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29 November 2019

Dear Parents

We have enjoyed an incredible year of success here at SACS with multiple highlights on the Academic, Cultural and Sporting fronts. Amongst so many different things we have the top Mathematician, the top cricket team and the top water polo team in South Africa. Far more important than these great things is that SACS is generally a happy place. Our learners are top drawer and extremely talented, we have a superb staff and SGB, complimented by a supportive broader community of parents and old scholars. We have faced terrible tragedy this year. This resulted in an outpouring of love and togetherness from our whole community for which I cannot thank you enough. As we head into our 191st year, the foundation at SACS is strong. There is a tremendous platform to build on in 2020. I wish all our SACS men, their families and our staff a wonderful, relaxing break. I look forward to welcoming you all back in the New Year.

At our final assembly Nathan Ansell and Christopher Breetzke paid tribute to Mr Lyndon Brandt and Mr Steven Edwards respectively. They spoke with warmth and respect for these two excellent schoolmasters who have made a very positive impact here at SACS and who will be missed. We wish them well in their future careers.

Parents please note:

SACS has a longstanding policy that we do not grant requests for teacher changes within subject areas. We believe this policy to be correct and it will not be changed in the future. Mr Wiborg is doing a superb job as Head of Academics and any academic queries may be directed to him.

Your son’s formal academic report covers his progress for all terms, the fourth term mark being his final promotion mark for the year. Please take some time to go through your son’s report with him. Discuss his results and set new goals for what he intends to achieve in 2020. Reports will be emailed by Monday 2 December 2019. The results for the fourth term can also be viewed on the parent portal on Saturday 30 November.

The link to access the portal is: http://edadmin.sacollege.org.za/parentportal.cfm

Yours sincerely

B.J. GRANT HEADMASTER

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A SACS versus Bishops 1912

B The First Cricket Team on the de Villiers field in 1960

C SACS First Cricket Team 1934 – Captain is Sid Kiel, who later opened the

batting for the Western Province Senior Team

D A tribute to Jack Cheetham from an old School Magazine. He went on to Captain South Africa.

E Alan Willows: SACS Cricket Professional 1987 to 1993…and now back at the helm

working his magic. On his departure in 1993, First Team Coach, Geoff Kieswetter, wrote inter alia: “It would be exceptionally difficult to quantify Alan’s contribution to SACS cricket since his arrival in Cape Town in September 1987, but I do know that all those who have been guided and inspired by him feel deeply indebted to him for his positive, dedicated and professional approach. I am sure that all who know Alan and Mardeen wish them every success in their new venture as Alan takes up full-time employment at Sherborne School.”

A Apartheid legislation forced the Headmaster to request permission

for sport, cultural affairs and assemblies to be held. Groups of more than 10 were forbidden to gather.

B A letter of thanks from ‘Willem.’

C Field names and the background behind their naming.

D Mr Ernie Spencer-Smith - It was in 1903 that Mr ECL Smith, a product of rugby and one of England’s most famous public schools, came out to South Africa to join the SACS staff. His son became a pupil at the school, distinguishing himself in rugby and boxing. After matriculating he proceeded to UCT where he took his degree, won a boxing Blue and qualified as a teacher. During his student days he was a Housemaster at Rosedale, where his father was the Superintendent. His father retired in 1931 and he was appointed to fill the vacancy. Thus, after 10 years as a pupil, he now started out his tenure as a teacher which was to last for 30 years. When whispers began to be heard that SACS, cramped and handicapped by lack of space, should move to the suburbs it was Mr Spencer-Smith who, using his prestige and influence as President of the Old Boys’ Union, fortified the fainthearted, inspired the indifferent, derided the doubters, prodded the procrastinators and won for the cause Mr Norman Henshilwood (SACS Old Boy) of the Provincial Executive, whose support for the move was decisive. The Spencer-Smith field will always remind SACS men of the man whose vision and unflinching tenacity of purpose, saw a dream become reality.

E Six famous Old Boys at the opening of the Hofmeyr Hall. In 1961 Mr Honikman was to become the fourth Old Boy to be Mayor of Cape Town, after Messrs W Brinton, A Keen and F Sonnenberg.

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F The bust, the work of Mrs Doreen Anziska, won high praise from the critics. It was commissioned and presented to the school by the four sons (Harold, Roland, Jan and Gysbert) and two daughters (Mrs Magda Retief, whose husband was an Old Boy, and Mrs Nel Tromp) of the Hon. GR Hofmeyr and his wife Ydie.

G The Hofmeyr Chair which bears the Hofmeyr coat of arms is fittingly housed in the Memorial Hall which honours the family’s most illustrious son.

H 1965 – two Matrics destined to become Rhodes Scholars, Professors and who to this day remain down to earth, wonderful human beings – a real credit to their families and to SACS.

I SACS boxing coach for 31 years.

A SACS School group 1888 - notice, no formal uniform as we know it today.

B Woodwork no longer offered at High School. There are those who will remember Doug Jooste’s Junior School Woodwork classes most fondly.

C (1) The old school quad on Orange Street - both the Russell Clock and the Council Tablet of the South African College of 1898 now grace the Newlands campus.

C (2) Date should be 1898 not 1890 – names on plaque: Hon J.W. Sauer (Chairman), Sir H. Juta, Rev J.J. Kotze, Hon J.H. Hofmeyr (was a cousin of ‘Onze Jan’), Hon Justice Smith, Rt Hon Sir J.H. de Villiers, T.E. Fuller, Hon W.P. Schreiner, Rev J.M. Russell, Dr T. Muir (Superintendent General of Education).

D The original High School building in the city bowl.

E Dryfe House – (source: SACS 175 BY NEIL VEITCH) – Dryfe House, a large property standing in its own grounds and belonging to the Jardine family, was offered to the College for purchase in 1912. It was bought for 4 000 pounds through the kind offices of JW Jagger as a second boarding house to Rosedale for High School pupils. After extensive refurbishing it came into use late in 1912 with W ‘Bull’ Glover as the first Housemaster. By 1939 only 7 boarders resided at Dryfe House and the Defence Force requisitioned it for use by the Wrens during WW2. In 1946 it reopened as a SACS boarding house, but this time by Junior School boarders.

F Former Head Prefect, Rodney Ehrlich honoured.

G Dr JP Duminy (former Rhodes Scholar and Springbok Cricketer) lays a ‘symbolic brick’ at the Staff Housing development in Palmboom Road.