PBHSOB ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

Dear Old Boy

Ben Rath was a Rissik House border at Pretoria Boys High School and matriculated in 2010. He recalls captaining and playing for the second water polo team, ‘The Porpoises’ (and the loss of a tooth on one occasion!) as one of his highlights at school. Ben was also a member of the Wildlife Society, SCA, took part in the school production and wrote for the Boy’s Highlights – where he fondly remembers working closely with Mr Mansfield who, along with Mr Schroder were largely inspirational to him.

Ben remembers how phenomenal it was to be part of inter-house galas, and has fond memories of his time as a border with dorm raids, garden rugby and movies on the weekends. Ben was a prefect and received half cultural colours and full academic colours.

“Between the ages of 14 and 18, there’s a lot that goes on to define who you become. I think being a boarder amplifies that influence even more and there are a number of aspects, both in boarding school and at school which taught me a great deal.” Ben says Boys High gave him the opportunity early on to learn about people, and how to deal with or manage them.

“My grandfather went to Boys High as a day boy in the 1950’s and he’d told my brother about it, since Max would head to the school on the hill two years before me. I then had the choice when it was my turn to go to a school in Bryanston or follow after my brother. I had been lucky enough to witness the passion that Max had shown for the school after his first two years, and saw it as a no-brainer. My five years were the best I could have hoped for.”

“I don’t know very many schools that
produce learners who never want to leave.”

Ben attended the University of Cape Town after school and qualified with a Bachelor of Business Science Honours in Finance. Ben is a founder and director at EduOne (formerly known as Stoogle Holdings (Pty) Ltd) where he handles the sales and marketing efforts for the company.

EduOne (formerly Stoogle) is an education and technology company aimed at helping 14 – 24 year olds with every decision point and challenge they face during that period. EduOne is an umbrella brand and directory to a suite of online technologies which offer solutions to different problems.

EduConnect is a free information portal that offers practical tips and resources for students, parents and teachers, covering literally everything a student needs to know about life after school.

EduMatch is a course matching tool where learners input their marks and interests to find out what courses or qualifications they are eligible for at major institutions in South Africa.

EduFunding is a portal designed to centralise the location for the discovery and application to education funding. It offers corporates an effective administration and management system making bursaries and scholarships easier to administer and encourages larger allocations to these tax incentivised schemes which ultimately benefit the South African youth.

EduApply is a similar solution to EduFunding in the tertiary studies space – centralising the location for application to tertiary instinutions.

EduStore is an e-commerce platform that offers packaged student goods such as “Digs Starter Packs” as well as other student oriented produces such as weekly food packages with recipes and other student deals from large retailers.

EduHealth is a dedicated portal for young health professionals with information on community service placements, the latest news and events, various discussion forums and health specific products and services.

EduBooks is a second hand classifieds site for textbooks and study notes.

EduTutors is a web and mobile app solution in the tutoring space to help tutors and tutees communicate more efficiently and allow them to conduct tutoring sessions remotely.

The company was founded in 2014 and officially launched in January 2015. Co-founders Jason Basel and James Keiser were Ben’s fellow BBusSc Finance graduates at UCT. They started off with their office in the kitchen of Jason’s small garden flat in Rondebosch. They used Ben’s leftover student loan money to buy a scooter and sold Jason’s car to pay their first freelancers and to print flyers to take to school. “You could say we scraped the barrel in the beginning!” Ben recalls.

“At Pretoria Boys High I learnt that the toughest times are the greatest opportunities to grow. I learnt about hierarchy, which is a vital thing to understand, but not to let it get you down. And I learnt that you can make a friend out of anyone and everyone you meet.”

Just over a year later EduOne is a team of 12, going on 15 with over 350 000 active users per month. They visit over 500 schools per year and write approximately 40 lines of code a minute. In 2015 they were voted as one of South Africa’s top 25 Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company SA, alongside Discovery Vitality and Get Smarter. “We are still in an early stage start-up with so much to still get done before we change the educational landscape of South Africa.”

In his spare time, Ben enjoys photography and sometimes gets to strum a few strings on his guitar. He also recently co-founded hikeF!T with his boxing trainer. HikeF!T is a fitness and boxing project at the summit of hikes across South Africa.

PBHS ANNUAL PRODUCTION

CLASS OF 1986 – 30 YEARS ON REUNION

An updating of the database for the class of ’86 and a number of meetings of the team organising with about six to eight months of planning culminated in the absolutely fantastic events for the two-day 30th reunion of the class of ’86 held on Friday and Saturday, 19 and 20 of August 2016.

A lovely near spring day welcomed approximately 60 excited former classmates onto the Solomon house lawns from all over the world [including – New Zealand, Australia, the UK and USA] for coffee, tea and rusks. Most of the okes were instantly recognisable, but the name tags provided by the Old Boys’ Association assisted in us better identifying those we had not seen in ten years or more. There were those in our class that were back at their old school for the first time in 30 years. There was less hair than on show during the eighties as epitomised by the class photo of 5C, a few pounds more, but renewed friendships as though we had seen each other yesterday. The formidable organisational support from the Old Boys’ Association and the school should be commended as this has most definitely improved since our previous reunion. A small group of partners accompanied their husbands to check out their old haunts and experience a day at Pretoria Boys’ High.

After an hour and a half of recognition, reminiscing and catching up the group was led on a walking tour of the school grounds by the engaging headmaster, Mr Tony Reeler, who patiently guided the large group around pointing out to them all the changes that had occurred during the last 30 years. Although much was familiar of course, especially for those here with sons at the school or who live close by. There were, however, many more improvements for those back for the first time in three decades. The overall opinion was that these improvements made the school better than in our day. Guided tours of the three hostels were offered followed by a visit to the informative school museum housed in what we had known as the library during our school days.

Tea was held in the newly opened Bill Schroder Media centre and there was time for a look around this truly fantastic addition prior to a memorable assembly for the group which took place in the magnificent redeveloped school hall. The singing of choir was a highlight, the Inter-house athletics results, Science Expo and English Olympiad results of boys made many a chest swell up with pride. Mr Reeler addressed the group setting the scene with what had occurred whilst we had been at Boys’ High and in turn one of our classmates, Steven Davis, who has a son like him in School House, addressed the school in a challenging, encouraging and witty address. He ended it by giving us each ‘homework’ to go and watch a Youtube video.

Assembly was followed by a wonderful long lunch at the Sommerville Cricket Pavilion where Steffani Kruger, the school caterer filled many hungry tummies with a simply delightful lunch. The pavilion positively shook with laughter as many a tale was shared of a reunited brotherhood. We were privileged to have several dignatories present – Bill Schroder, John Illsley, Keith Gibbs and Tony Wilkes along with special teachers in attendance including Paul Sommerville [Chalkie], Rita Bigalke, Lilla Coetzee, Peter Digby, Alan O’Brien and Lorna Ferreira. A poignant last post with sherry and port up at the West Bell Tower was the appropriate end to an amazing day.

On the Saturday a similar-sized group to the lunch assembled after watching a close match between Argentina and the Springboks arriving at dusk to the Sommerville Pavilion. The okes who were unable to attend the previous days events excitedly reacquainted themselves with the friends of the past and further reminisced before the evenings proceedings got under way.

This was truly a night to remember. The company was astonishing, the wit rapier sharp, the surprises were brow lifting and the sentiment and feelings were truly genuine. Heartfelt toasts were offered by classmates to South Africa, absent friends, masters and lady teachers and the School where there have been changes and aspects that remain unchanged. There was an address made by the current headmaster Tony Reeler and, in between, much eating, drinking and enjoyment. Thanks was said to all involved and a few personal things shared before the singing of 40 Years On.

A long and laughter filled evening followed, where boy after boy with the same refrain seemed to note that the school was even better now than when we were pupils. This was a source of great happiness and pride to us. The jolly company then moved to the Old Boys Club where a weary group of a dozen or so enthused classmates finally went home at 5:30 am

Thirty years seemed to have passed like the blink of an eye and the event was certainly, for me personally and I speak for the organising committee, a highlight of our lives. It was truly a perfect weekend in every sense of the word. The privilege of attending the best school in the world was brought home to us yet again – for ’tis here we learned to live.

The hardworking organising committee was a joy to serve on together with Ed Loubser, Andrew Agocs, Mark van Diggelen, Peter McLachlan and Peter Pienaar where each went beyond the call to make this a very memorable occasion. We look forward to seeing those who were here again and those who were unable to there at our 40th Reunion in 10 years time where the words of the song will take on that much more meaning.

– Charles Gibbs (1986 – TOW)

PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL NEWS

The Inter House Athletics took place on 16 August 2016. The results were as follows:

1. School – 727
2. Rissik – 476
3. Town – 465.5
4. Sunnyside – 450
5. Solomon – 375.5
6. Matheson – 339.5
7. Hofmeyr – 296
8. Armstrong – 284
9. Abernethy – 270.5
10. Arcadia – 261
Junior relay winner (U15) – School House
Senior relay winner (U19) – School House

OLD BOYS IN THE NEWS

HERMANUS GATHERING

A first meeting of Old Boys in the Western Cape Overstrand area will be held in Hermanus on Thursday 22nd September 2016.

Venue will be at the Burgundy Restaurant at 17h30 for 18h00, with a ‘Cash Bar’ and light snacks available for R60.00, payable at the door.

For catering purposes, please contact or sms Ed Meyer : Cell 082 880 7604 / edsalmeyer@telkomsa.net

Greg Hassenkamp, PBHS Old Boy and former Deputy Head of Boy’s High will speak to us of his experiences and his new role as Headmaster of Hermanus High School.

COFFEE OR TEA, SIR! HOT-WATER PLEASE? NO-PROBLEM SIR!

Last term I was doing teas in the foyer during interval of the Inter-House plays. I had two choices of what to pour: hot tea or hot water. Those people who wanted tea just asked for it, and those with a teaspoon of instant coffee asked for hot water.

A Chinese family came up to me with instant coffee in their cups. Funny, I thought, Chinese people drinking coffee. So I accidentally poured tea in their coffee as I thought it was water. They went to stand about ten yards away from me and I watched them. For some reason they did not drink their coffee. They started looking in my direction and smiled at me, I smiled back in a way of saying ‘I knew it, they would not like coffee.’

Mr Digby had been watching the whole situation. He started explaining to me what I had been doing. I made a quick split, ducked under the table and left Mr Digby and the Chinese family choking in laughter. Since then I’ve avoided Chinese families on school grounds, not to talk about doing teas. I do admit that while pouring the ‘water’ I thought it looked a bit dark but I put it down to probable rust in the hot water urn that had discoloured the water.

– Leon Engelbrecht Form IVG (The Pretorian 1986)

IN MEMORIAM

EDWARD RICHARD KEW (1958)

We regret to report the passing of an Eastern Cape Old Boy on 31 July 2016. He will be sadly missed by his widow, Jocelyn, four children and seven grandchildren. After qualifying as a CS (SA) in Pretoria, he moved to Knysna where he practised for some years before moving to Port Elizabeth. He was Financial Director of Welfit Oddy, for many years. They manufacture stainless steel shipping containers.

– Mark Muttitt

DANIEL SCHALK SMITH (1961)

Died in Durban on 14 November 2015 sadly missed by his wife Pam and sons Gerard and Gregory. Whilst at school with his three brothers, Johann, Peter and Gus, Dan took part in all the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, often in principal roles. He matriculated at school in 1961, and enrolled at TUKS medical school. During his school days he became a Queen’s Scout as well as a cadet officer. He also played hockey for PBHS as well as for TUKS.

After being called up for military service in 1963, he soon became an officer in the military police and retired with the rank of Captain. From 1964 to 1971 he was very active with the Lodge Players in Pretoria where he often played a leading role.

After having moved to Durban, working as an insurance broker, he was very active in the Durban Men’s Choir and produced many musicals for charity, playing the leading role.

RIP my little brother.
Johann Smith.

JOHN MALCOLM RAAF (1966)