Showing 13 results

Authority records
Dlembule, Elijah
Person · 1957 - 1993

OPS and kitchen staff member 1957 - 1993
Note from Archivist (Dr Mary Reynolds):
Elijah Dlembule was one of the earliest and longest serving staff members of the College. He started work with the OPS Dept. (known then as Grounds Staff). I recall him in the few years before his retirement, working for the Boys' College. He was responsible for our staff teas and he would trundle a trolley from the small kitchen at Mears Hall along the passage past the downstairs classrooms with the cups and sandwiches. These had then to be carried upstairs to the old staffroom where the administrative offices are now. Later, a small kitchen was added to the staffroom to shorten his trip.
I recall Mr Dlembule telling me about the early days at Saints. The nearest shop was in Linden, 11km away along a dirt road (Bram Fischer Drive, previously known as Hendrik Verwoerd Drive). He also recalled the time that the tractor fell into the dam and had to be hauled out, as well as the oxen that strayed off the property onto the road.
Mr Dlembule retired in 1993 and he was invited to the Boys' College final Chapel at which he was thanked for his services to the College and presented with a gold watch.

Gear, David Spencer
Person · 1976 - 2010

BC Geography teacher 1976 - 2010; also HOD
Involved in the establishment of Penryn College and Penreach.
Dave Gear came to St Stithians from Michaelhouse and remained here until he retired to the Lowveld.

Hean, Donovan Allyn Duff
Person · 1980 - 2009

BC Staff 1980 - 2009
BC HOD Physical Science, Cricket, Rugby and Basketball TIC and House Director. Mr Hean also returned on a temporary basis for many years to replace teachers who were on sabbatical.

Tribute to Don Hean on his retirement in 2009. [Stythian 2009, p16-17.

We also bid farewell to Donovan Allyn Duff Hean: I include all his names, as Don Hean is often called Dad by his students, his colleagues and his friends, a mark of the universal affection in which he is held.

Don began teaching at the Boys' College in 1980 and has served the school with loyalty, humility and integrity in his 30 years here. Don has witnessed, and been a part of, many changes that have taken place on the Campus and he has many recollections of the people and of the place. Among his many roles, he has not only been a Science teacher of the highest calibre, but also Director of Science for the Boys' College and the Girls' College, as well as being a talented and multi-faceted sports' coach. His boys have described him as being passionate about what he does, in particular when coaching Rugby, and as House Director for Webb House he is considered "funny and friendly", “approachable" and "a cool guy".

Don's contribution to the Boys' College has been immense, both in the classroom and in his involvement in extra-mural activities, be it on the Basketball court, on the Rugby or Hockey field, on the Cricket pitch, or on grade 10 camp. One of Don's distinguishing characteristics is his respect for his students, and his willingness to listen to them and to share with them his wisdom and his sound advice.
His humour is gentle and his laconic, insightful comments have occasioned many a laugh among his colleagues and at staff functions. Don is a true gentleman and the value of his years of service to the school is immeasurable and beyond mere gratitude. Don, you will forever be a part of our school and we wish you a well-deserved rest. You will be sorely missed.

Hovelmeier, Ken
Person · 17th November 1940 - 8th September 2020

BP and BC staff member 1962 - 2000.
Ken Hovelmeier served as a BP sports master from 1962 to 1971. From 1971, when the loss of his sight prevented him from continuing with sport, he joined the BC staff as a Counsellor. The early development of both Sport and Counselling at the College can largely be attributed to Ken's initiative.
He went on to become Director of VIth form before retiring to practice privately.

Huggett, Hugh
Person · 1969 - 2002

BC HOD English; House Director; MIC Hockey and Cricket
Co-founder with Moira Schafer of Duke of Cornwall Singers
Member of Welsh Male Voice Choir
Hugh Huggett first arrived at St Stithians as a student teacher under the renowned David Brindley. An account of his first arrival is held by the Archive. He retired from the College in 2002 but continued to teach until c.2019.
Hugh Huggett's papers are held by the Archive but have not yet been added to AtoM.
The following tribute was paid to Hugh Huggett by Dave McGaw in the Stythian 2001, p.9:
Hugh Huggett arrived in 1969 to take up a post teaching English, and later became Head of the English Department for many years. His career at Saints indicates the wide variety of interests of this man: Master- in-Charge of Hockey for 20 years; Southern Transvaal Hockey Committee Chairman, Manager of the Transvaal Schools' Side; member of the South African Schools' Hockey Committee; Cricket coach of the 2nd XI from 1969 to 1982.Hugh organised Hockey tours to England in 1985 and 19§7; spent a year at York University and studied Literature there in 1984; was the manager of the Dukes for a number of years and has been a keen trout fisherman. His lively antics in the staff room will be sadly missed. We wish him well in his well-deserved retirement.

Jansen, A J (Hennie)
N_0001 · Person · 1967 - 2001

BC Afrikaans teacher and Deputy Head 1982 - 2001

Person · 1890 - December 1976

Wally Mears, the man
The son of devout Methodist missionaries, Mears was born in 1890 and educated in mission schools – mostly in the Eastern Cape – where his parents served. He attended Kingswood College and Rhodes University before going on to read Modern History and later Psychology at Cambridge University. After WWII he was awarded an honorary Masters in Education degree by UCT. He distinguished himself in the academic sphere as well as playing rugby. In 1911, at 21 years of age Mears completed an epic 1000km trip on horseback from Grahamstown to Ixopo. (His account of this trip is held by the archives of Rondebosch Boys’ High School who kindly shared a copy with our St Stithians Archive. His account can be accessed here.)
Mears entered the teaching profession and taught at Kingswood, Pretoria BHS and Germiston High before being appointed in 1930 as Headmaster to Rondebosch Boys’ School in Cape Town where he guided the development of this renowned institution for over 20 years. His service to Rondebosch is commemorated in the Mears Centre and the Mears Meadows playing fields and he is remembered with affection by many of their alumni. Mears was a strong believer in mankind being able to fill its destiny only in service to others and in the inalienable right of all men to be judged on their own merit alone, irrespective of race, creed or colour. Having grown up in the Transkei, both Wally Mears and his wife, Nan, were fluent isiXhosa speakers and volunteered much of their time to rural community upliftment.
Mears inculcated lasting values in both Rondebosch and St Stithians: their alumni have served their country and fellow men accordingly through the impact that their school years had on their lives.

Wally Mears and the early development years of St Stithians 1950-1952
St Stithians College opened its doors to Foundation pupils in January 1953, but the idea of an independent Methodist school for boys in the Johannesburg area had been planted much earlier. Following the generous bequests of Collins and Mountstephens, the St Stithians Trust was established in 1941 and the Driefontein farm property was purchased in the same year. World War II delayed the immediate construction of the College, but discussions and planning continued and the architect, C.M. Paynter presented his first plans in 1947. However, in 1950 Paynter pointed out that only a schoolmaster could determine the size of a workable school and that he had already consulted with Mr W.G.A. (Wally) Mears who at that time was still the headmaster of Rondebosch.
Mears was brought up from Cape Town in January 1951 together with his wife, Nan. They inspected the property and from discussions Mears understood that, although a College for both boy and girls was envisaged, the Trustees favoured a boy’s boarding school similar to Kingswood in Grahamstown as a starting point. Following his visit, Mears submitted a report recommending that with the steeply rising building costs of those post-war years three modified schemes were possible: a preparatory school, a secondary school for boys or a secondary school for girls. Mears favoured a secondary school as it would do more “to establish a liberal Methodist tradition” and would inevitably later require its own preparatory school. It was Mears who indicated the location of the Boys’ College buildings on the Campus and recommended the position of the Girls’ College which was eventually constructed some 40 years later.
One error of judgement on the part of Mears that has adversely influenced the development and use of the BC and BP buildings was the limitation of classroom sizes to accommodate only 15-25 students. (This limitation was eventually overcome when new technologies facilitated the rebuilding of the BC main classroom block in 2018!) A second planning error was the placement of the unsightly boys’ cloakroom block in the centre of the Chapel Quad, which despite decades of discussion remains as firmly planted as its neighbouring camphor tree.
Mears recommended the building of the Chapel rather than a school hall. The Trustees – all appointed through their links as fellow Methodists – were delighted and reassured by this recommendation. Mears’s founding principle underlies the College to this day: The Church must show the value it places on Christian teaching.
Towards the end of 1951 the Trust became aware that Mears would be retiring as headmaster of Rondebosch and immediately offered him the post of founding headmaster of St Stithians. Mears accepted and took up his post in February 1952 in order to plan in detail the opening of the College.

Wally Mears and the Foundation years 1953-1961
Mears deferred his retirement to serve as St Stithians’ founding head from 1953 to 1961. His aim was to get a new school into top gear in as short a time as possible which he achieved, as described in the words of his successor, Steyn Krige, through “faith, inspiration, sacrifice, wise guidance and restraint and without becoming a financial burden to anyone. St Stithians itself is a memorial to Wally Mears, not through its bricks and mortar, but a memorial to the countless young lives imbued with the idea of making the world a better place for others. His ideals of selflessness; of justice and fair play towards all men; of honesty and integrity; of the sanctity of human life; and of service to all those in need of help were the foundation values on which the College is built.” Founder pupils remember fondly Mr Mears’s “Old Man’s Midnight Passage Drill” and his inimitable laugh.
Monty Harris, the College’s first Maths teacher described, in a letter to his sister, the opening days of the College in the following words:
January 31st:
“Yes, St Stithians has been “alive” for four days and it would not be far out to say that I, too, have been alive for the same period. I think my best plan is to give you chapter and verse since last Saturday. Sunday and Monday were clear but on Tuesday Mr Mears called for me at 9a.m. and we proceeded to the house of Mr Tucker (he is an accountant and one of Council of the College) to pick up one desk and a load of books. From there to Ferndale where we picked up the two lady members of the staff and thence the short journey to the school. The morning was spent in checking books etc. and in the afternoon the boarders began to arrive. The boys are not a little proud of the fact that they will always be known as founder pupils. Wednesday was the great day. We were on the job about 7.20 a.m. ready for the influx of little nippers who do not live in. This is my first experience of classes for the “fives” and I have never seen so many small boys crying at the same time.”

Walter Macfarlane, the first BP headmaster describes in his history of the school how “the first scholars enjoyed both the advantages and disadvantages of being founder members of the College. The grade 8s and 9s in particular enjoyed the unique family atmosphere and were able to formulate the ethos which in due course would permeate the school and give it a very special atmosphere”. Mears described in his Early History of St Stithians how the majority of the first boys were “boys of good quality from good homes with parents interested in their children and ready to be interested in their son’s school”. Parents were actively interested in the school from the beginning and a Parents’ Association was established very early on and their contribution cannot be overestimated to this day.

Mears was a light sleeper and the first groundsman, Lindsay Baytopp, reported hearing Mears marching through the grounds early in the morning singing the hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers”.
Wally Mears was an inveterate tree planter and his efforts are visible for all to enjoy today. Both Wally and his wife, Nan, were keen horticulturalists and had their hands full with generous donations of plants and trees. Not surprisingly, digging holes for trees became a constructive form of punishment. Wally Mears kept boys busy gathering up the remnants of building materials, planting grass, felling dead trees and collecting logs whilst Nan Mears supervised the planting of trees in her inimitable manner: “You must always plant two trees close together: one for us and one for God”.

The custom of yearly tree planting ceremonies by the Matrics and grade sevens thus began in Mears’s time. It is fitting to remember that trees are not necessarily planted for ourselves but for those who come after us.

Harris provides in his letters a delightful description of Mears:
“I am lucky, too, in my work and in the fact that St Stithians is in the capable hands of such a man as Mr Mears. It is difficult and quite unfair of anyone to try to describe the character of another, but I should like you to imagine a man, aged 62, a little taller than me, greying, yet full of energy, somewhat absent-minded at times, ever conscious of what is right and wrong. An infectious, high-pitched laugh, a deceptively easy-going manner which is proof against the most indulgent parents, and a ready wit never directed hurtfully. A man whose conversation discloses a deep knowledge of human nature, yet whose ordinary conversation is liberally interspersed with ‘what’s his name, a total abstainer and a non-smoker, yet not a bigot on this matter, a passionate lover of animals, with a deep knowledge of the ways of that very human animal, the boy. Add to this the fact that Wally is very practical, many of his ideas are incorporated in the school buildings, and you have a picture, possibly imperfect, of a man chosen to guide St Stithians through its teething troubles.”
Mrs Nan Mears was a devoted partner and stalwart of the early years of the College. In its founding years she served as matron, cook, supervisor to the gardeners and mother to the boarders, nursing the sick and comforting the homesick. She is remembered fondly by founder pupils as well as by the estate staff with whom she communicated in fluent isiXhosa. Sadly, Nan passed away in 1959, two years before Wally’s retirement from St Stithians. Her contribution is commemorated in the Nan Mears Chair in the Chapel, funded mostly by donations from the boys. A memorial service for Mrs Mears was held in the Chapel in February 1959 and conducted by the first chaplain, the Rev Vivian Harris.
Although Mears was initially contracted for a 5-year period, he remained at the College until 1961. By the time he retired, there were 376 scholars (182 in the BP, 194 in the BC) and 23 staff members, the new Science Block (now the Life Sciences block) on the southern side of the Chapel Quad had been opened, the first swimming pool had been built and the boys were able to enjoy extensive playing fields and tennis courts.

Mears Hall was named in honour of the first headmaster and he was the guest of honour at the official opening in 1964. Wally passed away during the Christmas holidays in 1976 and in February a memorial service was held in the Chapel. The Headmaster and some alumni read the lessons and paid tribute to Mr. Mears, the address being delivered by the Rev. Vivian Harris. This was a moment of memories and also of glad thanksgiving for the life of a great man who did so much to establish our school and give it a firm foundation.

Netshilindela, Revson
Person · 1976 - 2009

Ops Dept. staff
BC/BP Tuck-shop assistant
Revson Netshilindela is best remembered for two significant contributions he made to Saints. As a member of the Grounds Staff, it was Revson who planted the camphor tree between the Chapel Quad and the Chess Quad, which has come to be known as "Revson's" tree. Revson later joined the staff of the Tuck-shop where he assisted the mothers who ran the facility on a voluntary basis. He was known and loved by all the boys that he served. Revson retired to his home in Venda in 2009 after 34 years of service to the College.

Sebotsa, Isaiah
Person · 1987 - 2014

Kitchen and Dining Hall staff 1987 - 2014 (27 years)
Mr Sebotsa was a well-liked and respected member of staff who was loved by the boys and respected by his colleagues. He represented the OPS and Kitchen staff on the first Campus Employment Equity Committee from 1994 onwards.

Somlayi, Mawethu Charles
Person · 1960 - 2016

OSA One-and-All Barman 1986 - 2016
Mr Somlayi died in February 2016 whilst in service to the OSA.
Charlie (so nick-named after Charles Glass, the creator of Castle Lager) was a long-standing employee of the OSA who ran the bar at the old One-and-All before the relocation of the facility to Higher Ground.

van Tonder, Piet
Person · 1983 - 2013

BC Afrikaans teacher 1983 - 2013
BC Deputy Head
Co-founder of St Stithians Rugby Festival
Retired November 2013 and continues to serve St Stithians, taking care of the Welgevonden Bush Camp.

Verner, James A
Person · 1969 - 2002

BC History teacher 1969 - 2002
Jimmy Verner started his teaching career as a boarding assistant in Mountstephens House and remained with the College for 34 years after which he joined the staff of Bishop Bavin College. During his tenure at St Stithians he attained the position of House Director (Mountstephens House) and later Director of Grade 12. Jimmy was a highly capable Mr Fixit and could always be relied on to find a quick solution if anything technical went awry. His historical knowledge was immense and much of the account of the recent St Stithians history that appeared on our early websites was compiled by him. Jimmy was also involved with Swimming, Life-Saving and Drivers' Education and made a huge contribution backstage for our musical and drama stage productions.

Warren, Denys Reitz
Person · 24 April 1940 - 26 February 1999

BP teacher 1962 - 1999
Deputy Head from 1968 - 1999
Deceased whilst in service to the school