Suid-Natal High School: Sunday, 26 August 2018·
The history of the South Natal High School and the subsequent Hoërskool Suid-Natal.
In 1956 Port Shepstone’s Rotary Club investigated the need to offer part-time technical classes for apprentices in and around Port Shepstone. It was found that educators teaching technical subjects were very rare and the investigation was abandoned. In 1959, workers involved in the construction of the Umzimkulu Bridge approached Port Shepstone High School with the request that the school provided evening classes in traditional Afrikaans. Mr. M. L. Uken, a teacher at the school, agreed and started teaching classes for adults. His colleague, Mr. P. Sowman, suggested that the classes be expanded to include, among other things, commercial subjects. Mr. Uken made the proposal at a committee meeting of the Natal Provincial Administration Staff Association and received their support. However, it was mentioned that the Rotary club “already tried something similar”.
In 1960 Mr. Uken contacted the Rotary club and asked them to reopen their investigation. He recruited teachers who were also interested in the project and undertook to offer part-time classes. The Rotary club, in the meanwhile, requested that Dr. A. Ritten and A. McB. Martin follow up on the possibility of apprenticeships. A list of students who were interested in technical, commercial, cultural and other subjects was assembled at the Illings Department Store and provided by Mr. A. McB. Martin. A community meeting was finally held on 25 October 1960 in the Council Chamber. A committee was elected with Mr. A. Ritten as the chairman and Mr. M. L. Uken as the Secretary/Principal of the proposed “Port Shepstone and District Adult Education Institute”.
The following year, the Department of Education, Arts and Sciences recognized the newly found continuation classes in terms of the Vocational Training Teaching Policy of 1955 and an initial amount of R1700.00 was approved. Classes were held in the Robinson Buildings, as well as at the Moth Hall and the Red Cross Clinic in Margate. In the first year, more than 400 students benefited from classes such as Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Technical subjects for apprentices, Shorthand, Typing, Geography, Physical science, Mathematics, Art, Sewing and more. The institute also became a center for National Examinations. Property owners in the Marburg area donated 50 acres earmarked for the future Commercial and Technical High School.
The full-time Southern Natal Commercial High School was consequently started on 30 January 1962 with 105 pupils. Mr. Uken, who vacated his post at Port Shepstone High School, filled the role of the first principal at the newly formed school. The school was officially opened on 27 April 1962 by Mr. D. E. Mitchell M.P..
The staff consisted of:
- Miss I.M.C. Nebelung (Shorthand and Typing)
- R.M. Scott (Accounting and Trading)
- J.S. Schutte (English)
- E. Kruger (Afrikaans)
- J. Harrison (part-time Maths and Music)
- Miss D. L. Rawlins (Clerk)
Mrs. M.L. Elliot, Mr. J.S. Pullen and Mr. M. Johannesen joined the staff later in the same year
The school was unique in South Africa after, following a petition to the Minister, special permission was granted to offer Standard VII (7) where in the rest of the country it was customary for Commercial High Schools to only start in Standard VIII (8).
Meanwhile, the part-time apprentice and adult classes continued on a reduced scale. A more suitable site was allocated for the future Commercial High School by the Port Shepstone City Council.
The school expanded rapidly. A hostel for 30 girls was opened in January 1963 at 15 Price Street. The committee erected two ‘prefab’ buildings and a detailed memorandum, regarding the educational needs of the South Coast, was presented to the Department of Education, Arts and Sciences. The result of this was a visit from the Departmental Planning Committee of Pretoria. When a second girls’ dormitory and two more ‘prefab’ buildings had to be erected the following year, the Department immediately appointed an architect for the proposed new school. Financial control was entrusted to the Natal Technical College (nowadays the College for Advanced Technical Education). Mr. W.S. Marais was appointed as architect of the R1 000 000 school and residence.
Draught plans were approved in 1965. The apprentice department was moved to Sinclaire’s buildings and Mr. P. Miles was placed in charge. Cadets were incorporated into the school and the school newspaper GNUS made its first appearance when the Reverend Administrator of Natal, Mr. T.J.A. Gerdener, acted as guest speaker at the school’s award ceremony.
In 1966, a third residence, Fernvilla, was opened for 30 boys. The pupils lived on a guest farm until the opening. The school also received a visit from Dr. and Mrs. J.J.P. Op’t Hof, Secretary of Education, Art and Science.
In terms of the Education Services Policy of 1967, the original Continuation Classes Committee was disbanded on 30 November 1967 and the school was changed to a departmental school from 1 December. Dr. A. Ritten was appointed by the Minister of National Education, Mr. J. de Klerk, as chairman of the new school committee. Mr. J. de Klerk also laid the cornerstone of the new school’s foundation on 16 August 1968. He also undertook to complete the project and then hand it over to the Natal Administration.
The apprentice and adult classes, which were once an integral part of the project, did not form part of the new school and were established as a separate institute, with Mr. P. Miles as principal.
The Port Shepstone Technical Institute formed its own governing body. The Sinclaire’s buildings were evacuated and a temporary building was erected in Marburg.
The nature of the school was changed in 1969 when the first Standard VII Afrikaans class was transferred from Port Shepstone High School. A new Academic element was added to the otherwise specialized school. The Academic department followed the National Curriculum and syllabus. The new school and buildings were occupied in January 1970. Today the school is a co-educational and multilingual institution.
From an article in the South Coast Herald
MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF FOUNDER — DR MEINHARD UKEN
Education through the medium of Afrikaans on the Natal South Coast has a long and fascinating history.
As a German-speaking young teacher who was educated in English medium, with only one course in Afrikaans-Dutch for his B.A, my first appointment by the Natal Education Department in 1952 was that of class teacher to a small group of Afrikaans pupils in standard 4 , 5 and 6 at Port Shepstone Secondary School. I had to teach all subjects, except music and L.O. in Afrikaans.
With the opening of the new English medium Port Shepstone High School in 1953, I was transferred there as a geography teacher.
When the Umkimzulu Bridge was under construction, the English employees of the contractor approached Port Shepstone High School with the request to offer evening classes in Afrikaans. I declared my readiness and gave the lessons in my classroom. A similar request came from the staff of the Indian high school, since knowledge of Afrikaans would qualify them for a bilingual bonus. There I taught afternoon classes.
A colleague at Port Shepstone High School, Mr Peter Sowman, then asked me if I would like to organize similar classes in bookkeeping, typing and other subjects. He pointed out that the Department of Education, Art and Culture, through their adult education department, supported such classes.
The question arose whether provision could be made for adults who wanted to complete their Matric and whether apprentices could be helped. A visit to Pretoria consequently led to the creation of the Port Shepstone and District Continuation Classes with three sections: technical subjects for apprentices, recognized exam subjects for matric and self-sustaining non-exam subjects such as Flower Arrangement, Art and Zulu. When the classes had an enrollment of over 400 and classes were offered all along the coast from Hibberdene to Margate, the Department of Education, Arts and Science sent three inspectors to Port Shepstone and offered me the position of full-time principal.
The South Natal Commercial High School opened in January 1961 in the old boys’ hostel in Berea Road with 105 pupils and 5 teachers. It was a historic day having the first Afrikaans medium standard seven class on the South Coast of Natal. This step was made possible after my late wife, Edith Uken, approached Rev. van Wiellig to have a petition sent to the Minister with the request to institute this class.
Until then, the Afrikaans pupils either had to go to Port Natal or change their medium. Higher Commercial Schools throughout the country started only with standard 8. The first Afrikaans medium standard 7 pupils were then obliged to follow a curriculum that was commercially oriented.
The first National Senior Certificate with Matriculation exemption was taken in 1964 in the parallel medium Hoër Handelskool. Under legislation, the school, together with all other vocational schools in the country, was transferred to the provincial authorities on 1 April 1968. Myself and the staff were once again under the control of the Natal Education Department.
The Department of Education, Arts and Science wanted the creation of a school council and I suggested the Port Shepstone Rotary Club. The Rotarians were willing and nominated Dr. Alec Ritten to be chairman of the Council. The Board worked diligently and secured representation from the Port Shepstone School Board.
In 1974 I was promoted to Educational Planner at head office Pietermaritzburg.
The new school building and the residences were still erected by the national government. Senator Jan de Klerk laid the cornerstone on 16 August 1968, and on 23 October 1970 the Hoërskool Suid-Natal was opened by Administrator Ben Haveman.
ML Uken