| Parktown Boys High School | |
|---|---|
 Parktown Boys High School school crest | |
| Location | |
 | |
20 Wellington Road,Parktown ,, 2193 | |
| Coordinates | 26°11′6″S28°2′6″E / 26.18500°S 28.03500°E /-26.18500; 28.03500 |
| Information | |
| School type | All-boys public school |
| Motto | 'Arise'; English from theLatin 'Surgite' |
| Established | 1923; 102 years ago (1923) |
| Sister school | Parktown High School for Girls |
| School number | +27 (011) 462 4531 |
| Headmaster | Mr. Kevin Stippel |
| Staff | 50 (full-time) |
| Grades | 8–12 |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 14 to 18 |
| Number of students | >900 pupils |
| Language | English |
| Schedule | 07:30 - 14:00 |
| Campus | Urban Campus |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Houses | Trojans Romans Spartans Thebans Tuscans Vulcans |
| Colours | Red Black White |
| Rivals | |
| Publication | The Rampant Surgite |
| School fees | R90,000(boarding) R65,000(tuition) |
| Former pupils | Old Parktonians Old Boys |
| Badges | Rampant Lion |
| Website | http://www.parktownboys.com/ |
Parktown Boys' High School is apublicEnglish medium high school for boys situated inParktown, a suburb ofJohannesburg in theGauteng province ofSouth Africa. It is one of the oldest schools in Johannesburg.[1] Parktown Boys' sister school is Parktown High School for Girls.
The school was founded in 1920, and was originally known as North Western High School.[2] The original school was based in disused wood and iron buildings which had previously been police barracks at the top of Canary Street in Auckland Park. There were eighty-seven pupils in five Form II classes, four for boys and one for girls, with acting Headmaster, C. Hare. The site is now occupied by theSouth African Broadcasting Corporation.
The Acting Director of Education, W.E.C. Clarke, the Inspector of High Schools, officially opened the new school with an address to the scholars and staff. He apologised for the lack of decent furniture and playing fields and promised that a new modern high school for boys would be built on the Parktown Ridge overlooking Milner Park and a new high school for girls nearZoo Lake.
The first Headmaster, P.M. Druce, arrived at the beginning of 1921. In February, the name of the school was changed to North Western High School, and in April, the first hatbands and ties arrived. The colours were purple and white.
On 1 September 1921, the school was divided into five houses:Romans,Spartans,Thebans,Trojans and Tuscans. On 19 September, the name was changed again, this time to Parktown Boys' High School, with the motto: Arise, and the school badge a rampant lion. When theRand Revolt took place in 1922, the school, which was in no-man's-land, had to be evacuated for a short while.
At the beginning of 1923, the school boys moved to new buildings on Parktown Ridge.[2] They took little with them except the school name, motto and badge, the names of the five houses and the traditions they had built up. When the school reopened in the new premises, there were 435 boys on the roll, and the school colours were changed to red and black. The girls remained atAuckland Park.
The Old Parktonian Association, which was formed in 1925, bought the grounds in Bedfordview but later moved to Craighall Park. Strong links with the school are maintained.
When Mr Druce retired in 1938, he was succeeded in turn by B.A. Logie, C.A. Yates, F.J. Marais, J.A. Cameron, N.A.M. Scheepers and T.P. Clarke, Parktown's previous Headmaster for a record 23 years, as well as Mr C. Niemand, and Mr D. Bradley.
In 1985, Druce Hall was opened to accommodate boarders and, following the school's tradition in the classics. In 1987, the name Vulcan was given to the sixth school house to which all boarders belong.
Parktown Boys' High School was the first government school to allow boys who were discriminated against because of their colour into a mainstream 'white' school in 1991.
Parktown Boys' High School was the first school in South Africa to install an international standard water-basedAstroturf playing surface. This surface has hosted many national and international games.[3] More recently, Parktown has built Surgite House overlooking the McCorkell Oval (named afterNeil McCorkell the school's former cricket coach and formerHampshire county cricketer who became a centurion in March 2012) to incorporate the administration and entertainment needs of Old Parktonians, as well as the Sydney Klevansky Sports and Cultural Centre.[4]
Parktown Boys' is consistently rated as among the best-performing schools in South Africa, as well as in Africa. Parktown Boys' also consistently ranks at least top 30 in the annual sports rankings, which shows the high quality of sports at Parktown Boys’.[5][6]
Parktown Boys' has a history which includes the use ofboaters (called 'bashers'), a distinctive red and black uniform, school songs, and particularly 'Parktonian' language which has evolved over the years. The schoolmotto is 'Arise' ('Surgite' in Latin).[7] The original school buildings haveprovincial heritage sites status.[3]
Mr Kevin Stippel is the current headmaster at Parktown Boys'.[8] Previous headmasters were (from 1920): Mr C. Hare (Acting), Mr P.M.Druce, Mr B.A. Logie, Mr C.A. Yates, Mr F.J. Marais, Mr J.A. Cameron, Mr N.A.M. Scheeper, Mr T.P. Clarke, Mr C. Niemand, Mr R. Pillay (Acting), Mr D. Bradley and Mr Malcolm Williams.[9]
The school is divided from Grades 8 to 12 (Matric), and grades are referred to as 'Forms' at the school. Cultural activities refer to all extramural activities, excluding sporting activities. Cultural life also extends to visits to musical performances.[10]
Numerous summer sports are offered by the school.[11]
The school has a weekly boarding establishment (i.e. from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon), which is known as The Druce Hall. It was officially opened on 9 June 1985 and is named after P. M. Druce, the first headmaster.
Theboarding is supervised with a ratio of one master to every 15 boys.
As part of their orientation and initiation into the school, all 'formies' (Grade 8/Form I) receive a coloured button to wear on their blazer which indicates their 'formie' status as well as what house they belong to for the duration of their Form I year. At the end of their second week of school, all formies are assigned an 'Old Pot' who will help and guide that formie through their first few months at the school. The Old Pot/New Potbraai is held in the first term.[citation needed]
Harmful 'initiation' is banned throughout the school.
Parktown Boys' High School is one of the few schools in South Africa that still continues with the tradition of Cadets and Cadet practice every week, which involves many push-ups and exercises for younger grades.[citation needed]
Parktown conducts a Memorial Parade and Service on the Sunday nearest 11 November (Remembrance Day) every year for Old Parktonians and South Africans in general who have died in various conflicts around the world. It is compulsory for all Form Is and IVs to attend.
Every year, hockey and cricket matches are held between the staff and the Third teams.
The Parktonian Foundation,[12] Surgite House, the Parktown Waterpolo Club,[13] a Facebook page,[14] the annual Surgite[15] publications and the Old Parktonian Sports Club,[16] all aim to foster the Old Parktonian Community.
Every year in the first term, Old Boys are invited to play against the current school First Teams in a variety of sports. The day culminates in rugby and hockey games between the Old Boys and the recently announced First Teams.[citation needed]
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Past matriculants of the school have gone on to be leaders in all fields of South African life, from leaders in commerce, Members of Parliament, renowned academics,Springboks rugby players,Protea cricket players,Bafana Bafana footballer/Soccer team and other internationally renowned sportsmen, musicians and artists.
Some of these include:
demics include:
The following Old Parktonians have represented the South African National Rugby Team (theSpringboks). Parktown Boys’ has produced the second highest number of rugby provincial players in Johannesburg and the third highest number of SA schools rugby players in Johannesburg.
The following Old Parktonians have represented theSouth African national cricket team (The Proteas).However, there are over 40 other Old Parktownians who have played first-class cricket and county cricket, which are not listed here.
Old Parktonians who have played for the national hockey side are:
Some notable musicians and artists who attended Parktown Boys' High School are:
In September 2018, the former water polo coach at Parktown, Collan Rex, pleaded guilty to 144 charges of sexual assault against multiple Parktown pupils and was subsequently sentenced to 23 years in prison.[32][33]
On 15 January 2020, a 13-year-old pupil drowned while attending an orientation camp at the Nyati Bush and River Break lodge, nearPretoria. The principal was dismissed in October 2020 following an investigation.[34][35] The principal was subsequently reinstated after being cleared of any wrongdoing with the latest investigations being focused on Nyathi Bush and River Break lodge.[36]
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