THE CHURCHES OF RONDEBOSCH NEDERDUITSE GEREFORMEERDE KERK In 1665, agt jaar nadat die Vryburgers hul grond in Rondebosch in besit geneern het, is die eerste gerneente van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk formeel in Kaapstad gestig. Vir meer dan anderhaif eeu sou hierdie gerneente vir die geestelike behoeftes van die gemeentelede in die verspreide Kaapse Skiereiland verantwoordelik wees. Die toename in lidmate en die vervoerprobleem vir die lidmate wat tussen Simonstad en die Soutrivier, en Kuilsrivier en Houtbaai gewoon het, bring mee dat sir J. A. Truter, die eerste hoofregter van die Kaapkolonie, horn vir die afstigting van 'n aparte gemeente beywer. Na langdurige onderhandelinge, o.a. met die Goewerneur, word die gemeente Wynberg tydens 'n diens in die huis van E. A. Buyskes, van De Onder Schuur (tans Westbrooke, woning van die Goewerneur-generaal), onder offisiële toesig van sir. J. A. Truter ,,geconstitueerd en ingezegend" deur dr. A. Faure in die jaar 1829. Drie jaar later word die eerste Kerkgebou in Wynberg ingewy. Die bearbeiding van die lidmate in die Rondebosch-Mowbray area bly egter 'n probleem, en op 16 Junie 1864 word die ,,kapel in Mowbray" deur dr. P. E. Faure, dr. A. Faure en prof. John Murray ingewy. Hierdie gebou is naby die plaas Welgelegen opgerig op grond deur die eienaar, mnr. Sybrand Jacobus Mostert geskenk, en vir baie jare word hier buitedienste op Sondagmiddae gehou. (Die kapel behoort tans aan die Provinsiale Administrasie en staan in Rhodeslaan, net onderkant die Princess Christian-tehuis.) In 1891 word besluit om die lidmate wat dit verkies, tot 'n selfstandige gemeente te Rondebosch af te stig. Op 11 Oktober vergader die eerste Kerkraad, en die name van die lede dien vermelding: J. G. L. Dreyer, C. D. G. Mostert, A. A. Philip, G. Twycross, P. G. Wege en C. H. Beck. Die gemeente bestaan uit slegs 76 lidmate, die voertaal by alle eredienste en vergaderings is Engels, en die lidmate behoort aan beide die blanke en nie-blanke groepe van die samelewing. Op 9 November 1891 lê sir Henry de Villiers, hoofregter van die Kolonie, die hoeksteen van die Kerkgebou in St. Andrew's-weg, Rondebosch, en 'n jaar later word die Kerkgebou deur die bekende dr. Andrew Murray ingewy. Op die grond waar die eerste Vryburgers geboer het, het 'n selfstandige gemeente tot stand gekom. Die gemeente Rondebosch het 'n leidende aandeel in die lewe van die gemeenskap gespeel. Deur die ywer van die eerste leraar, ds. B. P. J. Marchand, is die Rustenburg-meisieskool gestig, en later die Rondebosch-skool (1g. in die kerksaal van die jong gemeente). Baie jare later, in 1936, word 'n klein Afrikaansmedium skool in die Kerksaal gestig, wat vandag uitgegroei het tot die Laerskool Groote Schuur. In 1895 word 'n dogtergemeente, die Rondebosch-sendingkerk, in die Kerksaal gestig. In 1908 word sommige van die dienste in die Nederlandse taal gehou, maar eers in 1936 word die Engelse dienste heeltemal afgeskaf. In 1939 word 'n selfstandige gemeente in Lansdowne afgestig. Onder die leiding van die leraar, ds. Marchand, en sy opvolgers, di. L. M. Kriel, H. E. du Plessis, P. G. J. Meiring, A. M. Meiring, P. de V. Grobbelaar, W. S. Conradie, A. J. van Wijk, A. P. Treurnicht en 0. S. H. Raubenheimer, groei die gemeente tot 'n lidmaatskap van 1,600 en neem die gemeente deel aan die gemeenskaplike en opvoedkundige aktiwiteite van die kinders van die Vryburgers en diegene wat hulle in hierdie gebied gevestig het. RONDEBOSCH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH The first thing one sees on entering the lobby of this church is the tombstone of the missionary, Dr. van der Kemp, placed there for safe keeping when the old Somerset Road cemetery was abandoned. When he landed on the wooden jetty at the foot of Adderley Street in 1799, Cape Town was a small town of 18,000 inhabitants, of whom 7,000 were slaves. A year later there came a new recruit for the mission field, James Read, who founded the "Calvanistic Society" before leaving for the work to which he had been sent; and in 1820 the London Missionary Society sent Dr. John Philip to take charge of its growing work in Southern Africa. His headquarters were in Cape Town, and it was not long before the "Calvanistic Society" called him to be its minister; he consented, on condition that the first claim on his time should be his missionary duties, and that the Church should be governed by the Church Meeting. Thus the first definitely Congregational Church in South Africa came into being. As the town grew and large suburbs sprang up, other churches were formed in them; and in 1900 a group of Congregationalists in Rondebosch gathered in the Town Hall, and having formed themselves into a Church, held services there for a time. They purchased a piece of land in Belmont Road and in 1903 the present building was opened for worship. The first minister was the gracious and fatherly Rev. Wm. Forbes, and the beautiful stained glass windows and the fine workmanship throughout the whole building are a reflection of the spirit that inspired both minister and people. The Thorne Hall was added in 1913, and has been in constant use for Sunday School, badminton, and many other activities; it was named in memory of Sir William Thorne, a staunch supporter of the church. In 1941 the Mary Giffen Memorial Hall was built; it is a smaller hail, more like a little chapel, of great beauty, and is used for the Primary Sunday School, and smaller meetings, especially those of a devotional character. The Giffen family presented it to the church in memory of their mother. On Christmas Day 1945 the church "bells" were heard for the first time. They are broadcast by a recording apparatus. Peals of bells, hymns, anthems etc., are played, and can be heard half a mile and more away. In 1945 a heating system was installed, which makes a great difference to the comfort of the worshippers in the damp and chilly winter months. In 1950 the Church celebrated its Golden Jubilee and is steadily growing in its service to the community, and to the Kingdom of God in South Africa. Among its officers are both the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Congregational Union of South Africa, and it contributes richly, in money and personnel, to the work of the Union. The ministries of Rev. J. H. Atkinson and Rev. G. P. Ferguson are still remembered with gratitude, and the present minister is Rev. W. N. H. Tarrant, who has served the Church since 1939. THE CHURCHES OF ST. PAUL AND ST. THOMAS, RONDEBOSCH Together with the Parish of St. Francis, Simonstown, and the Cathedral Parish of St. George, Cape Town, St. Paul's Church, Rondebosch holds the honour of being in the vanguard ofAnglican Church activities at the Cape of Good Hope. The first recorded Anglican service took place in April 1749 in Cape Town and later records mention Anglican Services which took place in the Dutch Reformed Church in Adderley Street. From the time of the First British Occupation (1795-1803) onwards there was gradual development; but there was no episcopal control and the Colony was dependent on the visits of the Bishop of Calcutta on his way to and from India. Bishop Daniel Wilson called at the Cape on his way to India on 31 August 1832 and amongst many other duties, he consecrated the gound upon which St. Paul's Church now stands, on 5 September 1832-it was formerly a location of squatters. On the Sunday following, Bishop Wilson conducted the first Anglican Ordination Service held in South Africa in the Dutch Reformed Church, Adderley Street. One of the two candidates was Mr. E. Judge, M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge, first rector of Rondebosch. The building of the new church at Rondebosch was first opened for Divine Service on Sunday, 16 February 1834, the Governor, Sir Benjamin D'Urban, and his wife being present at the first service. It was designed by Major Michell in the Gothic style, was roofed with thatch and could accommodate 150 people. It was much smaller than the present church and was afterwards used in the chancel of the later building. In 1843, at the ninth anniversary service in February, the collection was for the purpose of providing a gallery in the chruch owing to the growing demand for accommodation. In the same year, a Free school to accommodate about one hundred pupils was erected near the church, marking the beginning of the Church's provision for the education of the poorer people in Rondebosch. This building remained as a school beside the church until a few years ago when the children were accommodated in other schools and a Parish Hall replaced it. A further scheme to enlarge the church was completed in 1854 and it could now seat 450 persons. Further development was envisaged and when the money became available St. Paul's Church as it stands to-day was finally completed in 1884 during Archdeacon Badnall's incumbency. The erection of the Mission Chapel, now known as St. Thomas's Church, was first mentioned in March 1864. The purpose of the new building was to take the place of the Rouwkoop Road School where services were held on Sunday afternoons and Thursday evenings in addition to the ordinary school work. The new building was completed and formally opened by Bishop Gray in July 1865. It was used primarily as a mission school and chapel, and a night school for adults was held there at the same time. In the same year school and church services were commenced in Black River and the Parish of Rondebosch became responsible for church development in that area. In 1894 increased accommodation was secured at the Mission Chapel as the gradual development of the residential areas on the Camp Ground had made this extension desirable, and there were still further extensions in 1903. The chapel was without chancel or transept and the alterations successfully carried out by Messrs. Baker and Macey gave the parish, St. Thomas's Church much as it stands to-day. The building was dedicated on 20 December 1903. It ceased to be used as a day school as the number of pupils had dwindled considerably. Subsequent development included a new vestry at St. Thomas's and a hall erected on parish ground near St. Thomas's Church and opened in May 1923. As time went on it is worth recording that the services at St. Thomas's unquestionably increased in the number of worshippers; so great has been the development east of the railway line that it became neccessary to divide the Parish of Rondebosch into two parishes-the new parish of St. Thomas's, Rondebosch, dating from May 1947. Under the original grant made by Sir George Cathcart to the Bishop of Cape Town in January 1854, the church held a limited title to the Rondebosch Glebe Lands. The area included the Common and certain strips and detached pieces along the Camp Ground Road. The title was limited mainly to the grazing of cattle, but the church had important rights to the title. After lengthy negotiations, the terms of a private bill were agreed upon between the church and the Rondebosch municipality. When Parliament dealt with the matter and the Rondebosch Church Lands Act was passed in December 1909, the terms agreed upon were departed from to the detriment of the Church. However, an awkward question had at last been settled and the Church did secure outright ownership of a small area near to St. Thomas's Church in front of St. Thomas's Parish Hall. ST. MICHAEL'S-ROUWKOOP ROAD-RONDEBOSCH Early in the 1850's the Catholics living in the suburban villages from Cape Town to Wynberg had to go all the way to Cape Town for their Sunday Mass. A few of them had private carriages or carts, others-less well off-took advantage of Cutting's omnibus; many walked. Bishop Patrick Raymond Griffith was anxious to make things easier for those of his flock living at a distance from town, but the building of St. Mary's Cathedral had nearly exhausted the people's means and funds were low. Money was gradually collected, however, and a piece of ground was bought at Rouwkoop, Rondebosch, for the establishment of a mission to which in 1853 the Bishop sent his own brother, Father John Joseph Griffith, as its first priest. Mass was first celebrated in a cottage which stood near the site of the present Dutch Reformed Church and was hired as a residence for the priest. The church itself was begun, but heavy rains caused the river to overflow, swamping the building-which collapsed. But the presbytery was completed and there the people heard Mass, the two front rooms forming a temporary chapel. In 1858 Father Joseph Griffith had to return to Europe owing to ill-health and was succeeded by Father Thomas Meagher, who remained as pastor for nearly thirty years. Father Griffith left before the second church was completed. It was solemnly opened by Bishop Griffith on 8 May 1858, the choir of St. Mary's Cathedral rendering the music at the ceremony. Soon after taking up residence, Father Meagher started a little school in one of the rooms of the presbytery. The number of Catholics in the suburbs began to increase steadily from the time of the arrival of the emigrant ships "Gypsy Bride" and others, and many German Catholic families settled in Wynberg, Claremont, Newlands and Rondebosch. During this period Father Meagher, who acted as pastor, schoolmaster, sacristan and sexton rolled into one, had to devise increased accommodation for the growing number of pupils. A "lean-to" structure was built between the church and presbytery and there the youngsters got their early education. This was the schoolroom until 1887 where Father Meagher taught, assisted by a Miss C. Barry. The next Bishop, Dr. Leonard, found the overcrowding so serious that he decided to build. another church and presbytery-the low-lying position had impaired Father Meagher's health- and to turn the old church into a schoolroom. The plans for the new church were drawn up by Dr. Rooney (who later became Bishop) and it was opened by Bishop Leonard in 1886. The homely stone building, which stands today-slightly enlarged-has been beautified down the years by the devotion of generous parishioners and friends of St. Michael's In 1886 the parish was taken over by Father James Kelly and he remained parish priest until 1922, his simple kindliness and faith living on in the memory of the parish to this day. Father Thomas Cullen succeeded Father Kelly for two years and then in 1925 Father (later Monsignor) John Morris became parish priest. When he died in 1954 he and Father Kelly had between them given almost 70 years' service to the parish. Both were for a time editors of the Southern Cross, the Catholic weekly newspaper. Two assistant priests at St. Michael's have also been connected with the paper. One, Father Hugh Boyle, is now Catholic Bishop of Johannesburg. Another, Father Desmond Hatton-one of Monsignor Morris's altar boys-was assistant priest from 1943 to 1956 and an associate editor of the Southern Cross. During Monsignor Morris's last years, when he was incapacitated by increasing ill-health, Father Hatton bore the brunt of the parish work. During this time he enlarged the church to accommodate new confessionals and to provide more space for the baptismal font. The late Monsignor Morris was succeeded in 1954 as parish priest by Father E. Kiernan but shortly afterwards he suffered a stroke and resigned, Father S. Peart taking over as priest-in- charge. The present parish priest, appointed last year, is Father T. Gill, assisted by Father M. Huigraine. The present Church is built in the early English style of architecture, and is divided into nave and chancel. The roof is an open one and in perfect harmony with the style of the rest of the building. A mellow light streams into the chancel through a beautiful three-light window of stained glass, the work of the celebrated firm of Mayer of Munich. The subjects are the Sacred Heart, occupying the centre light, the Blessed Virgin with her Divine Child and St. Edward, King and Confessor, on either side. Another stained glass window of St. Bridget is near the entrance and there are twelve lancet windows, all stained glass, which contribute most of the necessary light. The beauty of all these stained glass windows can best be appreciated during the early morning shortly after the sun has risen. St. Michael's parish celebrated its centenary in 1953. 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Evening all Please find below the next installment of the History of Rondebosch RONDEBOSCH AS AN EDUCATIONAL CENTRE In the area of Rondebosch today there is probably a greater concentration of schools and other educational institutions (such as the University, Training College and Art Centre) than in any other centre of similar size in South Africa. In fact, Rondebosch is pre-eminently an educational centre. Today there are 8,373 pupils attending government and private schools in Rondebosch, as well as 4,782 students at the University and Training College; that is, a total attendance at educational institutions in the area of approximately 13,155, and 1,935 residing in school and university hostels. A feature is the great variety of these institutions, which offer a wide diversity of educational facilities. The earliest schools at Rondebosch were private establishments or mission schools, run by the various churches. The Cape Almanac for 1840 states that "there is at present no government free school, or infant school, in this populous part of the environs of the Cape", i.e. Rondebosch. One of the earliest private schools is mentioned in "The Findlay Letters" to the effect that in 1838 "Miss Hanbury has taken Miss Smith's school at Rondebosch" and that a daughter of the Findlay family, living on Camp Ground Road, was attending it. In January 1844 the Rondebosch Infant School was established with a committee consisting of John Montagu (Colonial Secretary) as chairman, and as members the veteran J. B. Ebden, Rev. J. Fry, Lt.-Col. Alexander, A. Steedman as treasurer and 3. Duff Watt as Secretary. It was a "free school established chiefly through the benevolent exertions of Maj.-Genl. and Lady Catherine Bell, immediately prior to their departure from the Colony. A neat and appropriate school house built from funds raised principally by the voluntary contributions of the gentry and inhabitants in the neighbourhood" was erected. In 1845 there were 100 pupils. This school, it was claimed, "now furnishes the less wealthy and poorer part of the community that desideratum, so long earnestly desired, viz, a good school for the education of their children." This school was later known as St. Paul's (Church of England) Mission School. In a newspaper advertisement in April 1855, Mrs. R. P. Solomon informed the public of Rondebosch that she had just opened a preparatory school for boys "at the cottage adjoining Rev. Mr. Shaw's. Mrs. Solomon hopes, by devoting her attention to the moral and intellectual education of the children committed to her care, to give satisfaction to their parents." Diocesan College ("Bishops") founded in 1849 by Bishop Robert Gray was at first located at Bishopscourt, but, about a year later, moved to the farm at Rondebosch, "Woodlands," which had been bought to accommodate the School. The first principal was Rev. Henry Master White, a grandnephew of the famous naturalist, Gilbert White of Selborne. In 1852 the first new buildings were erected. John X. Merriman, later Prime Minister of the Cape Colony and parliamentarian of long standing, was a pupil there during the 1850's when there were about 25 pupils. In a letter which he wrote at the time, he mentions that his school challenged two neighbouring schools at sport, viz. McNorton's and Droosel's respectively. The Congregational Minister, Rev. Sam Elliott, also conducted a flourishing school in Rondebosch at the time. Diocesan College has always been a church school for boys, largely a boarding school. St. Paul's at Rondebosch and St. Peter's at Mowbray were undoubtedly the two largest schools during the 1850's. Both of them received grants not only from the Cape Government, but also from the Bible and School Commission and from the trustees of the Slave Compensation Fund. Although they were primarily church mission schools, there were in 1858 at St. Paul's school 81 European children, 149 "children of emancipated slaves and 132 of other persons of colour", while at St. Peter's the figures were 67, 75 and 59 respectively. St. Paul's ran an infant school, a juvenile school for boys and girls, as well as a girls' industrial school, with a staff of by the Ls of three teachers. English was the sole medium. It is very noticeable that though the enrolment was large, the actual position was that there were 116 children under five years of age and 19 under two years. Then, too, the attendance in all schools in those days seems to have been very irregular; the daily average attendance was usually about 40 per cent (e.g. 80 out of 180 in the juvenile school). A curious feature in many inspectors' reports is the comment "the school room was furnished with a gallery", that is, teaching was carried on largely by the monitorial method according to the Bell and Lancaster system. Comment was made when a school had a plank floor; apparently, therefore, others were without. Schools at that time ran evening classes as a matter of course. In the case of St. Peter's, 32 adults were attending evening school in 1858 "entirely for religious knowledge and training", using English and Dutch. The Newlands Mission School, "lately opened in a very destitute district" (about 1860), had an average attendance of 45, of whom 20 were Europeans. A Methodist Mission School in Rondebosch in 1861 was conducted "in one end of a chapel fitted up for this purpose", with one teacher and an average attendance of about 50. At St. Paul's the children learnt "vocal music on the tonic sol-fa method and evince considerable proficiency in it". in 1875 most of the senior boys were drafted to the Camp Ground School, where they even learnt Latin. At this time too there was a Rouwkoop Roman Catholic Mission School with 52 pupils. In inspectors' reports at that time the reasons for withdrawal were usually stated, e.g. "anxiety to put children to trades and other means of earning a livelihood", while in another instance "the prevailing examples of idleness and indolence around" were a drawback to a school's progress. In 1874 B.A. classes were introduced at Diocesan College, so that a preparatory school, a high school and a university college were carried on under one roof. The Preparatory School, however, was conducted at Claremont from 1884 to 1896. The university classes were discontinued in 1910, when they were taken over by the South African College. The Rev. George Ogilvie, who was principal from 1861 to 1885, was responsible for the introduction of rugby football in South Africa and therefore our national game was first played in Rondebosch. Before his death, Cecil Rhodes in 1901 established the first Rhodes scholarship at this school. Later by his Will one scholarship was awarded to the school. The Preparatory School since 1918 has been accommodated in property purchased in College Road. The first College Chapel was built in 1880, but a new War Memorial Chapel was erected after World War I. Rev. R. H. C. Birt, principal from 1919 to 1943, led the school through its period of greatest expansion. The College Magazine has been in existence since 1886, while the Old .Boys' Union dates from 1873. In the course of time the suburbs of Cape Town developed from small collections of farms into little villages and gradually into well-populated residential areas. The need for more schools became increasingly apparent. Rustenburg Girls' High School was opened in January 1894 in historic Rustenburg House on the Main Road, with 87 pupils. The first principal's aim was "to prove to a somewhat sceptical public that girls were the equal intellectually of their brothers.". In 1896 its pupils first sat for the matriculation examination. On 20 August 1901 the pupils were massed in front of the beautifully decorated school when King George V and Queen Mary (then Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York) passed through Rondebosch. In 1913 an Old Girls' Union was established. When Miss Kemp became principal in 1916, of the 440 pupils, most were under Std. VII. The Erinville and Charlie's Hope estates-the home of Sir Harry Smith from 1834 to 1838-of 26 acres on Camp Ground Road were acquired in 1929. The new High School building was occupied in July 1932, with 311 pupils. Rustenburg Girls' Junior School then became a separate school with 377 pupils, occupying the buildings adjacent to Rustenburg House. The grounds of the school have been beautifully laid out by the active Parent-Teachers' Association. In 1897 the Rondebosch Boys' High School was opened with 8 pupils as a result of the private enterprise of public-spirited persons. The new school in Camp Ground Road was occupied in 1898. The first principal started taking boarders in his home, but by 1900 had bought Canigou homestead for a private school hostel. There were then 15 boarders in a school of 150 pupils. In 1901, three pupils sat for matriculation, of whom one passed. Instruction in science was started at that time too. Mr. S. Mason, M.A., as principal from 1904-27, really built up this school. By 1927 when Mr. Mason retired there were 521 pupils and 112 boarders. The junior school was established as a separate school in 1929. A second hostel, Mason House, was built in 1930. When free education was introduced, the two Boys' Schools (as well as the two Rustenburg Girls' schools) elected to remain fee-paying. By a recent interchange, the High School moved to the new building at Canigou and the Preparatory school to the Camp Ground Road buildings. Today there are 510 pupils in the High School, 447 in the Preparatory School, with 108 boarders. A memorial library and a very fine Hall were erected at the High School to commemorate past pupils who had lost their lives in the two World Wars. St. Joseph's College (Marist Brothers) in Belmont Road occupies "Belmont", which during the 19th century was one of the best-known gentleman's estates in Rondebosch, having from 1835 belonged first to J. Bardwell Ebden and subsequently to his son Alfred Ebden. It was purchased by Marist Brothers in 1917. In this house the Transvaal delegates to the National Convention were housed in 1909-including Generals Botha and Smuts. St. Joseph's College was started in Cape Town in 1867 as a fee-paying private school with 9 pupils. There were 100 pupils at the time of the move in 1918. Subsequently a classroom block, a chapel and other tuitional and hostel buildings were erected, as well as new dining rooms, gymnasium and a swimming bath. The school has grown very much so that by 1955 there were about 600 pupils of whom about one fifth were boarders. The Marsh Memorial Homes were established by William Marsh, a wealthy Cape Town businessman, his son Rev. T. E. Marsh and Mrs. Marsh in 1901. The institutional character of orphanages has been overcome in this instance by a series of family flats, in a number of houses, where boys and girls grow up in small family units with a housemother in charge-in as natural an atmosphere as possible. In 1903 there were 20 children; today there are 116 (65 girls and 51 boys), mostly of primary school age, but 9 are at high school and a few under school age. A primary school exists at the Homes, which also have their own church. The Watson Training School was established a few years ago-the only one in South Africa to train child-care workers- for training staff for all the Methodist children's homes in South Africa. After a two-year course a certificate is given. Students live in a hostel. A nursery school, too, has been in existence since 1954. The Homes Farm supplies fresh produce for the institution. Sport facilities of all kinds exist. The institution is dependent on contributions by the public and by Methodist church organizations. St. George's Orphanage was founded in 1862 in Harrington Street, Cape Town, as a Church of England institution. A school was formerly attached to the Orphanage, but in 1925 the European girls were moved to Rosebank and the Non-European girls to Claremont. Today the 18 girls in the Orphanage go to Mowbray and Observatory schools. Oakhurst Girls' Primary School was founded in 1906 and became a free school in 1921. It had one of the first Parent-Teachers' Associations in the Peninsula (1936). The activity method of instruction was introduced in 1944, whereby children are encouraged, working in groups, to acquire knowledge through their own efforts, with the classroom as a laboratory. This school has always been known for its pioneering work in modern educational methods. Micklefield School in Sandown Road is a private fee-paying kindergarten and preparatory school, founded in July 1928 by Miss M. J. Wilson and Miss D. R. Beazley. It started with two pupils, but today has 165 and eight teachers. During the war years (1941-45) a senior school was run in Lochiel Road. Cape Town Training College was founded in 1894 in Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, but was transferred to Mowbray in 1931. In 1928 a College hostel was started in "Charlton", formerly the residence of the late Dr. W. H. I. Bleek, his sister-in-law Miss Lucy Lloyd and daughter, Miss Dorothea F. Bleek, eminent authorities on African Languages. Situated on the Main Road, Mowbray, the homestead was renamed "Viljoenhof", and was rebuilt in 1956. The Mowbray Public School became the practising school for the Training College, which offers a special two-year course for physical education, as well as a course for art teachers in primary schools, in addition to general courses for training women as primary and kindergarten teachers. Today there are 171 students (75 in residence), with a staff of 12 full-time and 8 part-time teachers. In January 1936 the first Afrikaans-medium school in the area was established with the opening in a church hail of the Laerskool Groote Schuur, with 19 pupils. In 1937 the school moved to a private house purchased in Camp Ground Road. In 1940 a Parent-Teachers' Association was established which has been very active in adding to the School's facilities. A nursery school was started in 1944, while in September 1948 the foundation stone was laid and the new school building inaugurated a year later. A school hall costing £11,000 was opened in 1955. Elocution, music, ballet, domestic science and art are taught, while extensive sport fields have been laid out of recent years. Today the School has 350 pupils and a staff of 12. The only Afrikaans-medium high school in the area is the Hoërskool Nassau in Main Road, Mowbray (established in 1938), which now has a staff of 15 and 308 pupils. This school is to be transferred in the near future to a large new site adjoining the Government Vaccine Institute and Rustenburg High School at Rosebank. Plans for the necessary buildings are at the moment being prepared. The site will be large enough to establish hostels in the future, if desired. Westerford High School, Main Road, Newlands, is the only co-educational English-medium school in the area and started in 1953 with 29 pupils. It is built on the site of the Klein Westerford homestead. The school has grown very rapidly and now has 406 pupils and a staff of 22 teachers. Art and domestic science rooms, as well as a library have been included in the new building. There are many schools for coloured children in the area, some of them having a long and interesting history. Several of them were established after the emancipation of slaves and have been in existence for nearly a century or longer. St. Paul's School (founded in 1842) was one of the oldest of these, but was closed a few years ago. St. Peter's (founded 1854) is still in existence. In the early 1860's there were Methodist mission schools too in Rondebosch and Newlands and a Church of England school in Newlands, as well as one on the Camp Ground Road in the 1870's. The largest school for coloured children today is the Stephen Reagon Primary School in Camp Ground Road, Newlands, established in 1943, with 550 pupils and 19 teachers and having extensive sports facilities for tennis, netball, cricket and soccer. The Newlands Primary School (off Main Street, Newlands), has 348 pupils and 11 teachers. At the Newlands Cripples Home there is a primary school with 64 pupils and four teachers. The Mowbray Methodist School, too, has just over 100 pupils, and St. Andrew's Primary (Church of England) at Newlands has over 200 pupils. There are 12 or more other coloured schools close to the Rondebosch area, but not actually in it. Many nursery schools exist in the area, but for reasons of space they cannot be individually enumerated here. St. George's Grammar School established its School House at the old homestead Bloemendal, Mowbray, about 20 years ago and there are now 64 boarders. They attend school in Cape Town, but the Preparatory School with 100 pupils is at Mowbray. The School's playing fields and swimming bath are there, too. In the Rondebosch area there are other schools not previously mentioned, such as the Golden Grove Primary School, the Rosebank Primary School, and St. Michael's (R.C.) Primary School, statistics concerning which are included in the table at the end of this section. There is also a Chinese Primary School in Mowbray. The Cape School for Cerebral Palsied Children, with three teachers and 32 children, is in Milner Road. In addition, two physiotherapists, one speech therapist and one occupational therapist are employed. The Government has bought a large site, on which it is proposed to erect a building costing about £35,000 to house 100 children. In addition, the transfer of the South African College School from the Gardens to Newlands is under way. The Junior School has partly moved already and Sir Max Michaeis' mansion has become a hostel, Michaelis House. In due course the High School too will move, thus adding nearly 1,000 more pupils to the large number already attending Rondebosch Schools and concentrating yet more of the large schools of the Cape Peninsula in Rondebosch. The Frank Joubert Art Centre has been located in Rustenburg House since 1943. It has a weekly enrolment of approximately 400 children, who come from all parts of the Peninsula. A variety of media are supplied for picture making, modelling and craftwork. This centre for advice regarding child art training is staffed by qualified art teachers, to whom teachers, parents and children can turn for help. Training College students who take a one-year course for art training in primary schools are also housed in this Centre. A special teacher attached to the Centre visits schools to lecture on the history and appreciation of art. Annual exhibitions of children's work are held. The largest educational institution in the area, is the University of Cape Town with approximately 4,200 students, the majority of whom are located at its Groote Schuur buildings, including 700 students at its Medical School, Mowbray. From the South African College founded in 1829, both the University and South African College School have sprung. They used to be located in close proximity in the Gardens and will now again be near neighbours at Rondebosch-Newlands. After obtaining its charter in 1918, together with the magnificent site on the Groote Schuur estate and the generous Wernher-Beit endowment, the University immediately tackled the problem of excavating the site on the mountainside, and planning the layout. The old Dutch Summer-house (originally part of Rustenburg estate and later of Groote Schuur estate) with the adjoining japonica gardens is now in the University grounds. 3. M. Solomon, the original architect, died and left it to others to translate his sketch-plans into bricks and mortar. In 1925 the Duke of Windsor laid the foundation stone of the first building at the new site, and the Earl of Athlone that of the Medical School. The University occupied its new buildings in 1929, when its centenary was celebrated on the Groote Schuur site. The original buildings were completed about 1935. After the war, the University purchased the Rosebank Showgrounds for additional space for expansion, nearer the Main Road. On this site at present a new women's hostel costing £225,000 called Baxter Hall, is nearing completion. On the main site, the School of Architecture's building is now in course of erection. The College of Music is accommodated in the former mansion of the Struben family on the Main Road, Rosebank, while the Administrative Offices are located immediately behind it. The Medical School buildings are situated on the De Waal Drive near Groote Schuur Hospital. The Child Guidance Clinic operated by the University has recently moved to its new building in Chapel Street, Rosebank. From the foregoing it is clear that Rondebosch, with its wealth of schools and other educational institutions, may indeed be termed an educational centre par excellence. (1) In process of moving to Newlands (2) The School is in Cape Town A. EUROPEAN SCHOOLS EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS FOR 1955 Diocesan College Diocesan College Preparatory Golden Grove Primary Groote Schuur Laerskool Marsh Memorial Home Church Primary Micklefield Primary Mowbray Public (Practising) Nassau Hoerskool Oakhurst Girls' Primary Rondebosch Boys' High Rondebosch Boys' Preparatory Rosebank Primary Rustenburg Girls' High Rustenburg Girls' Junior St. George's Grammar (2) Preparatory School House St. Joseph's College (Marist Brothers) St. Michael's (R.C.) Primary South African College Boys' High (1) South African College Boys' Junior (i) Westerford High Chinese School, Mowbray Boarders (') In addition 8 part-time lecturers (2) Majority of staff lectures at Rondebosch and students attend there (including Rosebank and Mowbray) (8) 400 Children per week attend from schools in Rondebosch and from outside the area. Very difficult to give the same kind of statistics as in other cases. (4) Children attend schools in Mowbray and Rosebank (5) In addition, there are 2 physiotherepists, I speech thereapist and 1 occupational therapist. (6) Children come from all over Boarders in schools and University hostels Teachers and University staff kind regards Heather Visit South Africa's Premier Genealogy Web Sites www.ancestry.mweb.co.za and www.familytree.co.za Join the Cape Town Family History Society www.ancestors.co.za/society/socweb.htm