M Stuart G J Van Duyn M Von Broembsen M P Winn D R
Van Niekerk S P Van Putten R M Viviers B D Warner V P Zulch P
Rorich T C Smith K H Tokalon C Van Lingen K A Vermeulen P N Viljoen B
THE
PRETORIAN
15
Form 5G — Mr C G Lee
Berg 0 G Bezuidenhout T B Bolton B L Brown S M Clarence K W
Davis W G B Dawes T K De Gouveia A Fourie G S Kruger D
Laing C I McCall P B Pentelbury A J S Pero I D
Smith A G Stevens M G Taggart R D Vis A
Form 5H — Mr J R A Perks
Bolding D A Klem I C
Procos C
Winter C
M
Da Costa I R Lumsden P
L
Reid R H
Wright 0
M
De Beer R N McGlew L
C
Schmidt G R Zeller R P H
Frayne P F
Melle L A
Sheedy S M
Form 5 1 — Mr T M Ashton
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Berkow C E Charles R Dely F H De Scally T
Gray C Hattingh T Immerman J Krugess G
Nowosenetz G J Rossler D M Rubin C L Savage M N
Smith A G Vinnicombe D F Willoughby B H
An Apology and Thoughts about a Moral
One thing which will live in my memory for a long time, is the matric dance. I actually owe the school an apology, for
I never suspected for one moment that they could organise an event as well as this. The first thing that struck me was
the beautiful floral arrangement in the foyer and the tremendously well made and well arranged decorations in the hall.
The food, and particularly the way it was set out defies imagination. It just goes to show that the school can do anything if it really wants to.
One interesting thing that struck me is that it took one thousand one hundred boys six weeks to collect R1 300 for the
Learn fund, but two hundred boys one week to collect a thousand rand for the matric dance. I felt that somewhere there
is a moral to this story, but it escapes one for the moment.
—
G
L
16
THE PRETORIAN
VALEDICTION, 1974
The Headmaster's Address
When I recall that I come from Florida I am reminded of
that famous ballad
“O Young Lochinvar is come out of the West Through all the wide border his steed was the best.”
Now I am not as young as that; I’m not sure the Peugeot is the best; and that ballad
ends with the Scots knights riding Lochinvar out of town.
The more I think about that poem, the less I like the comparison, but it serves in one respect: the welcome extended to
my wife and me has been quite the opposite to that received by Lochinvar at that wedding ceremony. Old Boys,
Governing Body, Parents’ Association, Staff, Parents and pupils have been so kind, friendly and generous that my
family and I have been deeply touched. I thank you all: The Prefect Body and especially the Head Prefect Mark Marais
and his deputy Billy Downer: for mature, responsible, and good-humoured leadership.
The Staff — for loyalty and encouragement.
The Administrative Staff for their cheerful tolerance.
My Executive — for the energy and enthusiasm of the Vice-Principals Mr Ted Jones and Charles Mulvenna and
especially to my Deputy, Mr Will Hofmeyr, on whose wise counsel and wide experience I have leaned heavily. One of
the honours in coming to Pretoria High is for me, the privelege of working with Mr Hofmeyr.
A special word of thanks to the boys for your co-operation and friendliness. I want to say again how impressed I have
been with your good manners and the quiet fervour with which you support your school.
Birth and the first years of life are traumatic. Mine at Pretoria Boys’ High has had the ease of a Caesarian Section.
I do not propose to give a report on the year except to say that it has been exciting, stimulating and full of new
experiences. I have found Pretoria Boys High to be a school of firmly rooted traditions, though some are rather strange
for example the tradition of losing nearly all rugby games to Seuns Hoërskool and nearly every sporting contest to
King Edwards. I feel we should change these.
All in all it has been a happy year, touched with sadness for we suffered a triple loss; the tragic death of one of our
pupils, Marius de Bruin, the sudden passing of our Inspector Mr M C Myburgh and the sad loss of Mr Noel Pollock.
The passing of Mr Pollock marked the end of an era, but certainly not the end of his impact. His qualities of mind and
his humanity are part of the fabric of this school.
I should like now to make a comment about the educational function of Pretoria Boys High School in this community.
If this school has anything special to offer it should offer it to all the boys in its area. We hope to turn out sensitive
doctors, responsible engineers, and lawyers of integrity. We hope also to produce civilized plumbers, honest
mechanics, and considerate policemen.
Therefore, as from 1975 we plan to offer a new study direction for those boys who cannot benefit from normal
academic instruction. This is called the Practical Vocationally Orientated Course. We hope the refining influence of
this school will be brought to bear on all levels of ability and on all kinds of talent.
THE PRETORIAN
17
Looking further into the future, we must first look into the immediate past. In 1945 the map of Africa was nearly all
pink, indicating the extent of the British Empire and Commonwealth. This country had friends from the Cape to Cairo.
Up to 1973 we had friends to the Equator, i.e. half the Continent. Since April this year the protective sponge of
Portugal in the East and in the West of Africa has been removed. We are surrounded by Black Governments, more or
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less hostile.
What impact does this have on South Africa? It is accelerating the liberating and liberalising processes. The feudal
privileges we have experienced through fortuitous white birth are rapidly disappearing. The Whites will no longer
enjoy sheltered employment and life is becoming competitive.
This school, the members of which for the most part come from backgrounds of relative affluence, must take adequate
steps to train pupils for a new kind of future. Greater emphasis must be placed on hard, honest application, on
academic excellence and on scholarship.
Not only to meet more intensive competition, but for another and perhaps less materialistic reason — the joy of the
self-discovery of individual potential. The best reason therefore, for putting one’s utmost into every endeavour —
academic, cultural, sporting is self-extension.
Dr Kurt Hahn, the founder of that famous British School Gordonstoun said “Any nation is a slovenly guardian of its
own interests if it does not do all it can to make the individual citizen discover his own powers.”
Pretoria Boys High School has been called “the Eton of South Africa”. I would rather it were the Gordonstoun of
South Africa. W'hy? Because, to quote Kurt Hahn again, “the individual becomes a cripple from his or her own point
of view if he is not qualified by education to serve the community.” Incidentally here is the start to the daily routine at
Gordonstoun: Rise, Morning run, Breakfast, Surgery as necessary.
We need to relate this school to major world problems, that is, the question of the
Haves and the Have Nots.
Earlier this year we had the Mamelodi Choir entertain us. It was both a joy and an embarrassment. The embarrassment
derived from our obvious affluence. It seems to me that the way to bridge the gap is not by giving away our assets but
rather through service.
This leads me to the future developments at this school. Boys should be given more opportunities to serve the
community of the school; in the grounds, repairing and maintaining equipment, helping in the Library.
This concept of service to the school could be extended to service to the community at large. As a boy progresses
through school the emphasise should not so much be on additional privileges but rather on additional obligations.
These concepts are not foreign to the school nor to the individual nature of the boys. In the Pretorian of 1952, Noel
Pollock said of James Lang one of his former colleagues on this staff, “The finest tribute we can pay to a man like
James Lang is to keep alive the things for which he stood (and indeed Noel Pollock stood) — hard honest work and
vigorous play, a hatred of sham and insincerity, frank criticism, kindly sympathy for the less fortunate and a refusal to
be satisfied with anything but the best.”
Finally to you boys at the end of your beginning, may the spirit of service, self-discipline, self-sacrifice, and sympathy
become the driving force of your lives.
If you are wondering what direction to take in your lives I suggest you ask yourselves, “In what way can I be of most
service to my fellow man?”
May you prosper and grow to full stature.
18
THE PRETORIAN
DIGNI LAUDE THE OUTSTANDING SCHOLARS OF 1974
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THE
PRETORIAN
19
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
rhe 1974 School Play Production
MORNING DEPARTURE
by KENNETH WOOLLARD
produced by Salorni Louw 21st — 24th August, 1974
The Cast
Members of the Crew of the Submarine S.14: Lt-Cdr STANFORD D.S.O., R.N.
(Captain of S.14)
Lt. MANSON, R.N. (1st Officer Lt. OAKLEY, R.N.V.R.
(Navigation Officer)
Lt. McFEE, R.N.R.
(Engineer Officer)
Petty Officer BARLOW
Billy Downer William Munro
Barry Smit
John Dickerson Michael Smorenburg
Leading Seaman HILLBROOK Stoker MARKS Stoker SNIPE Able Seaman HIGGINS (Mess Orderly)
Gavin Murray David Capra Lawrence Retief
Anthony Baggott
Mark Hack
Johannes Cronjé
Members of the shore staff:
Commander GATES, R.N.
(“N” Submarine Flotilla)
Commander WHATELY, R.N.
(Salvage Depot, Devonport)
Captain FENTON, R.N.R. (Salvage
Officer, S and SE Areas) Nathan Townshend Captain MARSHALL, D.S.O., R.N.
(D.N.S. Admiralty)
Brian Roodnick
BRACKLEY (Civilian clerk in D.N.S. Office)
Telephone Operators:
Day Night
Carl Cronjé
Neil Blum Kevin O’Brien
FOUR NIGHTS
‘Eight bells, and anchors away for your evening departure,’ wrote the Headmaster in a little note to wish us well
before the opening performance of the school play ‘Morning Departure’.
August 21st, 1974; I remember that Wednesday well. There was a twinge of nervousness in my stomach as I ate my
supper at School House that evening; there was the thrill of putting on my dashing naval uniform with no less than
three stripes on the sleeves, which incidentally I had sewn on myself; and there was a tremendous feeling of pride,
knowing that I had a part, however insignificant it may have been, in this school play.
I remember my thoughts as I walked in the dark from School House over to the Hall, past Mr Van Leeuwen’s house,
past the tuck shop, past the back of Solomon House, down the steps leading into the quad, east of the Hall. “Speak
loudly and clearly and slowly; don’t be late for your cues!” I climbed up the steps to the stage door and onto the stage.
A hum of activity was on the go. The backstage crew were making final preparations for the performance, lights were
being switched on and off, telephones were being rung. In the dressing room the ladies who were doing the make-up
were preparing to create, out of ordinary schoolboys, the Royal Navy. Miss Louw was bustling around giving words of
encouragement all round; she was going to watch us from the back of the gallery.
My turn for make-up came up, first the powdery base which I had to apply myself, then, over to the ladies. Five
minutes later, I was thirty years older, greying slightly at the temples, my eyes baggy and tired looking; I was
Commander Whately, Royal Navy, Salvage Depot, Devo-nport.
20
THE PRETORIAN
Mr Louis van Heerden, victim of a dramatic abduction for humanitarian purposes during 1974. Mr Van Heerden will
direct the 1975 Gilbert and Sullivan production of “The Gondoliers”.
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Half an hour to go. The music was starting; for us this meant the final count-down. Through convenient slits
in
the sets I watched the auditorium: empty. Surely there
must be some mistake! But
no, a few minutes later a group of people entered and
took their places. Gradually more people came. But by eight o’clock and one or two minutes before we were to go on
stage, I still could not believe my eyes: there were about a hundred and fifty people present, enough to fill no more
than the front centre block of the hall. However, nothing could be done about it.
As we stood restlessly
in
the wings back stage, the final tune came wafting to us
from the
loudspeakers. I subconsciously began to count, ‘ten, nine, eight..The last
notes died away, the lights began to dim. Darkness, movement and slight scuffling, silence; then the lights came up,
and:
“Your call for Captain Fenton, Sir, you’re through!”
About the first night I need say no more than that it was a fiasco, and to those who saw it I must apologize. The second
night, with more people, was considerably better and throughout the performance we could feel that the audience was
with us. The third night we did not enjoy at all; but the final night, the climax, the consummation of all that had gone
into the play, was no let down, we gave of our very best, and the audience showed its appreciation!
Miss Louw was thrilled, and she deserved to be, for she had worked so hard.
J Cronjé, Form 5 A
THE PRETORIAN
21
REMEMBRANCE DAY - 11th NOVEMBER, 1974
The address of Mr Bill Brooks, ex-Deputy Headmaster, ex-S.A.A.F.
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 marked the end of the 1914-18 war — at that time
optimistically hailed as “The war to end all wars”. You see at the entrance to the school the lamp of remembrance and
the memorial containing the names of those Old Boys who gave their lives in that, the first World War and you hear
daily the chimes of the bells which were set up as a memorial to them. Inscribed on the great bell are the word
“Nomen septiternum dabo eis quod non peribit”. (“I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”)
They were the first of the great and sad tradition, known to few of us because of time long past.
In 1918, the year of the armistice, this school was young and of small enrolment. Two decades later, hundreds of boys
had passed through it — boys brimful of the joys of life, schooled in the best aspects of service and tradition, ready to
contribute to the good of their country and to civilisation, but above all, boys wishing to live life to the full. Most of
these felt it their duty to enlist in the armed services when the call came in 1939 and to-day we remember those who
did not return. The plaque in the foyer lists their names — names in many cases closely connected with the school of
to-day through the carrying on of family ties and personal associations. To their schoolmasters and to the fellows who
were at school with them “They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old” and we remember them always in the
freshness of their youth. The reading of the Roll of Honour brings to mind vivid remembrances — a mixture of
sadness, longing and happy recollection of individuals, incidents and exploits — our first South African schools
Nuffield cricketer, 1940, killed in North Africa a few years later — our tennis team of 1936, winners of the Transvaal
Inter High Schools, two of whom lost their lives in naval action in the Mediterranean while a third was shot down over
Warsaw in that tragic epic of South African endeavour.
We remember the celebrations of the rugby field, the athletic track and the class room — they whose bodies rest in
marked or unmarked spots in South Africa, in far off lands or in the deep waters. How greatly we appreciate that solid
core of the school, the ordinary boys — some mischievous and daredevil, others quiet and steady going; some
achieving results by hard work, others by natural ability. The 6th South African armoured division in Italy; the various
regiments in Africa, the South African Naval Forces, The South African Air Force and the Royal Air Force in Europe
and Africa were the main units in which they served — many well suited to their spheres
of action, others making the best of a necessary but unpleasant war-time existence __________
war in reality has no glamour.
Five and a half years of war-time struggle, sorrow and suffering came to an end in Europe on May 8th 1945 V.E. day
and I will remember the signal coming through to us at Balkan Air Force headquarters at Bari, Italy: “The war is over
— victory is ours”. But what has victory brought to the victors — Britain, the United States, France, Russia? How do
we stand by comparison with Germany, Italy and Japan, the vanquished? War has admittedly brought tremendous
scientific development which has unfortunately surpassed the growth of humanity. The atom bombs, dropped on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 precipitated the Japanese surrender and the end of the war, but the use of
these weapons should, in the words of Sir Winston Churchill
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22
THE PRETORIAN
ROLL OF HONOUR
1914-1918
Bean, O L Bourke, J B Chilcott, R D Cross, H H G Crossley, L Dey, J
Farmer, P D Graham, P D H Harrington, J R Johnston, E H Lowden, J H McCallum, D McIntosh, B V de M Murray,
R R Millar, P C Page, J H Palmer, L Prentice, J Rodda, T E Russel, D McK Scott, C F Shackell, C J Slade, L S Smith,
A J Tennant, F H Tennant, L D Veale, H C Wilson, A W
1939-1945
Allen, L C Baxter, E A Bean, R C Bisset, V C Blair, I F Blanc, J P Botha, E P Bryant, R A Buyskes, N Campbell, N
Carswell-Smith, J Church, A W Clark, B E Clayton, A Cohen, S Cotton, D M Creighton, B W Cullingworth, D Deas,
W I De Greef, G J Delaney, B A Denny, R H De ViUiers, L S Dexter, P G Dorfan, M S Durkin, D P Evans, L
Falkson, J Ford, G W Gebhart, E A
Geyser, P G Gordon, K Gordon, N L Gray, F C Gritten, R E Hargrave, R Harr op-Allin, H Hartley, S A Hartman, G A
Hawke, H N Hinton, A D Holmner, A 1 Howitson, J H Howitz, L O Israel, L O Inglis, H M Jacobs, G R Jones, L
Kemsley, K C King, A C Kirstein, P Klompje, J Lane, J D Lawler, D M Lea, C E Leith, G 0 Louw, F Lyall, J D
Maclaren, H G MacWhirter, C J Marlin, W McNair, R B
Mclndoe, J Meester, H Meyerson, I Miller, R D Neser, B Pole, T R Ritchie, T Roberts, M A Robertson, F A Rogan, H
E Rogan, M S Rogers, N Sarcki, E Saunders, P Seaward, E Seel, I
Shepperson, K O Simpson, R A Smith, A F Smithers, H M Southgate, V B Stotesbury, D B Thomsen, A M Van
Heerden, A G Van Uitvanck, I Van Winkel, L Warden, J S Warwick, L D G Wimble, H E Wocke, E Woods, L B
Yaldwyn, R H
Tranquil You Lie Your Knightly Virtue Proved Your Memory Hallowed in The Land You Loved
THE PRETORIAN
23
“arouse the most solemn reflections in the minds and consciences of every human being capable of comprehension.
We must indeed pray that these awful agencies will be made to conduce to peace among nations and that, instead of
wreaking measureless havoc upon the entire globe, they may become a perennial fountain of world prosperity.”
Then, for many of us was the joy of returning home — to pick up the threads of civilian life — not easy for many,
particularly the physically and mentally injured and those who were young and having to start careers. Most necessary
now is a mutual understanding and active co-operation between all the people of our land and between nations, aims
we foster in a small way through our School Memorial Trust, set up as a living memorial to the dead.
On the 24th May, 1953, in token of remembrance, the Memorial plaque was unveiled by Mr Matheson, ex-serviceman
of the First World War and deeply compassionate headmaster of the School throughout the Second World War. Bear
in mind his final memorable words.
“This plaque will stand as a material symbol of the sacrifice made by all our boys. It is here in the centre of that
workaday world that is the Boys High School. Here then, in the very heart of that life they knew and loved and died to
preserve, here where the throb and pulse of youth are strong, the names of our dead are written.
“Dead and yet they live, for the inspiration of their example and all the things they stood for — freedom, happiness,
decency, good fellowship, fun and courage unto death
—
these gifts it is certain they have well and truly laid in the spiritual foundations of their old school.’’
24
THE PRETORIAN
A PRESENTATION TO THE SCHOOL
On the morning of Friday 9th August 1974, during a simple and impressive ceremony in the School Hall, a replica of
the Nobel Prize citation awarded to Dr. Max Theiler, an Old Boy, was formally presented to the School.
Dr Theiler’s sisters, Miss Margaret Theiler and Dr Gertrud Theiler, made the presentation jointly on behalf of the
Nobel Prize winner’s wife and daughter who are resident in the United States.
Dr N J Stutterheim, a member of the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory Council and sometime Vice-President of
the CSIR, outlined Theiler’s scientific achievement and placed it in historical perspective in an outstanding address.
The School was particularly gratified that Dr Stutterheim had accepted our invitation to speak on this occasion as, in
addition to having served on our Governing Body for a number of years, he has also had his four sons at Pretoria Boys
High School.
Among the distinguished guests on this occasion were Mr and Mrs Noël Pollock, Miss Beryl Mullins, Headmistress of
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the Pretoria High School for Girls, members of the Diplomatic Corps and Dr Thelma Gutsche, the eminent historian
and biographer.
Towards the end of the year news was received of a further award honouring a member of the illustrious Theiler
family: the Elsdon Dew Medal for her work in Parasitology in Africa was, it was announced, to be awarded to Dr
Gertrud Theiler. All of us associated with this School — masters, boys, Old Boys and parents — extend to Dr Theiler
our very warm congratulations.
The Nobel Prize replica, suitably framed, is at present in the library prior to its being accorded a place of honour in the
Pretoria Boys High School Museum, plans for which are now under discussion.
The photographs on the preceding and following pages — kindly taken for The Pretorian by Derek Bickley — are of
the replica handed over at the ceremony.
THE PRETORIAN
A classroom of the type referred to in the accompanying article — and some of its future pupils. (Photograph by
courtesy of The Pretoria News.)
PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL AND THE LEARN FUND
How does one arouse sufficient interest in a boys’ school to raise enough money to build a class room? After having
watched it all happen I could still not give the secret of how this is achieved.
It all grew out of the Community Chest — this being the fund for charities which trickles in each year. The Students
Representative Council discussed the question — What about a really worthwhile fund-raising effort this year?
But how much should we aim at? What about enough to build a classroom for an African school? So that was decided
upon. The Pretoria News informed us that this would cost in the region of R3 000. With R1 000 already in the
community chest fund, and with the enthusiasm of Mr Perks, who came in as chief fund-raiser, the S.R.C. began its
appeal to the school. Brian Roodnick as S.R.C. chairman saw that a thermometer was put up in the foyer to indicate
progress towards the goal; also graphs representing the contributions of each class were on display. The idea was
simply that each boy would be asked to bring Rl.
That was the initial idea. But then, by a kind of magic that all organisers dream of, something else began to develop.
Classes quite spontaneously began to raise funds on their own — they baked cakes and made fudge, they organised
book sales, raffles, and film shows. It was a film show that put 5D into the lead. The most daring act of fund raising
was the kidnapping ofMr van Heerden by the Fearn Land Spoonerists. So, greatly to the surprise of some of the
organisers, the target was reached, and a proud school assembly saw its cheque being handed over to a representative
from the “Pretoria News”.
[The above account was written — at my request — by the moving spirit behind the scenes, Mr Michael Moore, whose
enthusiasm and quiet determination were responsible for a considerable part of that magic which developed. — Ed.]
28
THE PRETORIAN
Notes, observations, jottings and theories about
THIS LIFE WE LIVE
Keith van Vollenhoven
Strategies and tactics
The schoolboy of today has become a master tactician without even noticing it.
It all starts in Form One, where many frightened schoolboys enter their first classroom. Upon being bidden to sit down,
their first impulse is to retreat. A multitude of silent starry-eyed boys take up positions at the back of the classroom.
Those lucky enough may gain a corner seat, surrounded by graffiti. Thus, they are assured of a few weeks of reading
material during that period of learning.
After this it becomes easier to adapt to the schoolboy way of life. Hymnbook checks involve frequent uses of military
strategy: The sleight of hand passing of hymnbook covers from one
boy to another; the repeated use of gravity, as hopeful shot putters throw their folded masses of paper through the high
windows; the squeezing of printed pages through the lattices of windows — all enable schoolboys to pass through the
barrier of prefects.
After recovering from the awesome sight of Mr Van Aswegen, the bolder boys attempt and succeed by various means
— to skip the queue heading for the shower. The hot sun blazes down, and I stand in the middle of the line, waiting for
those fateful words, Shower! All of a sudden I find myself leading the row of silent but watchful schoolboys. This
form of tactics can be dangerous, especially if the sun lies behind a cloud. I am sopping wet, and thirty other boys
must still shower.
It is also necessary to pinpoint the exact moment as to when you give him your letter, stating you have a cold. Too
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early, and you leave your friends shivering in the wind, and must look forward to their wrath. Too late, and the P.T.
master suspects you have spent your time writing the letter, especially if it is not contained within a specially marked
envelope.
When in Form One, it is useful to be small. The tuckshop remains a scene of swaying bodies, clutching bottles,
doughnuts and stuffing sweets into pockets. If you are small enough, you can worm your way between hairy legs to the
front of the line. The next phase involves putting on your most angelic smile. This must be brought into action with
sincerity and fervour before any Form Five can grab
your shirt collar and drag
you away. After purchasing the boxful of
“Cokes” and hamburgers, it takes a little acrobatic movement to pass through the mass of grumbling Form Fives,
before they grab you.
We can now see why boarders become so foodconscious since it is they, the Form Ones, who are paid to carry supplies
for the Form Fives.
Whoever is not a tactician at school, must be a person heedless of his own comfort and survival and probably
not of great intelligence.
Most people have a bulit-in sense of tact and
strategy, which can be developed to meet most situations at this stage of their lives.
— C Hindler, Form 3 A
30
THE PRETORIAN
Prelude
If any scholar has cause to stand directly outside the Headmaster’s study, it is well for him to be warned of what it
entails.
In the early morning the staffroom is full of members of the staff going about preparing for the day’s work, morally,
physically and spiritually (the morning cup of tea does wonders). These members of staff come from or to the masters’
staircase via the passage outside the head’s study. You are expected to smile and say “Good Morning” to each. Which
you do. After a quarter of an hour of this your smile is strained into a toothy grin and your voice is breaking so that as
you croak at the teachers they give you disapproving stares and leave you as fast as possible. By this time the seat
outside the study is very inviting and you are surely tempted to make use of it. Masters are still coming past at this
time and you are supposed to jump out of the seat. This is very strenuous and after a while you are forced to give up
and resume standing.
Now fellow-students also pass this way and each of them gives you a sympathetic or an apprehensive look which, if
you have come to see the head about some foul deed on your part, serves to reduce you to a nervous wreck. If you
have come on a peaceful mission, however, you still feel apprehensive.
Each student of our academy cross-examines you on your mission and your possible fate. If your mission there is of a
more personal nature this ritual is extremely embarrassing and you are eventually forced to go and haunt the
passageway leading to the steps to the hall, or to stare hard at the rugby photograph of 1910. Normally, to your
chagrin, you observe someone “jumping the queue” as it were, denoting another quarter hour’s wait while they occupy
the inner sanctum.
By this time, dreaded boredom has struck, rendering you useless for aught else than speculation on what will happen in
that inaccessible part of our school, ‘The Headmaster’s Study’. When this has passed you find your mind wandering to
all sorts of abstract things like praying fervently that your torture be ended, one way or another.
Your thoughts are intruded on by the opening of a door, and you see the headmaster smiling benevolently (a bad sign)
at you. You enter...
— P Wade, Form 3 A
Raymond Staats
The 7.06 to 'Frisco
The man swept his black curls from his forehead, glanced hurriedly at his watch, and moved off at a fast pace down
the walk. He passed quickly through the crowd, his small black eyes staring directly ahead and occasionally down at
the attaché case in his right hand. As he reached the airport terminal he paused to look at his watch once more, and
then stepped through its large glass doors. Beads of sweat formed above his lips and eyes as he crossed the lounge and
approached the ticket desk. Only a close friend would have noticed his faltering footsteps and the unusually tight grip
he maintained on his case.
“Can I help you sir, “asked a pretty young face from behind the counter.
“Uh, I . . . er yes. I’m due to board the 7.06 to ’Frisco, is that right? The name is Masters.” He took out his
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handkerchief and mopped his brow. His eyes travelled to the case at his feet.
“Yes sir. They’re boarding now. Just follow those people to gate 8.”
“Er, thanks.”
The people were queueing behind a closed door. As Masters looked up, it opened to admit the passengers. Beyond the
opening police were screening the first people. His lip began to tremble. He stood in nervous impatience for what
seemed like hours. His mind drifted to other days, better days.
Suddenly, “You’re next sir. Right this way. Anything to claim?”
“Uh . . . just this case.”
I’m sorry sir, but we’ll have to go through it.”
Masters froze. “No ... ah, I mean no. I can’t reveal these p -papers to anyone. They’re classified.” His unsteady hand
reached into a pocket and produced a small red card identifying him as:
ALBERT PRATT
OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL MESSENGER DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
The guard took the card and studied it. “Well, I guess you can go through then. Just go through that door. A hostess
will direct you to the gate.”
“Uh . . . thanks.” Masters snatched up his case and strode hurriedly away. The beads of perspiration trickled down his
face and neck. The hostess pointed out the way and soon he was seated in the first class cabin of flight 45 to San
Francisco.
He was the last passenger to board and soon the plane’s engines were warming up. Flight 45 to ’Frisco taxied down
the runway; faster and faster, and then it was aloft. Flight 45 to ’Frisco was underway. Five minutes later, Flight 45 to
’Frisco was enveloped in a fiery flame of destruction.
— G. Herman, Form 3 A
32
THE PRETORIAN
A Surprise
Yesterday was very hot in the afternoon but in the evening it rained cats and dogs. Anyway in the afternoon I went to
my Dad’s house, (I stay with my grandparents) for lunch and I’enjoyed it very much. Afterwards my Dad had a
surprise ready for us, which was a film.
I don t know what the film was called but I enjoyed it very much. It is not very often that we see Home movies, so this
was something special. My gran, who was also there, fell asleep and when I asked her how she enjoyed the film, she
said it “was lovely”. I asked her if she slept (although I knew she did) and she said, “No”.
—
RS
A Moment of Failure
This moment of failure happened to me about six months ago when I asked my dear mother if I could have horse
riding lessons, this is how it went. On a Sunday afternoon I had been so bored I went for a ride on my bike. As I was
going down a dirt road I saw a few men riding horses. They both had black horses and as I looked I thought, what was
the best, to go back home and eat before it was too late or watch these beautiful horses running around? I thought to
myself, I hate the food I’d rather watch the horses, but then it came to my mind, starve or watch the horses. I was soon
on my way back at full speed but then my wheel started shaking about and I fell off my bike, I got up and looked at
my wheel and said, “Damn it, I must have a horse to ride, they don’t get punctures”. Then I got all my strength
together and started pushing all the way back.
When I got home I said to my mother, “Mum I must have a horse to ride”. “Why” she said, “Well firstly, I don’t like
pushing a big heavy bike back home when it just goes over a little thorn, and secondly, I love horses. I saw two
beautiful black horses running around and I loved them, please mum.” “Well we’ll see, let’s ask dad when he gets
back.” Well he soon got back and I asked him. He gave me the worst answer I have ever heard, he said “No”. “Why”
I asked, and he just answered, “because a horse costs too much money”. Well, later on my dad said he knew old
friends who had horses. We visited them and my dad asked if we could come once a week to ride. The man said yes,
so now, every Saturday I go riding at Lynnwood Ridge and have a nice time. But I still failed to get my horse! —
MS
The Coming Weekend
On this coming weekend Derek Green and I have planned to make a boat trailer for the canoe he has made. We have
found that it is very hard to carry his canoe to the Country Club dam because it is very heavy. We are going to make a
simple light trailer. It is going to have two wheels and a long handle.
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After we have made the trailer we are going to paint it and then leave it for a week.
On Friday the 21st of this month my parents are going to Nelspruit. We are going to go fishing on the Saturday
morning. We have planned that the trailer will be ready. I will sleep at Derek’s house on the Friday night and we will
leave for the dam at 4.30 am. We will have breakfast and lunch there and come back at about 4.00 pm.
I am taking a griller and pan that we will cook in. For breakfast we will have a fried-egg, a piece of toast and a piece
of tomato. For lunch we will have: boerewors, chicken, a stew consisting of cooked tomato, onion and a bit of mince
meat. We hope to catch some fish to bring home as a surprise to our parents.
—
RCB
An Incident at School
On Thursday, the 6th, I was walking along to my maths class when suddenly someone nudged me. I then saw a flight
of stairs directly in my path and could not stop. I went down the stairs two at a time and when the last step came I lost
my footing and came down on my behind. It was not sore and everyone in the vicinity started laughing. I did not
laugh.
G R, Form
D
The Flight
I was fighting against one of the strongest boys in my class. We both had gloves on, and the fight began. He started
hitting wildly, but I kept cool and blocked all his shots off and I started luring him with a straight left and then
suddenly I got my right hand up and gave him one to the jaw. He was getting angrier and
Mr. Norris Cheadle.
angrier, so I calmed him down with a left to the nose. I could see he was nearly at the crying stage and he was a little
bit dazed and I knew that while in this daze I could finish him. So beginning with a right hook I cleaned him up and
the next moment he was lying on the ground, crying his eyes out, with people all round, mocking him. Then everybody
gathered round me, cheering me on. Some even went as far as to lift me up and to shout: “Hooray, he won!’’ That was
my moment of triumph.
—
PW
HMHp
■ill ËllÍËÉ
34
THE PRETORIAN
FAREWELL NORRIS CHEADLE
Norris Cheadle’s retirement from P.B.H.S. coincided what we realised was the saddest time in his life: he had just lost
his wife and dear companion.
Yet we think of Norris as the very reverse of a sad man — for even if we noticed only his eyes laughing, he wove
around himself a world lightened by humour. Often at B.H.S. this humour was esoteric, shared by one or two friends,
shared by Form 5A or Form ID. Schoolboys liked him. They would come out of his classroom chuckling about “karate
experts” or “creatures”. They liked that puckish sense of humour. Laughter — of the rippling, spontaneous kind — was
part of the Cheadle magic. But the uninitiated were left puzzled. Thus it was that every so often I would hear Terence
Ashton address him as “Sir Laurence”, a twinkle was exchanged, and I was left wondering what this could mean.
Perhaps it was an allusion to his quiet dignity of manner, to his reserve: could it be poking fun at that innate reserve
that revealed itself in a characteristic squaring of the shoulders, in a certain preoccupation with pouch, tobacco and
pipe? Or possibly it referred to his conservative “Englishness” or to the purity of his use of the English language. Any
of these were possibilities, for it seemed to me that if one knew him well enough he would take a gentle ribbing. But
finally, of course, the mystery was unraveled, the school staff after ten or eleven years did a repeat performance of
Agatha Christie’s “Ten Little Niggers”, and I saw Norris Cheadle as “Sir Laurence”. And what a different Sir
Laurence from my previous imaginings! How he seemed to delight in transforming himself into the demented and
terrifying murderer.
There are so many facets to this man. Scholarly. Donnish in effect — in the nicest sense of the word. Some of us
turned to him for his constancy, a constancy which arises out of his wonderfully sane and balanced view of things; and
then we noticed that whatever the situation — however urgent, however chaotic or ridiculous — his reaction was
informed by his reason. For it is this quality of lucidity which illuminates his thought and speech, bringing to both a
quality more and more rarely encountered in these days. Yet even this could could be forbidding if it were not
combined with what perhaps more than anything else strikes most people about him — his gentleness, his deep
affection, his objectivity and tolerance — all this founded upon a Christian faith that has been a mainspring to him and
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to his marriage. Then again there are those of us who have shared with him in his love for nature, have been
entertained by stories of his boating trips on the English canals, or have shared in his sense of beauty captured in his
photographs.
On behalf of hundreds of children, black and white, we pay tribute
to
a schoolmaster
who served in the following places:
1935-37 Kilnerton Training Institution, Pretoria (African)
1938 Jeppe Boys High (White)
1939-41 Sir John Adamson, Johannesburg (White)
1941-43 Boys High School, Pretoria (White)
1944-63 British Colonial Service
(Now H.M. Overseas
Civil Service)
1944.47 Prince of Wales School, Nairobi. Housemaster (White)
1948-49 Basotuland High School (African)
1950 Seriba Training College,
Kenya. (African)
1951-55 Headmaster, Kericho European (Boarding) School, Primary (White) 1955-58 Inspector of English in
Secondary Schools, Ministry of Education, Kenya (White, African, Asian)
1959-60 Deputy Head, Delamere High School, Nairobi (White)
1961-63 Headmaster, Kangaru School, Embu, Kenya (Senior High School for
Africans)
1963-74 Boys High School, Pretoria (White).
With the retirement of Norris Cheadle we come to realise that we have very few links left with a world which seems to
be slipping from our grasp, a world of quiet and enduring commitments, a world of sound scholarship, a world of
faith. Perhaps he will come back to our school now and then to teach us a little more of these things.
—
MPM
THE PRETORIAN
35
Le Penseur — Mr Hennie Nel
The Hang-Gliders
Time: 12 noon. Day: Sunday. Place: At the top of the Magaliesberg. It is a blazing, windless hot day. Jig and I are
busy rigging up our kites at the top of the mountain. Slowly our long sausage-like packages turn into beautiful
colourful kites. We tighten bolts and turn up turnbuckles. We check the kites to see that the sails are intact and that the
booms are straight. A crowd has gathered around me. They are all watching in amazement. Questions are coming at me
continuously. What type of cloth is this? Why is that guy’s kite larger than yours? Can’t these thin bolts break? How
long^have you been
flying? Comments are also made. You guys are mad! You seem scared! The kites are dangerous!
I find the questions and comments very amusing. I am too busy to talk to them though. I put on my shirt and zip up
my overall. I struggle to get my harness on. It is a tight fitting harness. I put on my gloves and wriggle my fingers. I
crawl underneath my kite, pick it up and walk towards the edge. There I put it down again, make a last check and then
I hook my harness onto the top of the trapeze. Holding the trapeze tightly I lift my large home-made construction. The
dacron makes a crinkle sound. The crowd is silent. Far down below ant-like figures are gazing up towards me. Here
goes!
A few quick steps and I am over the edge. It is hard to describe the sensation. I fall over the cliff. As a cushion of air
builds up under my sail, I feel my harness tightening. Slowly the craft reaches its airspeed and I become airborne. The
sail of the kite starts fluttering. The wind cools my face. I ride thrugh the sky. There is only air between me and the
ground. It is a thrilling sensation. I make a slow right turn and fly towards Hartebeespoort Dam. I look around in all
directions. I am all on my own with beautiful scenery all around. Yachts sail around on the dam. Miniature cars ride
along roads which consist of long thin lines. Behind me are the mountains, slowly moving back into the distance.
Everywhere people gaze up at me. I am free as a bird — I am sailing through the sky all on my own.
By moving my weight I am able to steer in any direction. It is a great feeling to make a swooping turn through the sky.
My legs hang loosely below me and swing outwards as I turn towards the landing area. A small field is used for our
landing area. Next to it is the bottom cable-way station. The kite flutters and bumps as I ride over a current of hot air
rising up from the heated land.
At last I have my landing approach right. I fly low over a clump of trees and a little house.
I level the craft and steer in over a fence into the field. By pushing the control-bar forward the kite slows down and I
do a light touchdown back onto mother earth.
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— A J Findlay, Form 3 C
36
THE PRETORIAN
There are other things besides scholarship. — Keet of Solomon House.
THE 1974 SCHOLARSHIP TEST
This test involved only Forms I—IV.
In 1975, the test will involve the entire school
—
Form I to Form V
—
will be administered early in the last term.
1974:
The maximum score was 125
There were two sections:
Junior — Forms I, II and III Senior — Form IV only
RESULTS
Junior:
Firstly, the top scorers in individual forms: Form I — Melvin Verster, 1H — 53 Form II — Jeremy Bense, 2A — 70
Form III — Christopher Hamilton, 3A — 71
Junior Section, Overall Winner:
CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON
Senior:
The Senior Section, i.e., the Form IV’s:
Third Place: Nigel Dams, IVD — 70 Second Place: David Hill, IVA — 71
First Place — Overall Winner, Senior Section: PATRICK WILSON, Form IVA — 75 .a ETAOIN OIN DLU OIN
Dread
I sat in the black upholstered, high-backed chair. The room felt chilly. A shiver ran up and down my spine. This was
the moment I had always feared, but somehow I realized that I could not avoid it.
I could here the shuffling sounds of his feet in the room next door. The sounds increased in volume as he came closer
to the room in which I sat in anticipation. I dreaded the moment when he would be in the room with me. I visualised
the long face with the slightly hooked nose. What I detested most were his cold, almost merciless eyes.
The door handle moved down slowly, and the door swung inwards with a creak. He paused in the doorway, silhouetted
by the bright light behind him. In his hand he held a large, gleaming instrument. He then walked the last few steps
towards me. He gave me a cold glare and then walked a few more paces until he stood behind me. I shuddered
involuntarily as I felt his warm breath against the back of my neck. I almost jumped out of the chair when his voice
barked: “What haircut must I give you, boy?”
I left a few moments later ruefully rubbing the bristles at the back of my neck.
— S Coetzee, Form 3 C
Learning to play the bag-pipes is
—
by no means an easy business.
38
THE
PRETORIAN
Donovan Webb in full regalia.
The Hall
The hall is the very heart of the school. This is where everybody congregates. This is where the school is together and
where the headmaster talks to us.
It is a symbol of the boys of the school. Empty, it is a large, echoing place, dark and unfriendly. When it is filled with
boys, it is lively, filled with the sounds of voices. The echoes are gone. It has a sudden warmth. The boys say: “It is
our hall.”
To a form one, it is a large, forbidding place. Masters sit above you and watch — to see if you talk. In form one I was
in the choir and therefore never did sit on the stage. However, I’m sure the form ones get to hate those hard wooden
floors.
The hall has many memories. Mr Fair; the way he was able to communicate with you — make you feel you were
included in a conversation with him. Mr Abernethy; so cheerful and full of ideas and helpful words. Sitting in the hall,
the words seem to echo back to me. ‘Gate crashing, hair, hard work.”
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With these memories come back the scenes of the masters’ plays: the superb acting and good humour. The hall means
a lot to me, and my schooldays will always be associated with it. Almost every day of my high school career will be
connected with the hall. Assembly every morning; sometimes boring, sometimes interesting. In any case, I will be able
to let the memories echo from the walls every day.
—
S Lourens, Form 3 A
CRAIG CHAPMAN INTERVIEWS GEOFFREY JENKINS
(This interview is printed verbatim, of Form 4 G — Ed.)
C.C.—Craig Chapman
G.J.—Geoffrey Jenkins
C.C. What inspired you to take up writing as a career?
G.J. I have never had any other ambition since the age of seven. I have always wanted to be a writer and my father
was a journalist and editor. My first newspaper article appeared in “The Star” at the age of seven. It was printer’s ink
in and out of my father’s newspaper and it was just that way.
C.C. Is it a rewarding career financially and otherwise?
G.J. Do you know, to step out of an anonymous position like a newspaper because a newspaper is an anonymous
position, and overnight it happened with a “Twist of Sand” is just the most wonderful thing as you can imagine. I still
wake up and wonder if I should pinch myself and whether it is all happening to me.
C.C. When you are writing a book, how do ideas come to you? Do you look for them or do they just come naturally?
G.J. Now this is one of the creative processes, something about which I have talked a lot. I don’t want to go into this
in great detail but the primary motivation is an unconscious one. It is only later on that it becomes conscious, in other
words the original concept of the story springs from something — I could not really tel) you what — it is an
unconscious welling up of something. I will give you an example just to illustrate it. It was my third book “A Grue of
Ice”. I was working in London with the World Geographical Society — they had made me an Honorary Fellow and I
was thinking vaguely about writing something on the Antarctic; I had gone over it but only had vague memories and I
was working away at a series of books. I had one book which was English on the one side and Norwegian on the
other. I had it propped up but it fell over and out of the back of it fell an old chart and drawing which had been drawn
by a whaler captain way-back in 1821, of this mysterious island called Thomson Island and he had actually drawn
Thomson Island. Now Thomson Island no longer exists. It used to be between here and Antarctica near Bouvais. He
had actually seen it and drawn it and there were about eight sketches and a map of the island. Now this was stamped,
certified original by the Admiralty in 1828 and, do you know, I suppose that it was about eleven o’clock in the morning
and between then and three in the afternoon the whole story — characters, names, theme, the whole shooting match —
was finished in my mind. I left London, came back and wrote it in three months. Now you can see how that was an
unconscious process which was triggered and away it went.
C.C. Do you do a lot of research?
G.J. Yes, always. The research actually takes me longer on every book than I take in the actual writing. The longest
was “The Scend of the Sea” on which I spent three and a half years, which was much too long but every book has
probably at least a year’s research behind it.
The background of the research becomes often so beguiling that one loses sight
40
THE PRETORIAN
of the novel. Meanwhile I have got to write a novel and get terribly exciting things like in the Warratah story and since
the Warratah book “The Scend of the Sea” appeared there have been all sorts of developments too. A chap in Portugal
wrote to me. He was a dowser (a water diviner) and gave me the exact position of the wreck of the Warratah off shore
which is a very good position too.
C.C. Is this because of personal interest or because you see potential in the book itself?
G.J. How do you mean, ‘potential in the book’? The book is not written at this stage.
C.C. Yes, but I mean you’ve got it all planned in your mind. Is
it because you think
the book will sell better?
G.J. I think you’ve got the processes a bit back to front. I start doing research with something in mind. I tried to tell
you what crystallizes the book. The book has not been born yet, it is in my mind — I don’t know
what it is going
to be. The
Warratah story for instance. I knew I was going to write
something about the
Warratah, so I felt it was necessary to be familiar with the whole Warratah set-up. It wasn’t I suppose until half way
through the research, yes — about eighteen months — that only then the story started to be born in my mind, a novel
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
that is. At some stage or other that unconscious crystallization comes and fortunately this happens with me — with
some writers this doesn’t happen — they come unstuck. And then only at that stage I have all the facts and I know
where to go as I require it. It’s not as if I say “Here is my story, I must now do research into it,” but the story itself is
not born until I start doing research. It’s a curious sort of give-and-take reaction.
C.C. On average, how long does it take you to write a book?
G.J. You mean including research?
C.C. Yes.
G.J. The longest was the “Scend of the Sea” which took three and a half years. The quickest was “A Grue of Ice”
which was done in three months. The others have varied in between that; it was usually about six to nine months.
C.C. Now I know that the film “The Twist of Sand” was a sore point. I personally haven’t read the book but do you
think the film does justice to it or not?
G.J. No, I consider it about the worst film I ever have seen. In fact people don’t agree with me. About two weeks ago
the B.B.C. showed it on television throughout the whole of Britain and I had a lot of very appreciative letters. The
manager of the Standard Bank saw it in London and thought it was marvellous. It didn’t put over my original thought.
It was purely a sort of small-time theme — diamonds and desert and a pretty girl and shooting and that was all there
was to it. My whole concept of the mystique of South West was just not there.
C.C. Are there any writers at all that have influenced your writing in general?
G.J. Well. I would say this, Ian Fleming and I were very close. I don’t think a great deal of his writing. I think that his
character James Bond was primarily a character which was made by films made by Harry Salzman. I know Harry
Salzman, I have been with him in London but don’t forget that Fleming’s first book “Casino Royale” which I think is
his best only sold five hundred copies. Now, you know,
42
THE PRETORIAN
five hundred copies is chicken-feed. My sales are something over five million at the moment — this year alone I have
sold over half a million of my various books — but once Fleming’s name got known through his films “Goldfinger”
and “Mr. No” then of course there were fantastic paper-back sales. I think you must get it clear that paper-backs are
the things overseas. The hard-back, I wouldn’t say is on its way out but it is at a discount. To think in terms of
globular figures there are many of my novels in new paper backs and over the last two years London Airport has been
sold out each week. Now this is the way it goes. Paperbacks are the things overseas and though one gets a small
royalty, the turnover is enormous.
C.C. What do you regard as your biggest writing achievement?
G.J. Bookwise?
C.C. Yes.
G.J. Well “Twist of Sand” is the one that has been longest in the field and is the most successful. I am very pleased
that the overseas critics — I’ve got a new book coming out called “The bridge of Magpies” — (it’s coming out in two
weeks time) — consider it to be as good as, if not better than “A Twist of Sand”. This is very pleasing as a writer’s
graph has to go up, it can’t just stay level. There’s a saying — “a writer is only as good as his last book”. Your graph
has to go up. This is very gratifying because in the new one we are back on the Skeleton Coast.
C.C. What inspires you to choose such contrasting scenes for your books. Do you visit certain places and get ideas
from there?
G.J. Yes. The whole basis of the adventure-thriller which I write is the unusual. In my particular sphere there is
Alistair McLean. Alistair and I run sort of neck and neck with sales. Then there’s Desmond Bagley and Hammond
Innes. Bagley goes from Greenland to Peru — his latest one is New Zealand. McLean jumps from Bear Island to
Yoguslavia — “Guns of Navarrone”, — all over the place. Innes as you know — the Middle East, Bahrain, Greece,
Australia, Newfoundland. The whole basis is what Fleming and I used to discuss: it’s almost essential, the unusual
locale for this type of book and I here in South Africa have all these unusual and magnificent settings which are there
for the taking and the Skeleton Coast is the most unusual of them all. This new one goes on the diamond coast slightly
to the South. De Beer’s Mines were terribly kind to me. They gave me a helicopter to go wherever I wanted to and I
had a plane at my disposal. I wasn’t so interested in the diamonds as I was in the islands off the coast.
C.C. Mr Jenkins, my last question. What are your plans for the future?
G.J. Well at the moment I have another novel turning around in my head. My wife and I are working on a companion
guide to South Africa. It is a sort of book of
—
we’ve travelled a very great deal in South Africa and it is a sort of harvest of our various journeys — you know,
some reminiscent stuff but timely geographical locations with it. I have the nebulus of a book going around in my head
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
but it hasn’t been triggered yet. I feel it is unlucky to discuss my ideas until my publishers have seen them . . .
THE PRETORIAN
43
SPECTROSCOPY An interview with Dr L P R Butler, Head of the Applied Spectroscopy Division of the National
Physical Research Laboratory, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria
by Colin Heath of Form 4 C
“Spectrochemistry is linked to almost every single field of science that is known and can be of considerable
importance to the man in the street.”
This interesting fact emerged from an interview with Dr Pat Butler, Head of the Applied Spectroscopy Division of the
National Physical Research Laboratory at the CSIR. Dr. Butler is an Old Boy of the School and one of whom we can
be justifiably proud. He was born in the little hamlet of Smithfield in the Free State in 1929, and later attended
Parktown Boys High and Pretoria Boys High where he matriculated in 1946.
After joining the CSIR Dr Butler gained the following degrees: B.Se.; B.Sc. Hons, (in Physics, specialising in
Spectrochemistry); M.Sc. (Cum Laude); Ph.D. He is now engaged in studies which will lead to a D.Sc. from the
University of Cape Town.
I
asked Dr Butler to tell me something about the science of Spectrochemistry and what exactly a Spectrochemist is.
He explained that, as with most subjects, physics has been diversified and specialised to a very large extent and one of
the branches of physics that is very important and has led to the knowledge of the atom and, eventually, to the
knowledge of the nucleus of the atom, is the study of light. Light originating from atoms is used in many specialist
fields and many facets of everyday life.
44
THE PRETORIAN
This is because every single atom of the periodic table when exaited radiates its own characteristic colour, e.g.
common salt (sodium chloride) when exposed to a flame gives a yellow light, whilst copper wire heated will give off a
green light. Therefore, to determine what a substance is composed of, you have to stimulate the atom in it to radiate
light and by having a method of breaking the resulting light into its various colours (a Spectroscope) you can identify
all the constituent parts. Spectrochemistry is linked to almost every single field of science known, the reason being that
wherever you have materials you have to know more about them. Spectrochemistry, as such, is there to find out about
them.
Referring to the latter part of my question, he explained that a Spectrochemist is a man that has first of all studied
Physics and Chemistry and probably mathematics and makes use of this knowledge and his knowledge of atoms to
analyse materials by physical means rather than chemical means. Chemical means requires that you dissolve your
substance in some solution, add the agents and by getting reactions you can then work out what the material was
originally. Physical means entail burning of the substance in a flame or in an arc, studying the light that comes off, and
then working out what was in the substance.
A Spectrochemist, as such, is a man that will analyse materials by these physical means and he will also work out
various phenomena that take place in nature. Although science has been with us for a long time there are still many
facets of the science of nature that we know nothing about. For instance, we don’t know how materials can suddenly
evaporate from a solid to a vapour form. A Spectrochemist, therefore, may also be required to make investigations to
determine further secrets of nature.
I
was very interested to learn how this science affects the man in the street and he explained that as with other
sciences the man in the street is faced with the use of materials. He took, for example, a person with a motor car made
up of many different types of steel and non-ferrous materials. In order to utilise these materials to their best advantage,
the engineer building the car must have a knowledge of how these materials are composed. The Spectrochemist is the
man who can do the analysis and give him his answers. Man is also affected in the field of pollution. A lot is being
said about the pollution of the environment, but in order to determine if the environment is being polluted, one makes
use of analytical techniques and these are inevitably spectrochemical ones. We recently read about the Austin Roberts
Bird Sanctuary having all the fish poisoned. When such a thing happens a sample of water is taken and sent to the
CSIR for analysis. They will analyse the water to see if any toxic substances have got into the water and if they can
then determine what the toxic substance is — it might be copper, or mercury, or lead — they can then work out what
the origin of that substance was and, in so doing, take preventive action.
Dr Butler has lectured in many parts of the World and done research work at the Institut filr Spektrochemie und
angewande Spektroskopie, Dortmund. He has published 47 Research Publications, 10 of which are Review
Publications and has written 3 book chapters on various aspects of his particular specialisation field. He feels there is a
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
very great need for spectrochemists and, as far as he personally is concerned, finds it a very exciting field. It is his
purpose to promote the use of Spectrochemistry in Industry and to see that it will help our Industry more and more.
On the lighter side Dr Butler told me that he enjoys woodwork as a hobby, he finds it most relaxing and dabbles in
photography, not competitively, but for the pure pleasure to be obtained therefrom.
It was a privilege to talk to this dedicated man and I sincerely trust more students will take up the Science of
Spectrochemistry and, like Dr Butler, seek to help their fellow man.
THE PRETORIAN
45
STAFF — AND DISTAFF — MATTERS
The doyen of the commonroom, Mr. Bill Brooks, was with us for the first term of the year thereby establishing a
unique record (see the 1973 Pretorian). In addition, however, we welcomed no fewer than twelve members of staff to
the commonroom during 1974. Some were with us for only a short period filling posts while certain of our number
were travelling in other parts of the world or enjoying a term’s leave gardening, writing or catching up on the affairs of
the world. Five ladies joined us — Mrs. Nan Evans, Mrs. Rita Bigalke, Mrs. Nonna Ferreira, Mrs. Edna Whitcome and
Mrs. Linda Schwartz to grace and strengthen our forces in diverse fields like music, art and biology. We record with
pleasure that all but Mrs. Whitcome are still of our number.
Seven young masters joined our ranks at the beginning of the year and we were very pleased to have them among us:
Mr. Dick Dobson who had a formidable reputation even before he joined us and who is living up to it in an impressive
manner (incidentally, an assistant housemaster in Solomon House); Mr. Paul Lewin, athlete, geographer and English
master (Rissik House); Mr. Garth Hattingh, biologist, scientist and guitarist, also in Solomon House but now teaching
for a year in England on a Wits Council grant; Mr. Hennie Nel, ex-Jeppe Boys High School, athlete, linguist and
diplomat attached to the Afrikaans Department; Mr. Johann Pieter-se, an accomplished musician who has now
accepted a teaching post in South West Africa; Mr. Ron Jones, a mathematician who was with us for only a year and
Mr. Peter Wanliss of the English Department, also a long distance runner and a philosopher. Peter is now teaching in
the Cape but we believe had a rewarding year with us.
At the end of the year we were saddened at the departure of David McMillan who accepted a post with the Cape
Department of Education after four years with us and the news is that David is enjoying the Peninsula very much.
Johann Bezuidenhout also left teaching but he has entered the world of commerce, happily only temporarily. Another
serious loss was the departure of Gerrit Olivier to UNISA for Ger-rit’s contribution to the musical life of the School
was considerable and few of us will forget his brilliant opera productions. Finally, Salome Louw, our librarian also left
us after
Mr Ron Jones in a state of mathematical nirvana.
a good spell of eight years during which she also taught Afrikaans here. We are the poorer for the loss of these people
but wish them well in their new spheres of activity and interest.
Finally, it should be noted for the record, 1974 saw the removal from the commonroom of a large gaming table and the
introduction of certain comforts and amenities in the new furnishings and fittings. In time we would hope, amenities
will be available which will cater for the entire spectrum of professional and leisure interests among members of the
commonroom, namely a quiet room for undisturbed preparation and marking, a recreation room where sporting
enterprises of various sorts can be undertaken — and the replacement of some of the rather Spartan furniture at present
in the commonroom. These delights, however, are for the future.
46
THE PRETORIAN
CRICKET
FIRST XI
STANDING (I to r):
Mr C Mulvenna, P J Fourie, N Maitin-Casalis, D M Webb,
R K V Ryan, Mr W M Hofmeyr.
SEATED (I to r): B Bolton, B Bezuidenhout, B R Kaplan (Captain), R van Putten, B Nielsen.
ABSENT: L McGlew, L Verdoorn.
The following are the results of first XV matches played in 1974:
FIRST TERM
CRICKET 1974
vs Jeppe Boys High School (Rain stopped play)
vs Parktown Boys High
Parktown: 196 for 8 declared (Bolton 3 for 50, De Bruyn 2 for 40, Webb 2 for 40).
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School: 73 for 3 (Nielsen 31 not out, McGlew 25).
Jeppe: 141 for 7 declared (WTebb 3 Kaplan 2 for 20).
School: 7 for 0 wickets.
vs St John's College
School: 97 (De Bruyn 32 not out).
St John’s 98 for 3 (Bolton 2 for 23).
for 39,
THE PRETORIAN
47
vs Mr Isaac's XI
Isaac’s XI: 210 for 4 declared (Webb 2 for 52).
School: 102 (Verdoorn 22, Van Putten 20).
vs C.B.C.
School 190 (Verdoorn 55, Nielsen 33, Casalis 32, De Bruyn 31).
C.B.C.: 117 (Melle 3 for 31, Webb 2 for 9, Kaplan 2 for 14).
vs K.E.S.
K.E.S.: 254 for 7 declared (Webb 3 for 58, Van Putten 2 for 2).
School: 126 (Bolton 32).
vs St Alban's
St Albans: 245 for 5 declared (Bezuidenhout 3 for 51, Bolton 2 for 51).
School: 240 for 8 (Clarence 49, Nielsen 42, Kaplan 32, McGlew 26, Van Putten 26, Bolton 29 not out).
vs Maritzburg College
College: 204 for 4 declared.
School: 60 (De Bruyn 19).
vs Hilton College
School: 80 (Bezuidenhout 25, Bolton 17).
Hilton: 96 for 7 (Webb 3 for 11, Bolton 3 for 33).
FOURTH TERM
vs Old Boys
Old Boys: 107 (Van Putten 5 for 33, Bezuidenhout 3 for 14).
School: 115 for 3 (Van Putten 33 not out, Nielsen 21).
TOUR TO NATAL
vs Durban High School
D.H.S.: 239 for 3 declared (Webb 2 for 63).
School: 164 for 6 (Ryan 53 not out, Clarence 49).
vs Michaelhouse
Michaelhouse: 156 for 6 (Bezuidenhout 3 for 37, Bolton 2 for 55).
School: 12 for 1 (Rain stopped play).
vs Maritzburg College
College: 226 for 3 declared (Bezuidenhout 2 for 58).
School: 120 for 5 (Van Putten 32, Ryan 28 not out).
vs King Edward VII
K.E.S.: 224 for 5 declared (Webb 2 for 40, Verdoorn 2 for 79).
School: 143 (Bezuidenhout 52, McGlew 23).
vs Johannesburg College of Education
School: 189 (Ryan 59, McGlew 27, Casalis 24, Nielsen 20).
J.C.E.: 192 for 6 (Webb 2 for 52, Verdoorn
2
for 50).
vs St John's College
School: 239 for 9 declared (Van Putten 63, Ryan 62, Bezuidenhout 51 not out).
St John's: 169 for 5 (Bezuidenhout 2 for 18).
bCD ,A— —
vs Parktown Boys High
School: 185 (Ryan 80).
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Parktown: 187 for 9 (Bolton 3 for 50, Kaplan
2
for 35, Webb 2 for 35, Bezuidenhout 2 for 43).
vs Combined Afrikaans Schools
School: 212 for 8 declared (McGlew 50, Van Putten 45, Ryan 41, Webb 20).
Afrikaans Schools: 77 (Kaplan 4 for 9, Bezuidenhout 3 for 13), Webb 2 for 17).
48
THE PRETORIAN
RUGBY
1st XV
BACK ROW (STANDING): Mr J L Dentan, Mr R Hutchinson, G C Noonan, T Hattingh, J Seeliger, M W Pallet, Mr
W M Hofmeyr.
MIDDLE ROW (SEATED): J Bielich, P L Lumsden, S M Brown, E B Turner (Captain), L A Melle, B Bezuidenhout,
D G Preece.
FRONT ROW: A Mynhardt, P N Anthony, P N Anthony, A Baggott.
RUGBY RESULTS 1974
First XV
vs
Jeppe won 27 6
vs
K.E.S. lost 7 30
vs
Old Boys
won 25 23 vs
St. Alban’s won 21-7
vs
Prince Edward won 19 11 vs
C.B.C. won 9 3
vs
Athlone won 44-6 vs
St. Johns
won 16 14
vs
Potchefstroom lost 13-19 vs
Durban High lost 15-22
vs
Parktown
won 24 10 vs
Northlands
drew 10 10
vs
Hendrik Verwoerd
lost 4 6 vs
Glenwood
won 12 6
vs
St. Stithians drew 7 7
Played 16; Won 9; Lost 5; Drawn 2.
vs
Seuns Hoër
lost 0 6
Points for 253; Points against 190.
THE PRETORIAN 49
Full Colours
Half Colours
Paul Anthony, Peter Anthony, A Baggott, B Bezuidenhout, J Bielich, S Brown, T Hattingh, G Krugess, P Lumsden, A
Melle, A Mynhardt, G Noonan, M Pallet, D Preece, J Seeliger, E Turner.
Second XV
vs
Clapham drew 12 12
vs
Athlone won 28 6
vs
Potchefstroom won 15 4
vs
Parktown
lost 3-21
vs
Hendrik Verwoerd
won 14 0
vs
St. Stithians lost 13-22
vs
Seuns Hoër
lost 7-8
vs
Jeppe won 10 0
vs
K.E.S. lost 7 14
vs
St. Johns
won 20 0
vs
St. Albans
lost 4 10
Played 11; Won 5; Lost 5; Drawn 1.
Colours
B Blignaut, B Bolton, D Bovell, T Bucke, P Carinus, M Clatworthy, L Clayden, D Cooper, J Dickerson, K Heath, J
Immerman, I Klem, H Miller, C v d Walt, D Webb.
Third XV
vs
Athlone won 48-0
vs
Potchefstroom won 18 10
vs
Parktown
won 16 0
vs
Hendrik Verwoerd
won 24-3
vs
St. Stithians lost 0 16
vs
Jeppe won 16-15
vs
K.E.S. won 6 4
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vs
C.B.C. won 29-4
vs
St. Johns
won 12 10
Played 10; Won 9; Lost 1; Drawn 0.
C Coetzee, S Dolgay, T Drabbe, C Haskins, J Hummel, M Marais, W Munro, B Nielsen, P Pickering, G Saayman, G
Schmidt, M Tessen-dorf, D Viall, M Von Broembsen.
Fourth XV
vs
Athlone won 48 0
vs
Potchefstroom won 20-16
vs
Parktown
won 24-6
vs
Hendrik Verwoerd
won 24 0
vs
St. Stithians won 26 0
vs
Seuns Hoër
lost 0 36
vs
Jeppe won 18 13
vs
K.E.S. lost 0-15
vs
St. Johns
won 13-6
Played 9; Won 7; Lost 2; Drawn 0.
Fifth XV
Played 10; Won 7; Lost 3.
Sixth XV
Played 5; Won 3; Lost 2.
Under 15A
Played 11; Won 8; Lost 3.
Under 15B
Played 9; Won 6; Lost 2; Drawn 1.
Under 14A
Played 11; Won 4; Lost 6; Drawn 1.
Under 14B
Played 10; Won 7; Lost 3.
Under 13A
Played 11; Won 4; Lost 7.
Under 13B
Played 9; Won 4; Lost 3; Drawn 1.
House Matches 1974
Seniors: Sunnyside beat Town (10-6). Juniors: Sunnyside beat Town (6-0).
Under 14: Arcadia beat Solomon (12-4).
50
THE PRETORIAN
ATHLETICS
SCHOOL ATHLETICS TEAM
STANDING (BACK ROW) (I to r): M Pepper, A Barnard, M Otto, R Hall, R Rolfe,
M Rip, P Brewer, S Lourens, A Cooper, J Schmidt, L Joubert, F Davis, S van Draanen.
STANDING (MIDDLE): J Todd, S Malloch-Brown, J Lewis-Schneider, R Kreunen,
C Green, R Edwards, A Blignaut, B Phitides, E van der Merwe, I McMillan,
S Murray, G Hulse, D G Stead, A Drabbe, R Muir, N Dams, P Hofmeyr, P Frielick.
STANDING (FRONT): A Horak, J van Greunen, P Lumsden, G Murray, P Frayne,
L Verdoorn, P Bielich, B Nielsen, S Dolgoy, B Blignaut, G Stuart, W Munro, A Reid,
T Gibbs, D Hill, L Velthuysen, Mr T Hill.
SEATED: T. Drabbe, M Tessendorf, T Hattingh, G Saayman, B Truscott, L Clayden (Vice-Capt.), M Delaney
(Captain), E Labuschagne, P Drake, W Ringelman,
S Schneider, C van der Walt, M Manley.
SEATED (FRONT): S Mostert, H Niebuhr, M Codling, P Simson, R Rodseth, R Herholdt,
R Shiels, L Chambers, B Angelopulo, M Dams, P Sylvester, N Dewhurst, K van Vollenhoven, M Robb.
Results of Inter-School Meetings
297 173 297 71 113 219 113-191 113 71 139 272 rain.
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vs
K.E.S. lost 82 86 vs
Benoni Tech. won
vs
C.B.C. won 156 62 vs
Elandspark Tech.
won
vs
Parktown
won 155Í-141*
vs
Lyttelton Hoër lost
vs
Hugenote Hoër lost 297 360 vs
C. R. Swart lost
vs
Springs Tech. won 297 268 vs
Tuine Hoër
won
vs
Stoffberg Hoë r won 297 261
vs
Brakpan Tech. won 297 231 vs
Afrikaans Hoër lost
vs
John Vorster Tech.
won 297-200 vs
Jeppe — cancelled
because
THE PRETORIAN
51
Inter-Hoër
vs
Seuns Hoër
lost 70* 154
vs
C. R. Swart lost 70*-104*
vs
Erasmus Hoër lost 70| 91*
vs
Hendrik Verwoerd
lost 70*-80
vs
Wonderboom
won 70* 54
vs
Oos Moot
won 70* 53*
vs
Silverton
won 70* 12
Apple Athletics Competition
vs
Rustenburg Hoër lost 86 155
vs
Menlo Park
lost 86-148
vs
C. R. Swart lost 86 113
vs
Wonderboom
lost 86 98
vs
John Vorster lost 86-91
The Apple Athletics Competition
is a nationwide series for high schools. Limited teams of eleven athletes in the under 19 and 11 in the under 17 age group may be
entered.
Domestic Competitions Best Performance Trophy
1.
M Delaney (T) 13,1 secs. — 100 m hurdles
2.
E Labuschagne (R) 50,0 secs. — 400 m
3.
G Saayman (Su) 14,6 secs. — 100 m hurdles
4.
W Ringelman (T) 51,0 secs. — 400 m
Best Junior Athlete Award
1. G Hulse (R); 2. K van Vollenhoven (R);
3.
L. Baxter (Sch). This trophy is decided on the number of points scored in the Inter-House and subsequent InterSchool meetings.
Victor Ludorum
1. E Labuschagne (R) 26 points; 2. L Clayden (T) 15 points; 3. B Truscott (Su) 8 points; C v d Walt (Su) 8 points; T
Hattingh (T) 8 points.
Based on the number of points scored in the Inter-House competition.
Inter-House Competition
1.
Rissik 168;
2.
Town 134*
3.
Sunnyside
79*
4.
Arcadia 79
5.
School 59
6.
Solomon 44
Some Outstanding Individual Performances Inter-High
E Labuschagne won 100 m and 200 m (22,4 s.
—
better than School record); F Pashiou won 100 m hurdles in 14,1 s. — a new meeting record. The under 17 4 x
100 m relay team broke the existing record.
Apple Athletics
M Delaney won 100 m hurdles in 13,5 secs, (better than the School record) which was inside the qualifying time for
the S.A. Championships (under 17).
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The under 19 relay team were first in the relay.
N. Tvl. Junior Championships
100 m hurdles — M Delaney 1st, 13,3 secs.
800 m under 15 — G Hulse 1st, 2 min. 1,7 secs. 400 m under 15 — G Hulse 2nd, 51,6 secs.
Prestige Meeting
(For all schools having athletics in the third term in the Transvaal).
800 m under 15 — G Hulse 1st, 2min. 4,6 secs.
(Equals School record time)
800 m under 17 — W Ringelman 1st, 2 min. 5,8 secs.
L.J. under 16 — M Clatworthy 1st, 6,00 m.
Javelin under 17 — P Drake 1st, 56,18 m.
Discus under 16 — I McMillan 1st, 38,67 m.
400 m under 14
—
S van Draanen 1st, 56,8 secs.
400 m under 15
—
G Hulse 1st, 53,5 secs.
400 in under 17
—
E Labuschagne 1st, 50,3 secs.
80 m hurdles under
13 — R Rodseth 1st, 12,0
secs.
80 m hurdles under 14 — K van Vollenhoven 1st, 10,7 secs.
90 m hurdles under 15 — P Hofmeyr 1st, 13,2 secs.
100 m hurdles under 17 — M Delaney 1st, 13,1 secs. (New S. Tvl. record).
Colours:
Full:
L Clayden, M Delaney (Capt.), P Drake, E Labuschagne, W Ringelman, G Saayman, B Truscott.
Half:
T Drabbe, T Hattingh, G Hulse, M Manley, M Sanders, S Schneider, M Tessendorf, C v d Walt.
52
THE PRETORIAN
Results of the Inter-House Athletics Meeting held at School on Friday 1st September, 1974 Event 1: 800 Metres Under
14:
1. V Vollenhoven (R); 2. Cooper (A); 3. Heroldt (R); 4. Gammie (T); 5. Sylvester (R).
Time: 2 mins. 17,8 secs. Record: 2 mins. 9,5 secs. Event 2: 100 Metres Under 13:
1. Murray (A); 2. Angelopulo (T);
3.
Chambers
(T); 4. Mostert (S); 5. Bantock (Sc).
Time: 14,1
secs. Record: 12,7 secs.
Event 3: 200 Metres Open:
1. Labuschagne (R); 2. Gibbs (Sc); 3. Lumsden (R); 4. Turner; 5. Ringelman (T); 6. Bovell
(Sc).
Time: 23,5
secs. Record: 22,9 secs.
Event 4: 100 Metres Under 16:
1. Manley (S); 2. Malloch-Brown (S); 3. v. d. Merwe (Sc); 4. Crabtree (T).
Time: 14,4
secs. Record: 13,5 secs.
Event 5: 800 Metres Under 15:
1. Hulse (R); 2. Muir (R); 3. Stead (R); 4.
Joubert (T); 5. Rip (T).
Time: 2 mins. 4,6 secs. Record: 2 mins. 4,6 secs.
Event 6: High Jump Under 14:
1. Frielick (S);
2.
Barnard (T); 3.
Ryan (S);
4. Sylvester (R); 5. Bristow (S).
Height: 1,55 metres. Record: 1,683 m.
Event 7: 400 Metres Under 16:
1. Tessendorf (Sol); 2. Murray (R); 3. Phitides (A); 4. Green (S); 5. Velthuysen (T).
Time: 53,6 secs.
Record: 50,7 secs.
Event 8:
1. Otto (Sol); 2. Pepper (Sol); 3. Horak (A); 4. Hofmeyr (Sc). Time: 13,6 secs.
Event 9: 100 Metres Open:
1. Labuschagne (R); 2. Lumsden (R); 3. Gibbs (Sc); 4. Turner (T); 5. Ringelman (T); 6. Bovell (Sc). Time: 11,6 secs.
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
Record: 11,1 secs.
Event 10: 600 Metres Under 13:
1. Todd (R); 2. Shiels (Sol); 3. Mulligan (A); 4. Chambers (T); 5. Kimber (S).
Time: 1 min. 41,4 secs.
Event 11: 1500 Metres Open:
1. Clayden (T); 2. Schneider (R); 3. Van Greu-nen (A). Time: 4 mins. 21,2 secs.
Event 12: Inter-House Relay Junior:
1. Rissik; 2. Arcadia; 3. Town.
Time: 1 min. 45,8 secs.
Event 13: 70 Metres Hurdles Under 14:
1. V Vollenhoven (R); 2. Brewer (Sol); 3. Frielick (S). Time: 11,2 secs.
Event 14: 70 Metres Hurdles Under 13:
1. Rodseth (A); 2. Shiels (Sol); 3. Kohler (T). Time: 12,5 secs.
Event 15: 400 Metres Open:
1. Labuschagne (R); 2. Ringelman (T); 3. Stuart (Sc). Time: 52,1 secs.
Event 16: 1500 Metres Under 15:
1. Hulse (R); 2. Lewis-Schneider (R); 3. Muir (R).
Time: 4 mins. 49,0 secs.
Event 17: 800 Metres Under 16:
1. Green (Sol); 2. Tessendorf (Sol); 3. Hill (A). Time: 2 mins. 12,5 secs.
Event 18: 100 Metres Under 15.
1. Kreunen (A); 2. Baxter (Sc); 3. Horak (A) Time: 12,4 secs.
Event 19: 100 Metres Under 14:
1. v. Draanen (A); 2. Sylvester (R); 3. Cooper (A). Time: 13,1 secs.
Event 20: High Jump Open:
1. Truscott (S); 2. Manley (S); 3. Saayman (S). Height: 1,89 m.
Event 21: 100 Metres Under 16:
1. Drabbe (S); 2. Verdoorn (A); 3. Phitides (A). Time: 11,7 secs.
Event 22: 200 Metres Under 13:
1. Chambers (T); 2. Murray (A); 3. Todd (R) Time: 28,0 secs.
Event 23: 100 Metres Hurdles Open:
1. Delaney (T); 2. Saayman (S); 3. Labuschagne (R). Time: 14,0 secs.
Event 24: 200 Metres Under 15:
1. Hulse (R); 2. Baxter (Sc); 3. Schmidt (A). Time: 24,3 secs.
Event 25: 400 Metres Under 14:
1. v. Draanen (A); 2. V. Vollenhoven (R); 3. Cooper (A). Time: 57,8 secs.
Event 26: Inter-House Relay Senior:
1. Town; 2. Rissik; 3. School.
Time: 3 mins. 48,1 secs.
Event 27: Long Jump Open:
1. Labuschagne (R); 2. Truscott (S); 3. Jammine (T). Dist.: 6,25 m.
Event 28: 1500 Metres Under 16:
1. Green (Sol); 2. Lewkowicz (T); 3. Beer (Sc) Time: 4 mins. 39,3 secs.
Event 29: High Jump Under 15:
1. Blignaut (S); 2. Stead (R); 3. Otto (Sol). Height: 1,60 m.
Event 30: 800 Metres Open:
1.
Clayden (T); 2. Ringelman (T); 3. Drabbe (S). Time: 2 mins. 3,7 secs.
THE PRETORIAN
53
Event 31: 400 Metres Under 15:
1. Hulse (R); 2. Baxter (Sc); 3. Lewis-Schneider (R). Time: 52,7 secs.
Event 32: Long Jump Under 16:
1. Clatworthy (Sc); 2. Blignaut (Sc); 3. Webb (R). Dist.: 5,97 m.
Event 33: Long Jump Under 15:
1. Rip (T); 2. Baxter (Sc); 3 .Otto (Sol).
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Dist.: 5,45 m.
Event 34: 3000 Metres Open:
1. Clayden (T); 2. Schneider (R); 3. v. Greunen J (Ac). Time: 9 mins. 24,9 secs. (Record)
Event 35: 300 Metres Hurdles Open:
1. Labuschagne (R); 2. Nielsen (Sc); 3. Canny (Sc). Time: 42 secs.
Event 36: High Jump Under 13:
1. Dewhurst (R); 2. Viennings (Sc); 3. Rodseth (Sc). Height: 1,432 m. (Record).
Event 37: Long Jump Under 14:
1. V Vollenhoven (R); 2. Davis (Sol); 3. Van Draanen (Sc). Dist.: 5,21 m. (Record).
Event 38: Shot Put Under 15:
1. Rolfe (T); 2. Edwards (T); 3. Barnard (T). Dist.: 13,02 m. (Record).
Event 39: Shot Put Under 16:
1. Blignaut (Sc); 2. v. d. Merwe (R); 3. Dolgov (Sol). Dist.: 12,84 m. (Record).
Event 40: Shot Put Open:
1. Hattingh (T); 8. v. d. Walt (S); 3. Hasenjager (T). Dist.: 12,36 m. (Record).
Event 41: Discus Under 16:
1. McMillan (T); 2. v. d. Merwe (R); 3. Blignaut (Sc). Dist.: 38,10 m. (Record).
Event 42: Discus Open:
1. v. d. Walt (S); 2. Hattingh (T); 3. Bielich (T). Dist.: 36,95 m. (Record).
Event 43: Javelin Under 16:
1. Clatworthy (Sc); 2. Britz (Sc); 3. Phitides (A). Dist.: 47,02 m. (Record).
Event 44: Javelin Open:
1. Drake (R); 2. Plumb (R); 3. Nielsen (Sc). Dist.: 55,78 m.
Event 45: Javelin
Under 15:
1.
Joubert (T); 2. Boyd (Sc); 3.
Brewer (Sol).
Dist.: 42,06 m. (Record).
CROSS-COUNTRY RESULTS Inter-House Competition Senior
1.
Rissik 74
points
2.
Solomon 85
3. Arcadia
105
4. Town 110
Junior
1. Rissik
172
2. Solomon
284
3. Town 340
4. Arcadia
366
Individual
Senior
1. S Schneider (R); 2. J van Greunen (A); 3. W Munro (Su); 4. C. Rorich (T); 5. L Clayden (T); 6. P Frayne (Sol); 7. B
Roodnick (R); 8. R Hall (Sol); 9. T Drabbe (Su); 10. P Ash (Sol). Time: 17 mins. 32,0 secs.
Junior
1. R Muir (R); 2. G Hulse (R); 3. P Sylvester (R); 4. R Shiels (Sol).
Time: 19 mins. 05,6 secs.
Inter-School Competitions vs King Edward Seniors:
1.
B.H.S. 40 points
2.
K.E.S. 46
Juniors:
1.
B.H.S. 26
2.
K.E.S. 72
In an Inter-School meeting held at St. Albans the School team (seniors and juniors) came second, to Menlo Park
Hoërskool, out of 5 competing schools.
In a new Pretoria High Schools league held in August the School team (combined juniors and seniors) were runners-up
to Menlo-Park. Seventeen high schools took part in the league. Pretoria Boys High were also runners-up in the N. Tvl.
High Schools Cross-country Championships.
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
Best individual result in the Championships were: Seniors: L Clayden 4th, D Beer 10th; Juniors: R Muir 8th, J LewisSchneider 11th.
N. Tvl. Championships R Shiels 5th in under 13 Division.
L Clayden 12th in under 19 Division.
L Clayden was chosen to represent N. Tvl. in the South African Inter-Provincial Championships.
Colours
Full: L Clayden, W Munro, S Schneider (Capt.). J van Greunen.
Half: D Beer, T Drabbe, P Frayne, C Rorich.
Last-Minute Briefing: Gary Webber, Stephen Murray, Kevin Fischer, Edward Nixon, Kevin Armi-tage, Jonathan
Oakes, Russell Shiels, Deon Hofmeyr, Peter Brewer, Owen Gilbert, Alan Muir, Peter Bird.
Photo: Mr
Paul
Lewin _________________________
54
THE PRETORIAN
Wmím.
'ámm.
mm,
Wmm;
SWIMMING
"A” SWIMMING TEAM
STANDING (BACK ROW): A Horak, R Muir, O Roodt, L White, C Durrant, P Annecke,
C Wesselink, M Greef, D Dey.
STANDING (MIDDLE ROW): P Lumsden, G Schmidt, P Nagy, N Coetzee, M Rip, B Irving, I McMillan, J
Bezuidenhoudt, G Collins.
SEATED: G Stuart, E Hurrell, G Smith, W Downer, Mr C Lee, R de Beer, H Jackson,
B Dickerson, T Bucke.
SEATED (FRONT ROW): H Pavillard, T Bantock, P Davies, D Blake, S Schoeman,
B Angelopulo.
An Old Boy or interested supporter of this school will tend to judge the standard of our sport by the results of the allimportant King Edwards and Seuns Hoër matches. Swimming is no exception, and judging by these results, we
enjoyed mixed fortunes.
In the first term all meets with K.E.S. were lost to them, as was the case in the fourth term. But for the first time in
three years we defeated the Affies team in a most exciting Inter-High Gala. This feat was made possible by our
outstanding junior age group and the depth of our swimming talent. This second fact was indicated
by our ‘B' team's resounding victory over the Seuns Hoër ‘B’ team.
Town House for the second year running, but this time soundly, beat Arcadia in the Inter-House Gala, followed by
Rissik, School, Solomon and Sunnyside.
Nine of our swimmers were chosen for the Northern Transvaal Echools swimming team and the fact that we beat
Jeppe, St. Johns, St. Stit-hians, Highlands North and Parktown during the year assures our remaining a major force in
Transvaal swimming.
—
WD
56
THE PRETORIAN
RESULTS
Galas swum in the first term Against Jeppe and St. Johns
Pretoria St Johns Jeppe
254
119
116
Against Jeppe, St. Stithians and Highlands North
Pretoria St Stithians Jeppe
Highlands N.
Against St. Stithians and King Edwards
K.E.S.
St Stithians Pretoria
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233
185
115
107
150
100
89
Inter High Gala
Pretoria Seuns Hoër
Galas swum in the fourth term Against Jeppe and St. Johns
Pretoria St Johns Jeppe
Against King Edwards and St. Stithians
K.E.S.
Pretoria St Stithians
Against K.E.S. and St. Davids
K.E.S.
Pretoria St Davids
191
112
97
159
118
88
174
114
93
RESULTS OF 1974 INTER-HOUSE GALA
Event 1: 100 yds Butterfly Stroke Open 1. Greg. Smith (S); 2. Downer (T); 3. Storey (S).
Time: 66,9 secs.
Record: 59,8 secs.
Event 2: 33^ yds Butterfly Stroke U/13 1. Bantock (Sh); 2. Davies (T) 3. Shiels (Sol); 4. Dewhurst (R).
Time: 21,5 secs.
Record: 20,4 secs.
Event 3: 33^ yds Butterfly Stroke U/14 1. Durrant (T); 2. Schoeman (A); 3. Wcsselink (Sch); 4. Boyd (A).
Time: 19,0 secs. = Record. Record: 19,0 secs.
Event 4: (new) Individual Medley Open 1. Jackson (A); 2. Hopman (T); 3. Collins (A), 4. Durrant (T).
Time: 1 min. 30.2 secs. Record: record
Event 5: 66§ yds Butterfly Stroke U/15 1. Hoppmann (T); 2. Pretorius (T); 3. Dey (Sol); 4. Pepper (Sol).
Time: 42,5 secs.
Record: 39,6 secs.
Event 6: 66| yds Butterfly Stroke U/16 1. de Beer (A); 2. McMillan (T); 3. Dolgoy (Sol); 4. Cooper (R).
Time: 41,5 secs.
Record: 37,5 secs.
Event 7: 100 yds Back Stroke Open 1. Collins (A); 2. Schmidt (Sol); 3. Stuart (Sch); 4. Drake (R).
Time: 1 min. 8,0 secs. Record: 59,8 secs.
Event 8: 200 yds
Free Style U/16
1. de Beer (A); 2. Fisher (T); 3. Horak (A);
4. Boxall (A).
Time: 2 mins. 28,8 secs. Record: 1 min. 59,9 secs.
Event 9: 33^ yds Back Stroke U/13 1. Angelopulo (T); 2. Greef (R); 3. Shiels (Sol); 4. Geddes (R).
Time: 23,7
secs. Record: 21,3 secs.
Event 10: 66| yds Back Stroke U/14 1. Schoeman (A); 2. Niklaus (A); 2. Blake (T); 4. Hurrell (Sun).
Time: 47,3
secs. Record: 43,5 secs.
Event 11: 66§ yds Back Stroke U/15 1. Muir (R); 2. Pefanis (Sol); 3. Pretorius (T); 4. Scholtz.
Time: 47,4 secs.
Record: 41 secs.
Event 12: 100 yds Backstroke U/16 1. Coetzee (T); 2. Bezuidenhout (Sch); 3. Wallace (A); 4. Cooper (R).
Time: 65,9
secs. Record: 64,9 secs
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THE PRETORIAN
57
Event 13: 100 yds Free Style Open
1. Smith (Sol); 2. Dickerson (Sch); 3. Lumsden
(R); 4. Storey (T).
Time: 56,4 secs.
Record: 53,5 secs.
Event 14: 66| yds Free Style U/13 1. Annecke (T); 2. Bantock (Sch); 3. Brown (T); 4. Angelopulo (T).
Time: 40,8 secs.
Record: 39,3 secs.
Event 15: 200 yds Breast Stroke Open 1. Downer (T); 2. Bucke (Sun); 3. Stuart (Sch); 4. Nagy (T).
Time: 2 mins. 50,6 secs. Record: 2 mins. 27,3 secs.
Event 16: 66§ yds Free Style U/14 1. Durrant (T); 2. Irvine (Sun); 3. Blake (T); 4. Morris (T).
Time: 37,6 secs.
Record: 26,7 secs.
Event 17: 100 yds
Free Style U/15
1. Hoppmann (T); 2. Hulse (R); 3. Horak (A); 4. Nicholls (Sun).
Time: 59,5 secs.
Record: 56,6 secs.
Event 18: 100 yds Free Style U/16 1. Coetzee (T); 2. Bender (T); 3. Kuyper (T); 4. MacMillan (T).
Time: 56,8 secs.
Record: 53,8 secs.
Event 19: 200 yds
Free Style Open
1. Jackson (A); 2. Dickerson (Sc); 3. de Beer (R); 4. Hurrel (Sun).
Time: 1 min. 58,6 secs. — Record.
Old Record: 2 mins. 0,3 secs.
Event 20: 33^ yds Breast Stroke U/13 1. Annecke (T); 2. Kingsley (Sun); 3. Pavillard (Sch); 4. McCarter (Sch).
Time: 24,0 secs.
Record: 22,7 secs.
Event 21: 66§ yds Breast Stroke U/14 1. Irvine (Sun); 2. Wesselink (Sch); 3. Delaney (A); 4. Holmes (T).
Time: 47,4 secs.
Record: 46,6 secs.
Event 22: 100 yds Breast Stroke U/15 1. Rip (T); 2. Tabone (A); 3. Pefanis (Sol); 4. Fine (T).
Time: 1 min. 22,5
secs. Record: 72,8 secs.
Event 23: 100 yds Breast Stroke U/16 1. Morris (T); 2. Bolgoy (Sol); 3. Jones (Sol);
4.
Turner (Sch).
Time: 1 min. 20,4 secs. Record: 69,4 secs.
Event 24: 500 yds Free Style Open 1. Jackson (A); 2. Collins (A); 3. Hurrell (Sun);
4.
Bradley (Sol).
Time: 5 mins. 25,0 secs. — Record.
Old Record: 5 mins. 28,7 secs.
Event 25: 4 x 33^ Medley Team Race U/13 1. Town; 2. School; 3. Solomon.
Time: 1 min. 36,1 secs. Record: 1 min. 29,4 secc.
Event 26: 4 x 33^ yds Medley Team Race U/14
1. Arcadia; 2. Town; 3. School; 4. Solomon. Time: 1 min. 25,5 secs. Record: 1 min. 24,7 secs.
Event 27: 4 x 33^ yds Medley Team Race U/15
1. Town; 2. Rissik; 3. School; 4. Arcadia.
Time: 1 min. 21,1 secs. Record: 1 min. 18,3 secs.
Event 28: 4 x 33^ yds Medley Team Race U/16
1. Town; 2. Rissik; 3. Arcadia; 4. Solomon. Time: 1 min. 19,2 secs. Record: 1 min. 17,7 secs.
Event 29: 4 x 33^ yds Medley Team Race Open
1. School; 2. Arcadia; 3. Solomon; 4. Town. Time: 1 min. 17,1 secs. Record: 1 min. 14,8 secs.
Event 30: 4 x 33^ yds Team Race U/13 1. Town; 2. Sunnyside; 3. Rissik; 4. School. Time: 1 min. 20,3 secs. Record: 1
min. 19,9 sec3.
Event 31: 4 x 33^ yds Team Race U/14 1. Town; 2. Arcadia; 3. School; 4. Sunnyside. Time: 1 min. 16,0 secs. Record:
1 min. 12,2 secs.
Event 32: 4 x 33^ yds Team Race U/15 1. Rissik; 2. School; 3. Town; 4. Arcadia.
Time: 1 min. 12,9 secs. Record: 1 min. 9,8 secs.
Event 33: 4 x 33^ yds Team Race U/16 1. Town; 2. Rissik; 3. School; 4. Arcadia.
Time: 1 min. 5,3 secs. — Record.
Old Record: 1 min. 7,8 secs.
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
Event 34: 4 x 33^ yds Team Race Open 1. Arcadia; 2. School; 3. Solomon; 4. Rissik. Time: 1 min. 7,5 secs. Record: 1
min. 5,4 secs.
58
THE PRETORIAN
Results of the Inter-House Gala
Term 4:
Town 165
Arcadia 101
School 73
Rissik 54
Solomon 50
Sunnyside
27
WATER POLO 1974
1974 has seen our team progress from a slightly nervous group of ‘youngsters’ in January, to a seasoned team of
veterans.
Held together by ‘iron man’ Peter Lumsden at centre back and with Greg Smith, the man with the golden hands at
centre forward, our first team has lost only two out of fourteen league games and two out of ten school games this
year, a formidable record.
Our Northern Transvaal Schools representatives were Barnes Kuyper, Peter Lumsden and Roley de Beer, Barnes
Kuyper was also a regular member of the Northern Transvaal under nineteen team.
Results Inter-House Competition
Winners: Solomon.
Runners up: Rissik.
League Matches Term 1:
Versus
Harlequins ‘C’
University ‘C’
University ‘D’
Harlequins ‘D’
Otters
Hillcrest ‘D’
Result
Drew 5 5 Lost 1 3 Won 5 1 Won 13 5 Won 13-0 Won 5 2
Harlequins ‘D’ Defence ‘B’ Hillcrest ‘B’
Otters
University ‘C’ Defence ‘A’
Otters
Benoni
School Matches Versus
Potchefstroom
Krugersdorp
K.E.S.
St Stithians Menlo Park A.H.S.
Menlo Park A.H.S.
Won 14 1 Won 12-1 Won 9 1 Won 11 1
Won
Lost
Drew
7 3 3 9 4-4
Won 14 1
Result
Lost 2 3 Won 6—3 Lost 5 4 Won 10 0 Won 10 1
Drew
Won
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
Won
7 7 5 4 8-3
SWIMMING AND WATER POLO COLOURS 1974 Full Colours
W J Downer, G R Smith, J Dickerson, G Collins, R N de Beer, N Coetzee, A R Kuyper, P L Lumsden, G R Schmidt.
Half Colours
E W Hurrell, H E Hoppmann, J S Bezuidenhout, D D Widdicombe, P Storey, J M Bradley.
THE PRETORIAN 59
TENNIS
First Team
STANDING: M Ashby, G Ristow, R Taggart, J Rijneke, N Casalis SEATED: D Creighton, B Nielsen (Capt.), L
Retief.
TENNIS
Masters-in-Charge: Mr R Buwalda, Mr J Munting
Tennis Captain: B Nielsen
Vice-Captain: L Retief
Regular Team Players:
First Team: D Creighton, B Nielsen, L Retief, N Casalis.
Second Team: M Ashby, R Taggart, J Rijneke, G Ristow.
NOTES
The 1st team, although not outstanding, produced some very satisfying results and ended the tennis season winning
five of their eight matches in the Pretoria High School League competition.
In the Northern Transvaal Inter-High tournament, held annually at Loftus Versfeld, the 1st team did well to reach the
finals (defeating Afrikaans Hoër Seuns 2nd team in a cliff-hanger semi-final) only to lose to the powerful Hoër 1st
60
THE PRETORIAN
team. One of the most exciting matches of the year was undoubtedly against the touring Maritz-burg College team,
with which the school drew 10 matches all.
The Northern Transvaal mixed league competition again proved to be a great success and Boys High combined with
Girls High to finish second, the winner being Seuns and Meisies Hoër.
Our top Under 15 players showed some of their potential by reaching the final of the Pretoria zone play-off in the
Appletiser Competition — here Chari Grobler and Robert Seton played with plenty of fire and determination but were
just edged out by two equally determined Seuns Hoër juniors. We are expecting big things from these two juniors in
the future.
The year’s official programme of matches was interspersed with several friendlies, perhaps the most enjoyable being
the one against St Johns
—
a contact we would like to foster.
Finally, a warm word of thanks to our ladies committee who kindly supplied tea and refreshments for all our home
matches.
RB
1st Team Results
vs
Menlo Park
vs
Oos Moot
vs
Silverton
vs
Boys High (2nd team)
vs
A.H.S. (2nd team)
vs
Lyttleton»
vs
A.H.S.
vs
Brits
2nd Team Results
vs
A.H.S. Lost 22-50
vs
Menlo Park
Lost 25-47
vs
Oos Moot
Won 38-34
vs
Boys High (1st team) Lost 18-54
vs
Silverton
Won 41-31
vs
Brits Won 39-33
file:///Volumes/Delivery/Pretoria%20Boys%20High%20School/Processed/ITEM1974/Text/ITEM1974.txt[3/17/14 8:32:10 AM]
vs A.H.S. (2nd team) Lost 24-48
vs Wonderboom Won 51-21
vs C. R. Swart Lost 38-43
vs H. F. Verwoerd
Won 41-31
Mixed League
vs Lyttleton Won 41-40
vs Oos Moot Won 53-28
vs Silverton Won 56-25
vs A.H.S. (3rd team) Won 44-37
vs A.H.S.
Lost 34-27
vs A.H.S. (2nd team) Won 34-27
vs Brits
Won 49-22
School Championships Senior:
Winner: D Creighton.
Runner-up: B Nielsen.
Junior:
Winner: C Grobler.
Runner-up: R Seton.
Doubles:
Winners: B Nielsen and D Creighton. Runners-up: R Taggart and M Ashby.
House Matches Senior:
Winners: Rissik.
Runners-up: Arcadia.
Junior:
Winners: Sunnyside.
Runners-up: Solomon.
Full Colours
D Creighton, B Nielsen, L Retief.
Half Colours N Casalis, M Ashby, R Taggart, J Rijneke, G Ristow.
Lost 37-35 Won 51-21 Won 55-17 Won 54-18 Lost 24-48 Won 39-33 Lost 24-48 Won 45-27
THE PRETORIAN
61
SQUASH
FIRST TEAM
BACK ROW: M Pallett, Mr A Gill, R Rijan.
FRONT ROW: S Brown, K Clarence (Captain), C Rorich.
Captain: K. Clarence Vice-Captain: C. Rorich
School Matches 8th March vs St. Johns 11th March vs St. Albans 15th Sept. vs Michaelhouse 25th Oct. vs St. Albans
(nter-House Competition Seniors
1st Sunnyside; 2nd Rissik.
Juniors
1st Rissik; 2nd School
Senior Individual Championships Winner: C. Rorich; Runner-up: K. Clarence.
Junior Individual Championships Winner: R. Kaplan; Runner-up: L. Hanson.
The School First Team played in the Northern Transvaal Reserve League and won 9 of the 13 matches played. Teams
were also entered in the Second, Third and Fourth Leagues.
C Rorich, K Clarence, R Ryan and B Nielson represented Northern Transvaal in the interschool provincial Tournament
held at Hillcrest, Natal. Rorich was also selected for the S.A. Schools A Team and Clarence was captain of the S.A.
Schools B side.
Full Colours
C Rorich, K Clarence, S Brown, M Pallet, R Ryan.
Half Colours
B Nielson, L Retief, E De Boelpaep, D Creighton.
Lost 2 3 Won 4-1 Lost 1 4 Won 5 0
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THE PRETORIAN
PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL PIPE BAND
FRONT ROW SITTING: L/Cpl. Drummer A Greyling; B Boekhoud; Mr P K A Digby (Bandmaster); Drum-Major D
Webb; Pipe-Major R B Johanson; D Ash; Sergt. Drummer R Richardson.
BACK ROW STANDING: Sergt. Piper R L Delaney; B Viljoen; C Twyford; W Roux; L/Cpl. Drummer K
Voorendyk; Cpl. Drummer M Lingenvelder; G Delaney; M A
Michael; Cpl. Piper P C Marais.
An impossible situation existed at the beginning of 1974. At the end of the previous year, eight out of thirteen band
members had matriculated, leaving no side drummers and no bass section, except the least experienced tenor drummer.
He resigned on the eve of the second competition of the year, as did the most talented of the four experienced pipers
who remained. Even the most optimistic shook their heads and predicted a bad year. Our first engagement was late in
January — to play at a garden party in the grounds of the Van der Byl Estate, to celebrate
the 50th Anniversary of the foundation of Irene’s Anglican Church. Only the pipers were able to play.
Fortunately there were some hope. Stephen Collins, our out-going pipe-major had ensured that three pipers, Bobby
Boekhoud, David Ash and Ben Viljoen, were ready to take their positions in the band immediately the new year began.
Mr. Digby, our bandmaster, had persevered doggedly during the fourth term of 1973 to train new side drummers —
this at a time when the pressure of most school activities starts to flag.
THE PRETORIAN
63
During the course of this year he gave up an evening nearly every week to drive over to Johannesburg with the bass
section to see that they received much-needed tuition. Our thanks to Messrs. B. de Bernier and B. Scott for their
assistance and their families for making us so welcome during these training sessions and providing good things to eat.
The wonderful spirit and keenness that existed among the drummers injected enthusiasm into the whole band to make
this year, unbelievably, our most successful yet.
At the East Rand Scottish Gathering at Benoni on Saturday, 27th February, it was a very nervous, inexperienced band
that marched on, expecting nothing, led by Drum-Major Donovan Webb, who had occupied that demanding position
for only nine days. The band came first and was awarded the Benoni Cup for the best junior pipe band (for the second
year running). In the piping quartette, our team of four pipers, competing against all junior and senior quartette:-, came
third, conceding first and second place to Germiston Callies and Southern Johannesburg Callies. Mark Michael won
the cup for the best piper under 16. The following day the band led the Boy Scouts in their march from Burghers’ Park
to the Pretoria City Hall on Baden-Powell Sunday. The band also played at two Caledonian Balls.
During the rest of the year the Band’s programme was as follows:
27th April — Pretoria Highland Games — the band came first in the Junior Pipe Band Competition, winning the
Adams Shield. Several pipers won medals in individual competitions. 25th May — Transvaal Highland Festival,
Johannesburg — came 2nd in the Junior Band Competition.
27th May — Jan Smuts Memorial Service on the Smuts Kopje, Irene — Here we marched down a real veld track, our
uniforms flashing brightly in contrast to the dull winter long-grass, to get into position. After playing the Lament, the
Last Post was played by a trumpeter. The moving service was conducted by the Rev. A. P. Hills. Then the band gave a
display outside the ‘Big House’, Doornkloof.
3rd August — Germiston Highland Festival — The band was first in the Junior Pipe Band Competition. Drum-Major
Donovan Webb won
the prize for the best junior drum-major — a beer tankard. Our quartette came first in the Junior Quartette and at the
inspiration of Bobby Boekhoud, we entered a second quartette and they were placed third in the same competition.
17th August — Opened an athletics meeting at Pilditch Stadium.
31st August and 2nd September — The Royal Scottish Gathering, Modderfontein. Here the real test came. All the
practice possible, could not compensate for experience. The band came 4th in the Junior Band Competition. Our
quartette came 5th out of 18, which included seniors, and 2nd in the junior section. Drum Sgt. R. Richardson and A.
Greyling came 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Individual Drum ming under 16.
7th September — Played at the Christ Church Fête and then at St. Columba’s Church Fête.
14th September — The band opened Waterklooof House Preparatory School Fête with a display.
20th September — The band left by train for Bloemfontein on the last day of term to compete in the Bloemfontein
Scottish Gathering held at Glen the next day. Pipe-Major and Mrs. Watters accompanied Mr. Digby and the Band on
this tour was possible through the kindness of the O.C. Northern Transvaal Command. The band came 1st in the Junior
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Quartette and third in the Junior Band Competition. Unfortunately R.S.G. Rules were disregarded at this Gathering.
Sgt. Dmr. Richardson, L/Cpl. Dmr. Greyling and Pipers Ash, Viljoen and Michael all gained awards in in-diviual
competitions. Congratulations to Twy-ford and Roux on making their debut at this gathering.
5th October — Gave a ten minute display at the Southern Cross Festival at Loftus Versveld before a crowd of
thousands.
19th October — Played at Pretoria High Schiol for Girls Fête to open proceedings.
3rd November — The band gave a performance that preceded a Rotary fireworks display at Loftus Versfeld.
11th November — Armistice Day — Unfortunately the parade was washed out. It was rather an anti-climax for the
band to play in the old foyer.
At the end of the year we said farewell to
64
THE PRETORIAN
Pipe-Major R. Johanson, Pipe-Sgt. R. L. Delaney and Pipe-Col. P. C. Marais. We wish them well. Earlier in the year.
Colonel W. G. Chapman JCD, an Old Boy, once again presented the Efficiency Trophies, after the band had given a
display. The awards were as follows:Pipers Efficiency Trophy: Sgt. R. L. Delaney.
Drummers Efficiency Trophy: Sgt. L/Cpl. K.
Voorendyk.
However, the band is by no means out of deep water. The past year has seen the learner pipers become rather
neglected. This provides a great challenge for our piper-major for 1975, Pipe-Major Bobby Boekhoud and the three
other senior pipers. Next year Donovan Webb continues to be drum-major and we congratulate him on the way he has
led the band during 1974. Our special thanks to Mr. Digby and Pipe-Major Watters for their continued hard work and
enthusiasm. B./W.A.
THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1974
According to Robert Ardrey “a society is a group of unequal beings organized to meet common needs”. If a society is
to achieve anything worthwhile, its members must work to keep the society united and active. Most important of all,
there should be some kind of understanding between the members.
This is most certainly true of the activities of the Natural History Society during 1974. Despite several important
activities which, due to lack of time, could not be carried out, the society was very active during the year, among other
things, being instrumental in forming a Wild Life Society at Girls High. One of our committee members was fortunate
enough to be selected to take part in a Wilderness Leadership Trail. We tried our best to start a nature sanctuary on the
Koppie; with luck the headmaster might still allow this idea to materialize.
The society is well organized. We have eighty enrolled members, of which thirty regularly attend meetings. Our
organization is a member of the African Wild Life Society, as well as of the Ornithological Society. The society’s
correspondence, including letters and magazines, is filed for reference when necessary.
The activities which took place during 1974 were as follows:
Snake Talk: Two members spoke to the society
on snakes, with live specimens being exhibited. The meeting was unfortunately cut short when one of the speakers was
bitten, and had to be rushed to hospital. Thanks for the meeting go to Mr Perks.
Film Shows: The following films were screened: Okavango
Swamps; The Skeleton Coast;
Drugs of Destiny; The Kalahari Gemsbok Park; The Tsitsikama Coast; Gemsbok Capture, and Zebra Capture.
Bird Sanctuary: Thanks to Pat Quinn a group of boys went on a guided tour of the Austen Roberts Bird Sanctuary.
Birds of Prey: This talk by Mr Mendelson was illustrated with slides and proved to be most interesting.
Snake Park: About forty boys went to the
Snake Park adjoining the Pretoria Zoo one evening. Mr van den Doel spoke to us about his experiences with the
primates, and we were then allowed to look around.
Slide Evening: Mr Peter Barachievy spoke, and showed slides, on birds. He is an expert on the subject as well as being
a photographic expert, so the talk was most enlightening.
Crocodiles: Mr
Tony Tompkinson
from the
Ndumu Games Reserve in Natal, spoke to the Society about crocodiles, and the Ndumu Game Reserve in general.
Conservation: Mr Pat of Nature Conservation spoke to the Society about the importance of conservation, and how to
go about doing something constructive in that direction. This turned out to be one of the most stimulating speeches of
the year.
Cheetah Farm: A busful of members were fortunate enough to be allowed to go to Mr and Mrs van Dyk’s cheetah
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farm. This outing was enjoyed by all, and many people took photographs.
Transvaal Museum: The society went on a conducted tour of the Bird Hall in the museum. We seem to have gained a
lot from this.
“In the case of social group character, that is passed from one member to another.”
It is the basic forces of social structure which ensure the integrity of the Society. It is important that the command to
learn and do something constructive should rank higher than the command of disinterest and slackness, if the Society is
to continue. —
Paul Zway
THE PRETORIAN
65
CHESS 1974
1974 was undoubtedly the best year the Chess Club has yet had. Everything turned out in our favour, and the results,
although they did not come as much of a surprise, nevertheless are very impressive indeed.
Owing to an unfortunate misunderstanding, our Second Team was not included in the Pretoria Inter-Highschools’
Chess League. However, after our First Team’s excellent performance, I am sure this will not happen again.
Below are the results of our First Team’s matches in the League. It may be noticed that the team managed to score a
“hat-trick”.
Total Pts.
Versus VV
D
L
Scored
Wonderboom
8
0
2
8
Pretoria Wes 9
1
0
9£
Meisies Hoër 10
0
0
10
Langenhoven 10
0
0
10
John Vorster 10
0
0
10
Clapham 2nd Team
8
11
8^
Hendrik Verwoerd
10
0
0
10
Silverton
7
0
3
7
Seuns Hoër 2nd Team 9
0
19
S.P.C.R. Swart 7
0
3
7
Menlopark 1st Team
6
1
3
6^
Grand Total: 95^ points out of a possible 110.
This excellent result won us the “A” section, thereby qualifying our team for the Finals against Clapham’s First Team,
which won the “B” section.
7i
W D L Scored The results of the Finals: 7
1
2
This convincing victory meant that we had won the League.
But this was not all we achieved. The League served merely as a “warm-up” for the main event of the year, the
Lubowski Tourney. This is a tournament of a very high standard, in which the top Pretoria Highschool chessplayers
compete for a place in the Northern Transvaal Chess Team, which ultimately plays in the national championships
during the December holidays. We were fortunate in being allowed three entrants for the Lubowski, namely Brian
Roodnick, Michael Fidos and Jonathan Rosman. Our fourth
candidate, Ian Hasenjager, unfortunately had to withdraw at the last minute.
All three of our players finished with \\ points out of a possible 6, and the final placings, worked out according to the
Bucholz (opponents’) scores, were: Rosman (3rd), Roodnick (5th), Fidos (7th). All thus qualified to represent their
province at S.A. Schools.
Not only did we score excellent results, but this year, for the first time, our achievements were recognized. The new
lapel badge was awarded to all first team members, and the Honours Wreath has been awarded to: B Roodnick (Capt.),
J Rosman, M Fidos, C Esterhuysen, I Hasenjager, S Davis.
Finally we must thank Mr Jones, without whose help many of our fine achievements would not have materialized, and
who gave just that extra incentive to our players to get the best out of them. And the best we certainly got.
DEBATING SOCIETY
Although there were highlights in the activities of the club this year, the most unfortunate aspect of debating activities
was the ‘cultural vacuum’ which seemed to exist in the lower forms.
Only three debates were held and it was significant that the most well attended were those against the local girl’s
schools.
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In the third term the school debating competition was held, in which the whole school participated. Funds for the
prizes were provided by the legacy of Mr Alter Zaidel who was an old boy of the school. The final was held on
Monday 28th October and was adjudicated by two members of Pretoria Toastmasters, one of whom, Peter Good, is
also an old boy and chairman of the Association. The adjudicators made constructive comments about each boy’s
speaking. The junior competition was won by Derek Bickley and the Senior by Gert Saayman.
It was clear from the competition however, that our boys need far more exercise in public speaking. This I hope the
1975 club members will attempt to rectify.
—
CGL
66
THE PRETORIAN
HOCKEY
FIRST TEAM
STANDING: Mr T Mulvenna, R Murray, R van Putten, G Smith, P le Sueur, G Kenny. SEATED: F Slotow, A
Edelstein, L McGleiv, K Clarence (Capt.), M Bradley, N Maitin-Casalis, M Ashby.
The 1974 hockey season was one of the most successful for many years. The first team particularly played attractive,
attacking hockey and ended up winning eight out of its eleven fixtures. Hockey continues to flourish, but with a total
of fourteen teams (8 Open) it was often difficult to arrange sufficient fixtures for all our teams.
This year we were hosts for the second Ascension Week-end Tournament. The Tournament proved to be a most
enjoyable one with 10 teams participating: three from Natal — Maritzburg
College, Glenwood and Hilton; five from Southern Transvaal — Jeppe, Parktown, Sandringham, St. Stithians and St.
Johns College; C.B.C. and ourselves. The eight visiting teams were accommodated at the School Hostels, the matches
were played on the cricket oval, while the hockey ladies committee provided their usual delightful lunches. The results
of this tournament are of academic importance and we look forward to the 1975 tournament at Glenwood, Durban.
The school was again well represented at the
S.A. Schools Inter-Provincial Tournament: six
THE PRETORIAN
67
of the 1st XI were selected for Transvaal — M. Ashby, M. Bradley, K. Clarence (Capt.), A. Edelstein, L. McGlew and
F. Slotow. Transvaal were joint winners of the tournament and Keith Clarence had the honour of captaining the S.A.
Schools team in its undefeated Rhodesian tour. Further honours were in store for Clarence, he was selected for the
Transvaal under 21 team and for the Transvaal senior side — congratulations and well done Keith!
Inevitably school boys’ careers come to an end and team building must start again. For 1975 there are only two of the
past 1st XI available,
G.
Kenney and G. Murray.
—
TM
FIRST TEAM RESULTS:
vs. Prince Edward (Rhodesia) lost 1—4 vs. Boksburg
won 6—0
vs. Potchefstroom
won 3—0
vs. St. John’s
won 4—2
vs. Jeppe won 7—4
vs. Parktown
won 4—2
vs. Sandringham won 2—1
vs. Selborne (East London) lost 2—3
vs. St. Stithian’s won 2—0
vs. St. Albans
lost 1—2
vs. K.E.S. won 5—2
Colours:
1st team colours were awarded to: G Smith, P le Sueur, M Ashby, N Maitin-Casalis, G Kenney, K Clarence, R
Murray, M Bradley, L McGlew, A Edelstein, R van Putten, P Slotow.
Half-colours:
M Frayne, P Frayne, M Nel, P Stockwell, C Rorich, G Stuart, I Boyd, F Esterhuizen, M Delaney.
68
THE PRETORIAN
noél McAllister POLLOCK
(POLLY) Born 1895 Died 1974 HEAD MASTER 1950-1955 A tribute written by Bob Fair
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Thousands of Old Boys knew Polly. A few, now in the thinning ranks of the octogenarians, were his contemporaries as
scholars when the School was young. The others, a great host, were his pupils, or were boarders under him in one or
other of the three Houses, or were at school during the period of his Headmastership. Every one of them knew how to
rattle him: how by dropping a maths tin or a ruler they could cut short a Maths or a Latin lesson — or a week’s
lessons. Almost everyone who ever worked with Polly as a colleague knew how liable he was to be downed by heavy
moods or carried away by storms of temperament.
Not all Old Boys were fortunate enough to grow into a deeper understanding and appreciation — yes, even enjoyment
— of his apparently complex but essentially uncomplicated and generous nature; but a significant number did. They
developed an enduring affection for him, combined with a deep admiration for his remarkable qualities of mind and
personality. No Old Boy who was present at any of the annual dinners attended by Polly after his retirement could ever
remain in doubt about the place he occupied in the hearts of his former pupils. They clamoured for him to speak,
listened and responded with delight to his sparkling wit and wry wisdom, and applauded at the end with unfeigned
warmth
THE PRETORIAN
69
No single Old Boy could adequately express all that Noël Pollock meant to those whose lives were touched and
influenced by his. One will speak enthusiastically about the impression made by his scholarship, for whether Mr
Pollock was teaching you Latin, Maths or English, you were always conscious that his interest in the subject went
much deeper than the immediate needs of the classroom seemed to require. Another will testify to the sincerity that
shone through all his acts; and a third will recall, after the passage of thirty years, his complete dedication to his
chosen calling. Many will always remember his kindness, his generosity, his and Mrs Pollock’s hospitality, and his
humanity.
‘He and I were poles apart in our interests’, one of Noël’s colleagues, not a former pupil, confessed to me, ‘but I had a
profound respect for him, and I treasure something he wrote to me more than I treasure anything else of its kind.’ An
Old Boy, one-time pupil and life-long friend, who did share many of Noël’s interests, especially music, summed up
his feeling for him by comparing him to Mozart’s music, in which so many elements find expression, elements such as
frivolity, caprice, pathos, deep sentiment, unpredictability, simplicity and profundity, and, underlying all, a feeling for
form and style.
Running like a seam of gold through the diversity of tributes there would be appreciative references to the stimulus
received from his many-faceted mind, to the challenges he issued, to his puckish wit, his great sense of humour and his
enjoyment of the comedy of life. Many would tell with deep gratitude of the great help they received. None who went
to Polly in genuine need of guidance was ever turned away empty-handed. Indeed, there was often the danger of
receiving more than one could carry. For Noël Pollock was incapable of taking such a situation lightly: he cared too
deeply, was too fastidious, too thorough. Perhaps he saw too many possibilities, was aware of too many sides to a
question, so that some of those who had sought advice went away with their brains jangling. But they knew they
hadn’t been treated with indifference, and this they appreciated.
Happy the schoolmaster whose pupils become his friends. There were many such in Noel’s life, friends to the end.
Happy the boy who found himself growing into a friendship with Noël. I was one such happy one. In many respects
my relationship with him was exceptional. I was pupil, colleague, fellow housemaster and his viceprincipal. As a pupil,
a boy in the junior forms, I, along with many of my classmates, often felt homicidal towards him. We discussed ways
and means of way-laying and sand-bagging him among the pine trees or of savaging his motorcycle. This silliness,
however, soon gave way to growing affection and attachment. When, after university, I returned to School as a young
master, none of my old teachers was more generous in their acceptance of me than Noël was. Through the years that
followed, especially after I had become a permanent member of staff, I enjoyed a very close association with him. His
was an acute, original analytical and far-ranging mind, so that to discuss ideas with him was in itself an education.
Many were the hours, often deep into the night, spent with him attempting together to elucidate the meaning of things.
His wit and his enjoyment of the comic seldom failed him. They enabled him, like a hovercraft, to rise above the
choppy waves of circumstance. Though not always, unhappily. Brittle, hypersensitive, vulnerable, dourly hostile,
unreasonable in his response — (‘How are you, Mr Pollock?’ or ‘How’s the old School?’ could elicit alarming
reactions!) — all these attributes he could demonstrate by turns, and trick out with mesmerising verbal pyrotechnics, to
the joy of many, to the pain and resentment
THE PRETORIAN
of some. We who knew him would just wait for the clouds to clear, as they generally did, though sometimes only after
a spell of bad weather.
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Polly was a serious person, but the wasn’t a solemn one. A few days before the end, when in hospital, he joked with
his wife Freda in front of the nurses about the vacuumcleaner which a maid had brought in just as a nurse was about to
perform some routine ritual. He expressed the hope that they weren’t going to use it on him. When Louis Erasmus
(‘Ma’) took him a potted cyclamen he said to Freda, ‘You see, Mrs Erasmus believes I have a future.’
Who of those present will ever forget his final curtain-call at his last Old Boys dinner? After Desmond Abernethy,
retiring Headmaster, had spoken and been followed by Malcolm Armstrong, incoming Headmaster, Noël was
demanded. He rose. ‘You have heard the past speak,’ he said, ‘you have listened to the future. Who’s interested in prehistory?’ And he sat down.
‘Mr Pollock’, ‘Noël Pollock’, ‘Noël’, ‘Polly’ — each of these I have used, and each reflects one aspect or another of a
personality that has become an influence in a thousand lives; but it is of ‘Polly’ we shall talk whenever Old Boys meet.
It is a title that vibrates with affection, an answering resonance to the affection he deeply felt for boys, but which he
sometimes seemed to cloak with a self-defensive sarcasm and protective disdain. It is significant that those who came
to know him were not deceived by the cloak. The essential man could not be concealed. It was he whom we loved.
Who can define the essential spirit of a school, or can analyse the vital force that, continuing and gathering power from
generation to generation, affects and stimulates every newcomer? Whence comes it? Primarily, surely, from the
personal energies and qualities imparted to the group by lively minds. Thus, surely, we may allow ourselves to believe
that Noël Pollock’s bright intelligence, his absolute dedication, his crystal integrity, his thoroughness, his sparkle, his
kindness and his fundamental gentleness will continue to touch the lives of generations yet to enter the living stream
that is Pretoria Boys High School.
THE PRETORIAN 71
OLD BOYS NOTES
Once again, the secretary invites assistance in the compilation of this section of “The Pretorian” by Old Boys and
parents forwarding to him, at the School, items of general interest concerning the achievements of Old Boys. Items of
general interest have been published in the Old Boys newsletters posted quarterly to Club and Association members.
Subscriptions to the Association are R1 per year or R4 for 5 years or R20 for Life membership. Old Boys who are
members of the Club are automatically members of the Association and do not pay subs to the Association.
Subscriptions should be posted to the Hon. Sec., Pretoria
H.S.O.B.A., Box 11195, Brooklyn, Pretoria 0001.
As the subscription to the Association is inadequate in covering the running costs of the Association (publication of
quarterly newsletters, circulars, postages, Old Boys prize, administration etc.) and the cost of the School magazine,
which costs more than R1 per copy to produce, the magazine can no longer be supplied free to members of the Club
and the Association as an inclusive benefit of their subscription. Members will, each year, be notified in the Old Boys
newsletter when the magazine will be available and will be requested to notify the secretary as to how many copies of
the magazine they require, at the same time including a payment of R1 per copy ordered.
The items of news which follow have been gleaned from newspaper reports and personal letters and conversations.
KARL KUHNE (1927) a member of the Anglo American Corporation’s management services division and former
director of the International Red Locust Control Organisation for Central and Southern Africa, was invested with the
O.B.E. by the British Ambassador, Sir James Bottomley, in May. The award was in recognition of Mr Kuhne’s 21
years service with the Red Locust Control Organisation.
The Standard Bank has appointed NEIL LILLELUND (1938) as assistant general manager of its Natal region.
BRIAN S. RAYNER has been appointed financial controller of Ford South Africa. He recently returned from the
Philippines after having been
finance manager of Ford’s operations there for two years. Prior to that appointment he had been based in Melbourne,
Australia.
HUGH MILLER (1968), who for the past two years has been an assistant lecturer at the University of South Africa —
first in French and then in Russian — has been granted a French Government scholarship to study at the Sorbonne,
Paris for three years.
Also a musician, Hugh Miller auditioned for Philippe Entremont when the famous pianist visited Pretoria in May and
was seconded to the Academic Ravel, where Entremont gives master classes.
Professor MICHAEL SIMPSON recently addressed the form five boys of the School. As a psychiatrist, he has lectured
widely in Europe and North America. He became one of the youngest professors in the Americas when he was
appointed professor at the University of Hamilton in Ontario at the age of 27. He has written a large number of books
and is on the editorial board of “Lancet" the famous medical journal.
PETER ABERY (1965) has been appointed technical manager of Electra, distributors of Telefunken PALcolor
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television receivers. He was previously financial manager of Messina (Transvaal) Development Company before being
seconded to Electra, a Messina subsidiary.
DAVID DALLING, Head Prefect in 1957, is now the Member of Parliament for Sandton.
Northern Transvaal junior middle distance star RUDI FROHLING is enjoying his stay at Oklahoma State University
but was back in Pretoria for the mid-year vacation after a year’s stint in the States. Rudi feels the Americans are now
becoming more aware of South African athletic prowess and he has returned to South Africa full of praise for the local
athletic coaches. “They can compare with the best in the world,” he said.
In the world of sport, our congratulations go to:EDDIE BARLOW, captain of the Western Province cricket team, winners of the Currie Cup for 1974-75, on his
selection as captain of the South African President’s eleven to play the touring Derek Robins team.
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THE PRETORIAN
ERIC HAINS -0« his being captain of the Northern Transvaal skeet team chosen for a tour of the British and European
circuits in July and August 1974.
STEPHEN WEGERLE on his well-merited award of N.F.L. Soccer player of the year.
ROBIN CORBETT on his award of Springbok colours for baseball — he was a member of the South African team
which toured the United States.
MIKE McLEAN and GERALD BLOEMINK on their winning of the senior and Junior Golf Championships
respectively at the Old Boys Golf Day held at the Zwartkop Country Club on Monday 2nd September 1974.
Mrs C. HAY, Mrs. MAHON and Mr and Mrs GORDON HAY for their work in organising the Old Boys Golf Day —
an oustanding successful event.
The ANNUAL DINNER held at the Club on Old Boys Day 9th November was attended by 232 Old Boys. The guest of
honour, Mr Tertius Meyburgh, then editor of the “Pretoria News” and now editor of the “Sunday Times”, proposed the
toast of “The School” in a speech of delightful humour followed by thought provoking present day considerations. The
Head Master, Mr Armstrong replied in similar vein and the Old Boys expressed, in their prolonged applause, their
appreciation of the sentiments voiced by these two outstanding speakers. The winner of the Old Boys Prize, Mark
Marais, Head Prefect of the School, gave an account of school activities during the year, ably covering his subject
despite interjections by partisan House supporters. Dinner arrangements were efficiently made by a sub-committee of
Messrs Sandy Scatterty, Roger Herbert and Gordon Hay, to whom, along with the caterers, Messrs Courtney, the
sincere thanks of the Association are expressed.
The annual cricket match against the School could not be played due to rain on Old Boys Day.
OBITUARIES
DOUGLAS FENWICK. The following is an extract from a tribute paid to the late Douglas Fenwick, died July 1974,
by the Chairman of the Club Committee, Mr. I. B. Murray:“Never has a Club had such a person as Doug; Committee members come and go, but Doug, was a loyal enthusiastic
worker for the Club from the day he left school. Differences of opinion, yes, and clashes with members on occasions,
but everybody always realised that what Doug, did, he did for what he considered was to the benefit of the Club and
the furtherance of its membership and popularity. There is not a young member of the Club who has not had personal
attention from Doug. Fenwick at some stage, and there are sub-sections who have relied on Doug, to contribute
enormously and work twice as hard as anyone else. Single handed he ran the Old Boys Golf Day and single handed he
organised the Old Boys Dinner for the past fifteen years. What Doug, has done for the Club will be remembered. He is
a legend and will stay a legend as long as there is a Pretoria High School Old Boys’ Club and Association.”
GEORGE RADLOFF (89) was one of the original students at the T.U.C. (now Pretoria University) in 1908 when the
enrolment was 32. Of the original class no more than one or two are still living. He was a master at the School for 22
years until 1948 and coached rugby, cricket and athletics with considerable success, being himself no mean sportsman
and scholar. After his retirement he was a translator at the Language Services Bureau in Pretoria until 1961, retired to
Maritzburg where he died in June, 1974.
WILLIAM AUSTIN WALKER (64), acting headmaster of Hillview High School, died suddenly from a heart attack in
September. He served with the British forces in World War 2 and was evacuated from Dunkirk. He came to South
Africa in 1948 and his teaching career here included spells at Pretoria Boys High, Clapham Vereeni-ging and Hillview.
FRANCOIS JOUBERT (82) was at Boys High School from 1913 to 1915 and was a member of the first rugby team.
After leaving School he joined the Army and thereafter retired to Nyl-stroom where he died on Boxing Day 1974.
THE PRETORIAN
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PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Mr Desmond Abernethy, Mr Noël Pollock and Mr Malcolm Armstrong — at the 1973 Old Boys’ Dinner. This was the
last dinner attended by Mr Pollock, a tribute to whom appears elsewhere in these pages. Photo: Simon Allen.
S R (DOLF) HAFNER died in December 1974, after a long illness. Dolf was a most loyal supporter of the School and
the Association and was a regular attender at Old Boys functions and school rugby matches, he having been a stalwart
and rugged forward in the second fifteen playing in the Pretoria third league during his schoold-ays (1928-1924).
JOHN HARLEY (45), Pretoria scientist and inventor was working on a new invention at his private laboratory at his
home when he was electrocuted. He was managing director of South African Technical Industries which has
laboratories at Silverton. Mr Harley was responsible
for a number of important inventions in scientific fields, including gas chromatography and computer electronics. He
designed the first computer to be built in South Africa.
ERNEST ADDAMS (45), major in the Rhodesian Armed Forces, was killed in action against the terrorists in August
1974. “Dorns”, as he was affectionately known by his contemporaries, was Head prefect of Solomon House in 1947
and captain of the School second rugby team — a most reliable, co-operative, courteous and efficient scholar. After
school, he left South Africa to farm in Rhodesia. His son recently visited Boys High when a selected party of
Rhodesian schoolboys toured South Africa.
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THE PRETORIAN
IVAN WILLSON (68) who left school in 1924 will always be remembered by those who knew him for his good
fellowship and his rugby prowess — notably his drop goal in the last minute of our Administrator’s Cup match giving
us a 4-3 win over Seuns Hoër and enabling us to go on and win the Administrators Cup. After school, Ivan went into
business, mainly in Ermelo.
JOHN HARRIS (64) left school at an early age to go into commerce and was well known in the Pretoria business
world. Always cheerful and optimistic, he was particularly co-operative with.
and keenly interested in the school whereat hi.-, sons matriculated. He died in Pretoria in October 1974.
Second Lieutenant C S FRANKLIN (21) was killed in February 1975 when the S.A.A.F. Harvard he was piloting
crashed at Oudtshoorn. After matriculating at school, he joined the Air Force during 1973. Mrs D S Franklin, mother
of four sons, said that Chris was completely de voted to his flying career with the S.A.A.F. and “lived to fly”.
THE PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS CLUB
HOCKEY REPORT
At the Annual General Meeting held on the 20th February, 1974, the second biggest in the Club’s history — being
beaten by only one person at the 1973 A.G.M., the following committee was elected:President:
Chairman:
Club Captain: Hon. Secretary: Hon. Treasurer: Elected Members:
Douglas Fenwick George Fenwick John Bucke Roger Herbert Roddie Stewart Mickey Cooper, Tertiu; Spies and Ian
Corlett.
On the 5th July, 1974, the Club suffered a severe loss in the very sudden death as a result of a stroke of our President,
Douglas Fenwick. Doug’s worth to this Club over many years was of inestimable value. Although only recently
actively involved committeewise as President he had always been on the fringe, helping, giving advice and justly
criticizing whenever necessary. I jokingly referred to Douglas as the Hockey Club’s conscience in last year’s report,
but this he was. Whenever we, or more particularly I,
did or proposed something that was slightly under-hand, or whenever we were slack or tardy we would be given a
gentle (sometimes not so gentle) reminder of what we should be doing in the best interests of the Club and its
individual members. We just have to cast our minds back to the very successful Hockey Club Dinner held early in the
1974 season which was organised entirely by Douglas, to realise the gap which he has left, which can never ever be
filled by one person.
I must also record the sudden death of Frank Hewgill in a motor accident in February, 1975. Frank, who had left the
club at the end of the ’74 season to join his father in business in Wit-bank, played in goal for the club since his school
days and was one of our most reliable members.
As forecast in last years report the 1974 Season was one of consolidation. With three sides playing in the higher
leagues the season’s results were I think very satisfactory and with the increased experience gained by most of the
players we should do very well again in 1975.
THE PRETORIAN
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Transvaal League:
P
W
L
D
F
A
Pt. Place
A Team 18
13
3
2
48
13
28
2nd
B Team 18
9
6
3
33
28
21
4th
Reserve League: 18
8
8
2
56
43
18
6th
Pretoria ‘A’ League
‘A’ Team
18
7
4
7
21
3rd
‘B’ Team
18
8
7
3
19
4th
Pretoria ‘B’ League
‘C’ Team
14
4
9
1
9
6th
Pretoria ‘C’ League
‘D’ Team
14
1
9
4
6
8th
‘E’ Team
14
8
4
2
18
3rd
(Eloquent Eights)
As can be seen, for the first time in the Club’s history, we fielded eight teams and although a little difficulty was
experienced in filling the seventh side (as can be seen from its results) I feel that at least 8 teams should once again be
fielded with consideration given to fielding a ninth team in ’75 if the number of new players warrant it. On the
Administrative side we this year supplied the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer (Mickey Cooper, Roger Herbert and
George Fenwick) of the Transvaal Hockey Association and in addition Mickey Broughton and Ian Cor-lett were
members of the Council. Mickey Broughton, George Fenwick and Ian Corlett also served on the Pretoria Hockey
Assoc, as Vice President, Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary respectively.
The ‘A’ Side in the Transvaal League came very close to winning the Ford Trophy for the second consecutive year but
had to be content with second position to Old Benonians. The team missed Captain Tertius Spies who was injured and
overseas for part of the season. (The side is however a young one and with ‘B’ team players breathing down their
necks 1975 can be a very good séafcon.) .
The ‘B’ Side playing in the Transvaal League for the first time acquitted itself extremely well and built up a
tremendous spirit which carried them to some great wins, including one against the first team.
The Third Team playing in the Reserve League for the first time surpassed all expectations
and finished in the middle of the league. If this team could have been a little more consistent, particularly in defence,
they could have come a lot higher, as it was they scored more goals than any other team in the Transvaal or Reserve
Leagues but also let in far too many.
The two teams in the ‘A’ League played some very good hockey on occasions and both finished well up in the log.
The very young teams, the D’s and E’s, both suffered on occasions by last minute withdrawals and sometimes ended
up playing short. The incoming committee will have to spend more time on these two sides of mainly young players as
they have tended to be neglected in the past.
There is one team of course that has not yet been mentioned, this of course is the Eighths (Eloquent but certainly not
Elegant). This team whose forward line, it is rumoured, outweighs the Springbok pack surprised everybody, including
themselves, by finishing in 3rd position in their league but found the Steel-Workers and the Battle scarred veterans
from the Sinai Peninsula too much for them. Perhaps if they trained a little less on Kronenbrau their already good
results would improve.
The Old Boys’ Club “Alte Herren” Side (all members over 30 years of age with the exception of Trevor Quirk whose
body certainly qualifies) played against a visiting Senior side from Bremen Hockey Club, Germany, early in the
season. A most successful day was held with Old Boys inflicting the first defeat on the German side. Our thanks must
go to Tertius Spies and his helpers for a mot successful “Sheep-on-Spit” Braai.
The Club, on behalf of the Pretoria Hockey Association, organised the Annual Junior Board Tournament at Hofmeyr
Park. By all reports a most enjoyable and successful tournament was held (by everything except the bar carpet). Our
thanks to Ian Corlett, Rob Barclay, Rod Stewart, the team stewards and the wives and girl friends, ably led by Mrs.
Unity Tol, for all their work in organising and catering.
An interesting Old Boys’ Team left the Republic on a week-end visit to Gaberones where they took on the resources
of Botswana at Roulette, Black Jack, One-armed Bandits, Golf and, oh yes, Hockey, losing out on them all. On a most
interesting piece of desert called a Hockey Field, Ray Weedon’s men proved too good in the dust
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THE PRETORIAN
and won both matches played against them.
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As instructed by last year’s A.G.M. the committee — i.e. our President Doug. Fenwick — organised a very successful
Hockey Dinner at which 60 persons were present. Mr. David Metter, Chairman of the S.A.H.U., was the guest speaker
with Trevor Quirk acting as M.C. Tom Roy and his unofficial sub-committee organised entertainment which was very
well received. It is hoped that a similar dinner will be organised for early in the 1975 season. reatMe.dcmfwypshrdlu
A Sub-committee has instigated the beginnings of a Hockey tour to Europe in 1976. Forms of Contract have been
issued and a limited number of additional candidates may be considered. Meetings are being held regularly and the
Fund Raising campaign is just starting. It is the intention at this stage to take a first and a senior side.
At the Annual End-of-Season Function various awards were made to members:THE CHAIRMAN S AWARD — a new award in the shape of an engraved tankard was presented to KEITH
CLARENCE to commemorate the following achievements:
(1) South African Schools (as Captain).
(2) Transvaal Schools.
(3) Transvaal under 21.
(4) Transvaal.
An outstanding achievement for a School boy.
Stocks for the most improved players:
(1) Dudley Hall.
(2) Graeme Fenwick.
(3) Roy Abrahams.
Our congratulations to the following Club Members who gained honours this season:
TRANSVAAL I.P.T.: Keith Clarence, Russell Loubser, Leon Grové, John Bucke, Rob Cooper, Manager: Tertius
Spies.
TRANSVAAL UNDER 21: Keith Clarence, Humphrey Lewis, Kevin Verdoorn, Tim Widdi-combe, Martin Ries.
SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS: Keith Clarence
(Captain).
TRANSVAAL SCHOOLS: Keith Clarence (Captain), Lloyd McGlew, Flippie Slotow.
TRANSVAAL COUNTRY DISTRICTS: Robin
Barclay, Derick Spotswood.
PRETORIA “A”: Mike Durbach, Keith Clarence, Russell Loubser, Leon Grové, Rob Cooper, Kenny Versfeld.
Manager — George Fenwick.
PRETORIA “B”: Woody Kaiser, Mickey Cooper, John Bucke, Grant Shimwell.
PRETORIA COLTS “A”: Humphrey Lewis, Martin Ries, Tim Widdicombe, Graeme Fenwick, David Musto
(Captain), Kevin Verdoorn. Manager — Ian Corlett.
PRETORIA COLTS “B”: Brian Fisher, Dave
Knight, Clive Nicholson, Chris Roberts (Captain). Manager — Rob Barclay.
PRETORIA COUNTRY DISTRICTS: Chris Ro
berts, Rob Barclay, Graeme Fenwick, Derick Spotswood, Gary Twiss.
PRETORIA JUNIOR BOARD: L Rapmund (Cap tain), R Abrahams, R Holton, B Fisher, A Brown, C Irons, T Roy, C
Mitchell. Manager — D Koyen.
Mr M Broughton deserves special mention for his selection to umpire at the S.A.H.U. 50th Anniversary Tournament.
Members may have noticed that the Club is busy with a new Hockey field to the east of the Cricket Oval. We hope
that this field will be ready in about two years. We are very grateful to the Club for this field which will in time fill a
long awaited need.
Once again in conclusion I would like to thank the Umpires, particularly the player umpires who blew so many games,
for their services during the season, the Main Club and Association Committees for their assistance. My fellow
committee members for their support and last but not least Fleris Tol and his staff, in particular Frans Grobler, for all
their help and for volunteering to handle the half time refreshments for the latter part of the season.
1974 was a season of consolidation. Let 1975 be the season when Pretoria High School Old Boys leave the rest of the
field well behind. We have the players, the talent, the spirit and the application to win the Ford Champion of
Champions Trophy — what is stopping us?
—
R W Herbert, Hon. Secretary
THE PRETORIAN
77
PRETORIA BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION
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PRETORIA BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL — SCHOOL FUND
Directors Report for Financial Year ending 31st December, 1974 Business of the Company
The business of the company in terms of its objects is in the main to foster, promote, encourage and provide facilities
for social intercourse, sport, intellectual pursuits and all types of meeting and association between people to which it
has confined itself in the year under review.
The Pretoria High School Old Boys Club uses the Club premises and Cricket, Hockey, Tennis, Bowls and Squash is
played upon the grounds.
Income and Expenditure
There was an excess of Income over Expenditure for the year of R77,00 against the previous year’s profit of R8
911,00. This was due to some of the liabilities being of an extraordinary nature which will be non recurring but in the
main due to the ever increasing and mounting costs of operating the company and conducting its affairs.
In an endeavour to meet the increasing interest charges, rates and taxes and bantu wages it was found necessary to
increase the flat rentals and it is hoped that this will result in a more favourable return next year.
Directors
Your directors were the following: W C Brooks, R Bunn, J Corbett, I Corlett, D E Fenwick, G P Fenwick, G D Hay, R
Herbert, I B Murray, D E Nourse, C G Ritson, A Scatterty, T B Spies, R Stewart and C Waterston; and it is with deep
and sincere regret that we have to record the untimely death on the 5th day of July 1974 of Mr D E Fenwick, whose
services to the Company and its members for a great number of years have been of considerable and inestimable value.
He will indeed be sorely missed.
—
Colin- Ritson, Chairman
Revenue and Expenditure Year to 31st December, 1973 with Comparative Figures Year to 31st December, 1972
1973 1972
Contributions 16 545 17 055
Interest
1 712 1 719
Commission on Insurance 135 —
Sundry Revenue 974 954
Development Fund
1 851 1 810
R21217 R21 438
Upkeep of Grounds etc. 7 656 7 062
Games 5 914 5 564
Administrative Expenses 2 795 2 777
Sundry Expenses 779 1 795
School Magazine & Boys Highlights
1 669 826
R18 813 R18 024
Surplus 1973. Surplus 1972
R2 404 R3 414
** *
** *
** *
* * •*
The yearly payment in respect of School Fund
is R18 plus a Donation of
R4 making a total of
R22 per boy. * *
*
Tuckshop Account Balance of Accumulated Funds,
December, 1972:
5 865
Add Profit after cost equipment and
running expenses written
off —
— December, 1973:
4 894
Total Accumulated Funds —
10 759
Appropriated to:-—Cine Camera 242
—Awnings Music Room 731
—New Bookrooms 2 780
—Portraits H/masters 1 800
5 780
Balance 1973: R4
979
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THE PRETORIAN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANKS
The Editor is indebted to the following people and organizations:
—
for articles and special reports
to Mr. Bill Brooks, Mr. Roger Herbert, Mrs. Mary Fourie, Mr. Bob Fair, Colin Heath and Craig Chapman and to all
the boys whose work and aspirations grace these pages;
—
for photographs
to Mr. Paul Lewin (his simple, graphic shots captured rare moments and moods and have been used extensively in
these pages), Derek Bickley, David McCabe, Mr. Simon Allen, Mr. John Oehley, Mr. Garth Hattingh, The Pretoria
News; and Messrs Martin Gibbs for all team photographs;
—
for results and notes
to masters in charge of sporting and club activities.
Readers of The Pretorian will remember the tribute paid last year to Mr. Klaas van Ruler who with the issue of the
1973 magazine achieved twenty-five consecutive productions of our annual school record. Klaas was involved in rather
a serious motor accident recently and was out of action for some time. It is with relief and pleasure that we report that
except for a certain stiffness in the shoulder which will come right of its own accord, he is now fit and well. The very
first job he tackled after being released from hospital was, of course, The Pretorian. Thank you, Klaas. It's good to
have you back.
—TMA
THE PRETORIAN
79
GOVERNING BODY R C Abbott Esq. (Chairman), N W Bucke Esq., R Cleaver Esq., R W Cowie Esq., Mrs M
Holtzhausen, Prof. B 0 Johanson, J Maynier Esq., J Mallory Esq., C G Ritson Esq., Dr I Rodseth, C S J Schmulow
Esq., C E Todd Esq.
THE STAFF
Mr E M Armstrong
Mr A W Gill Mr E H Penzhorn
Headmaster
Mr P Glen
Mr J Perks
Mr W M Hofmeyr Deputy Headmaster
Mr E Green
Mr J Pieterse
Mr J W Harding Mr R B Rademeyer
Mr G J Hattingh Mrs P Seeliger
Mr E Jones
Mr C W S Hendry Mr P O’C Sommerville
Vice-Principal Mr T B Hill Mr W J van Aswegen
Mr C Mulvenna Mr K G Ilsley Mrs N van Etten
Vice-Principal Miss S M Laredo Mr P J van Heerden
Mr G R Agocs Mr C Lee
Temporary
Mr T M Ashton Mr P Lewin
Mr R Buwalda Miss S Louw Mr J J Bezuidenhout
Mr W N Cheadle Mr R McCrindle Mrs R Bigalke
Mr I Davison Mr D H McMillan Mr W Brooks
Mr J L Dentan Mr M P Moore Mrs N Evans
Mr P K A Digby Mr T Mulvenna Mrs M Ferreira
Mr H R Dittberner
Mr J Munting Mrs M Fourie
Mr D Dobson Mr H Nel
Mr R Jones
Mr E Dorey
Mr B W Obermeyer
Mrs L Schwartz
Mrs L Erasmus Mr J Oehley Mr P Wanliss
Mr K E Gibbs Mr G C Olivier Mrs E Whitcome
OFFICE STAFF
Mr A Wilkes — Secretary, Mrs J Cuppleditch, Mrs M le Sueur, Mrs G M Cooper, Mrs C Trendler, Mrs A Lawrence.
GROUND STAFF Mr and Mrs T A van Leeuwen
PREFECTS
M
Marais (Head Prefect), W J Downer (Deputy), J Bradley, T Bucke,
J Bielich,
D
Cooper, R
N de Beer, M Delaney, J Dickerson, R Johanson,
B Kaplan,
W Munro,
B
Nielsen,
P
Pickering, D Rogers, B
Roodnick, J Seeliger, G Saayman, P
Stockwell,
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G
R Smith,
E
Turner, R van Putten, M
SCHOOL CAPTAINS Rugby: E
B Turner
Cricket:
B
R Kaplan
Hockey: K
W Clarence
Swimming:
W J Downer
Athletics:
M H Delaney
Tennis: B
Nielsen
Squash: K
W Clarence
Cross-Country: S.
Schneider
EDITOR Mr T M Ashton
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THE PRETORIAN
von Broembscn.
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