PBHSOB ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

Dear Old Boy

One of the most interesting things about Boys High is the number of boys who have passed through the school who have gone on to do amazing things.

We all know about Elon Musk and yes many others, but every now and then you discover something truly incredible. For example, Boys High is the only South African School who boasts two Nobel laureates in the sciences.

The following from John Verster (Matric 1964) recently crossed my desk.

‘I drew the attention of some old boys from class of 1964 to Michael Levitt’s Nobel award in Chemistry at the time it was announced. I knew him in junior school in Pretoria, where we were friends and used to play at one another’s homes. I recall he had a very supportive mother.
He went on to PBHS in 1960 with our cohort, completing Form III at the end of 1962. He then knocked-off his last two years through a cram college over the December holidays.

By the time we went back to start Form IV he had completed matric, with excellent results. He started on a BSc in Applied Mathematics at Tukkies in 1963 (at age 15, turning 16 in mid-year) and went from there to King’s College London where hecompleted the degree, in Physics. He did his PhD in computational biology at Cambridge and also spent time in research at the Weizman Institute in Israel.’

‘Boys High is currently the only school in South Africa to have produced two Nobel laureates in the sciences, the other being Max Theiler, son of Sir Arnold. Germiston High boasts Sydney Brenner and Rondebosch High boasts Allan Cormack. I’m not sure where Aaron Klug (Nobel in Chemistry) went to school (Durban High School, Ed.) but he grew up in SA and studied at Wits for his first degree. All the other South African Nobel laureates earned their awards outside the sciences.’

This is certainly an achievement worth pointing out and one that we can be most proud of.

Contributor: Eugene Ashton

PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL NEWS

Higgo van Biljon in Form II at Pretoria Boys High School, recently climbed to Everest Base Camp with his father. He is the youngest South African to reach Cho la Pass (5.367m) and Kalapatthar (5.545m).

PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL FIXTURES & EVENTS

• 26 July 2014 – Rugby and Hockey vs Menlopark (Home)
• 31 July 2014 – Orchestra: Musaion
• 2 August 2014 – Rugby and Hockey vs Maritzburg College (Home)
• 2 August 2014 – ATKV Choir Festival
• 4 August 2014 – 8 August 2014 – Squash: U14 Championships
• 6 August – 10 August 2014 – Tennis: National U15 Festival (Home)
• 6 August 2014 – Cross Country League at Eldoraigne

LETTERS

I was delighted to read the letter of Arne Pitlo and to read the names of the educational staff in his letter. (Email Newsletter – 23 May 2014 )

I remember all the names of these dedicated individuals and their commitment towards the difficult task of teaching scholars at PBHS.

I matriculated in December 1959 (Form 5E) and received the good news aboard the Jagersfontein while we were on the way to the Netherlands for our holiday. When my parents decided not to return to South Africa (because of a new job for my father in Eindhoven) our belongings were packed and shipped to the Netherlands by an old colleague of my father.

We received most of our belonging except for a few materials of our school period. The photograph I did not receive was the class photo of form 5E in 1959 and the matric 1959 photo made by Martin Gibbs.

I would appreciate it very much if one of the old boys, could help me get a copy.

Kind regards,

Hans Verburg
Class of ’59

UPCOMING OLD BOY EVENTS

• 12 & 13 September 2014
  50 YEAR ON 2014
• 24 & 25 October 2014
  40 YEAR ON 2014
• 8 November 2014
  20 YEAR ON 2014
• 22 November 2014
  10 YEAR ON 2014