PBHSOB ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
PRETORIA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION
INVITATION
Dear Old Boy
You are invited to the first public viewing of the Bill Schroder Centre, the new library and music centre of Pretoria Boys High School.
| Date: | 31 May 2016 |
| Time: | 19:00 |
| Venue: | Atrium of the new building |
| Dress: | Smart |
| RSVP: | By 20 May 2016 with details of names of people attending to pr@boyshigh.com |
Refreshments will be served.
This month sees the completion and opening of the building which constituted the second phase of the school’s major building project. That undertaking started with the creation of a new hall (using the shell of the previous building) and concludes with the construction of a new building to house the library and the music department. This double-storey building has been built immediately to the south of the hall and replaces a wing which previously housed art rooms and subsequently the school library. The demolition phase began in July 2015 and the casting of the foundations and upper level slabs was complete by the end of that year.
The ground level of the new building houses a new library with a floor area in excess of 450m². Among other features are a computer-based research room and a catering facility for use when hosting Old Boys’ reunions.
The Music Department occupies the entire upper floor, which consists of a large orchestra and choir rehearsal room; a teaching room and thirteen soundproof instrument tuition rooms. Because the music teaching room is situated above the hall stage it is connected to the rest of the music department by two skywalks and the translucent roof between these forms the double-volume atrium area. Having operated for decades from rooms that included converted boiler rooms and broom cupboards, this new building represents a world-class and a long overdue facility.
Because of the retention of almost all of the original trees in this part of the grounds and the use of red brick in its construction, the new building, although of a modern design, blends well into the setting and it already looks well-established. Apart from greatly enhancing the appearance of an area previously characterised by rather mundane architecture, the new building adds magnificent new facilities to those already enjoyed by the school.
The construction of the hall was financed entirely by bequests and donations from old boys and friends of the school, which probably constitutes a unique achievement among state schools. Although the school had some surplus from the fundraising campaign available for Phase 2 of the project, the balance has been raised by way of a loan. In order to reduce the financial impact of this loan on the school, various initiatives and appeals have been launched. One of these is the construction of a Donors’ Wall in the atrium of the new building using face bricks from the original Abernethy Hall. The names of the donors will be acknowledged on glass panels that front the wall and all of these names will, collectively, form the shape of the original school façade. All of these elements will constitute a piece of decorative art to enhance this part of the building and acknowledge those who have helped to make its construction possible. (See the website www.Pretorian.co.za for further details on this appeal).
The atrium will feature a further art installation which will be placed on seven bulkheads suspended in the atrium. The theme of these panels is a closely-guarded secret and will only be revealed at the opening.
The new building is to be named The Bill Schroder Centre in honour of the previous headmaster under whose headmastership the building project was conceived and who, after his retirement, managered the fund-raising drive which financed the greater part of the construction costs.
It is to be hoped that many old boys will avail themselves of the opportunity to view the new building on the 31st May when it is named and opened for viewing.
– John Illsley
SECOND MASTER