THE HISTORY OF NEWTON TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
OUR HISTORY
The Port Elizabeth Technical High School was first opened at the Technical College in Russel Road on 17 February 1936. At that stage, there were only 12 learners in classes ranging from Grade 9 to 11. The hours of attendance were from 09:00 to 17:00.
The following year 54 learners were enrolled and the numbers increased from year to year. During the war years, 1940-1945, the numbers remained static at a total of from 120 to 150 learners. A new workshop was built, but it was not until 1945 that the Technical High School workshops were transferred and from there on the numbers of learners increased steadily. Sometime later a new Technology classroom block was built, but that too soon became overcrowded with THS learners and apprentices. The number of learners had by then reached a total of 320 and that was the maximum that could be accommodated in the existing buildings.
It was decided in 1956 to build a new technical high school somewhere else in Port Elizabeth. After a long search to find a suitable site, a site was found in the sought-after suburb of Newton Park where the current school is situated. The ground was acquired from the Government Garages and regarded as entirely suitable for the new school.
A committee was formed under the chairmanship of Mr Roger Barnes, a member of the Advisory Council, and the planning of the new school began.
In January 1957, Mr B. Meredith-Woods, an architect, was contracted to draw up the plans.
Planning continued from 1957 to 1958 and early in 1959 the rough plans were submitted to the Department of Education, Arts and Science for approval.
The final details were discussed at a meeting held on 13 August 1959 and the necessary recommendations were made. Approval of the amended plans was obtained in 1960. Thereafter the final plans and specifications were completed and tenders were called for. The contract for the erection of the building was awarded to Messrs P. Calitz and Sons of Port Elizabeth. The clearing of the site began in 1961.
Shortly afterwards workman started laying out the foundations. At first the work seemed to progress very slowly but a short while later the building grew by leaps and bounds and by April 1962 the school had taken shape. It was completed by the end of October 1962.
The P.E. Technical High School was officially acquired by the Department of Education, Arts and Science on 1 November 1962. This meant that the 26-year association with the Port Elizabeth Technical College that had provided Port Elizabeth with much-needed apprentices was severed.
Mr A. M. du Toit was appointed as the first principal on 1 January 1963. At his inauguration he made it very clear that engineers, technicians and artisans were greatly needed in South Africa and pledged to ensure that the school would continue to provide for the needs of the Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage metropole.
Mr du Toit stated that Port Elizabeth and its industries presented many opportunities for learners at a technical school and stressed the fact that every employer was entitled to the services of a qualified employee who possessed unquestionable character and exemplary behaviour. Industry needed men that were spiritually, physically and intellectually strong. With this in mind, the Technical High School addressed the future education of its learners.
The workshop staff from the old school worked hard to install the required machines and equipment in the new school. As a result with the opening of the new school on 21 January 1963, all the workshops were fully functioning.
A number of staff from the college agreed to be transferred to the technical school. These included : Mr W.L. Morris, Vice-Principal Technical; Dr. W. Bromiley; Messrs Doug Fanning, W. Prentis, J. Theron, D. de Kock, J. van der Westhuizen; Mesdames. J. Fanning, B. Britten-Kelly and Y. Oosthuizen. Mr G. Frylinck was appointed as the first Academic Vice-Principal but could unfortunately take up the post on 21 January 1963.
During the first year, 411 boys were enrolled at the new school. The first headboy and deputy were Rowland Hickling and Alastair Scott. In the second year, enrolment stood at 570 and by 1965 there were 602 enrolled learners. One hundred more had been turned down in 1965 because they could not be accommodated.
Early in 1963, decisions were made regarding the school uniform, badge and blazer colours. During this time learners wore an ordinary black blazer and grey trousers. By the end of 1963, everything was available.
A start was made on writing the school song at this time. Mrs du Toit, the wife of Mr A.M. du Toit, wrote the words of the proposed school song. Mr Terstegen van Huyssteen, the Inspector of Music in the Orange Free State, set the words to music. Mr du Toit proposed the words of the motto : “Do It Now / Doen Dit Nou“. With everything in place the learners of the Port Elizabeth Technical High School could start making an impression on the local academic and sporting arenas.
The first Advisory Council Meeting, the name of the then governing body of PETHS, was held on 11 March 1963. The Advisory Council consisted of recognised public figures of Port Elizabeth and Walmer, seven of whom were appointed by the Minister of Education, Arts and Science. A further seven were chosen as representatives of the PE and Walmer Municipalities, the South African Railways, etc.. All occupied prominent positions in town, took an active interest in the school and were never members in name only.
The first Chairman of the Council was Mr Johan Lochner with Mr R.A.O. Bredell as his Vice-Chaiman. After Mr Lochner was transferred to Cape Town, Mr Bredell became Chairman and Mr F.H. Kotze was elected Vice-Chairman. Mr Bredell was a very energetic member and through his direct efforts, the school received a number of trophies from various industrial and commercial concerns which are still awarded annually to learners of the school. The other members of the Advisory Council were: Messrs. R.H. Barnes, J.F. Barry, D.A. Bradley, E.A. Cilliers, P.W. Douglas, W.M. Hayward, J. Louw, E.J.F. Macartney, O.L. Oosthuizen, D.S.M. Schoeman, A.G. Thomson and A. van Heerden.
When the school opened in 1963 various sporting activities were quickly arranged, thanks largely due to the principal of the Technical College, Mr S.D. van der Merwe, who allowed the use of the college sportsfields and tennis courts. Cricket and swimming were the first two sports offered. Tennis followed and rugby began in the second term. In February a full-scale athletics meeting was held at the Oval. Other extramural activities included a chess club, debating society, play reading, photography club and Veld and Vlei.
Singing classes began in 1963 under the direction of Mrs Du Toit and later that year the school’s choir participated in the PE Schools’ Festival. Two learners are chosen each year to represent the school on the PE Junior City Council. In 1964 Petrus Fourie was elected Deputy Mayor and in 1965 Kenneth St John was elected to the same position.
The school was officially opened on 20 September 1963 by the Hon. Jan de Klerk, Minister of Education, Arts and Science. Bronze plaques commemorating this event were erected on each side of the main entrance of the school.
Mr du Toit applied to the Officer Commanding EP Command to establish a Naval Cadet Detachment at the school and early in 1964 it was established. The first officers were: Commander A.M. du Toit; Lieutenant Commander W.A. Prentis, 2IC and Quartermaster; Lieutenant Stander; Sub-lieutenants Kotze, Theron and Verster; Ensigns Beetze, de Jager, Heath, Marais, Niksch, Olivier, Ollewagen, Simpson, van Antwerpen and L.R.A. Victor.
To add further prestige to the Cadet Detachment, a Cadet Band was established. Mr R. Beattie trained prospective members. Captain C. Olivier was the school’s first bandmaster and delivered many years of devoted service.
In 1971, the Naval Cadet Detachment became an army detachment and had to undergo great adjustments to accommodate the difference in styles and training methods.
The Cadet Band continued to be awarded many accolades and was a force to be reckoned with at local competitions and much in demand to perform at various functions. The band represented EP Command at venues across the country. After many local successes, the band was placed first in the Cape Province in 1981. It was disbanded in 1992 with the phasing out of the cadet tradition in preparation for the change in government.
Mr A. M. du Toit retired on pension in December 1973. He was followed in 1974 by Mr C.C. Ackerman, who continued in the same tradition. In 1975, he instituted the first Parents Teacher Association whose zealous fundraising raised the R10 000.00 needed to build the kiosk at the sports fields. Members of the first PTA were: Messrs. H. Stevens (Chairman), E. Brehany, A.E. Wyatt, K. Bullock; Mesdames. F. Scheepers, G. Guscott, B. Moss, M. Stumke, L.H. van Wyk, F. Marriner, Y. Rose-Christie, & N. Stevens. Other PTA projects of that time included the building of an open pavilion at the sportsfields (no longer there), a 29-seater Izuzu bus and 16-seater Datsun bus. The PTA still has an invaluable role to play in the school.
Mr Ackerman started Open Evenings and Parents Evenings to get parents involved in their son’s education. The intercom and loud speaker systems were also installed. In 1976, Cadets became part of the daily curriculum of the school. The shooting range and armoury were opened in April 1976. In 1978, the old barracks behind the school were acquired by the school and converted into classrooMs
Mr Ackerman retired in 1978 and Mr D.E. Botha became the third principal of the school.
The original Advisory Council of the school was replaced on 1 September 1979 by the School Committee and only parents of learners at the school could serve on this committee. The first members of the School Committee were: Messrs. A. Van Heerden (Chairman), D. Howard, W.M. Hayward, W.M. Wyatt, E. Brehany, H. Stevens, W.M. Bartie and Mrs M. Stumke.
Numbers increased and, by 1984, 720 learners were enrolled. Dr. Botha left to take up the post of Senior Lecturer in Education at UPE in 1984 and attained a doctorate in 1986.
Mr L.C. Bekker became principal on 1 April 1984. By now, the number of misconceptions about the nature of technical education had become entrenched and Mr Bekker set about the task of re-educating the public and other educational institutions about technical schools.
Since 1981, at the instigation of Malcolm Nel (a past pupil of the school, since deceased) and Kenneth St John, the request to found an Old Boy Association was raised. On 30 October 1984 a meeting to the effect was held at the Edward Hotel. Those who attended were: Brian Hughes, Dario Leveroni, Darryl Cohen, Russell Holden-Jones, Henry Stoltz, Steven G. Stoltz, Trevor Mould, Ken St John, Trevor E. Kay, Ian Allan, Eddie Westraad, Steve Westraad, Billy Westraad, Raymond Westraad, Alan Ingram, Robin Davidson, William Turner, Brian Hammond, Mr Geoff Joseph (of the PTA) and L.R.A. Victor (staff). On 14 November 1984, the first Old Boys Union was established. The president was Ken St John, vice-president T. Mould, honorary secretary Peter Erasmus, honorary treasurer A. Wood, and committee members Angelo Dashwood, D. Cohen, D. Leveroni & R. Davidson.
The Old Boys Union decided to build a cenotaph in the school quad to honour old boys who gave their lives for their country. On 11 November 1985 the cenotaph, designed by Peter Erasmus, was unveiled. To date the following learners are honoured for their sacrifice for their country :
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The first girl was enrolled in April 1988 but left before the end of that year. However, since 1995 girls have featured regularly on the roll.
Mr A.J. Fourie succeeded Mr Bekker as principal from 1989 to 2000. He set about diligently seeing the school through the trying transition period during changes in education departments with the establishment of the new South Africa.
Mr P.H. Ferreira was appointed to the post of principal in June 2001. Mr Ferreira has embarked on projects to promote the school including visits to feeder schools, encouraging and hosting sponsors, and an active programme of media advertising. The Old Boys Union was disbanded this year and amalgamated into the newly formed Supporters Club. His tenure has seen the building of the Supporters Clubhouse at the school’s fields.
Mr Ferreira has succeeded in keeping his staff enthusiastic and motivated during the very frustrating introduction of Outcomes Based Education in the General Education and Training phase and serves on the Further Education and Training provincial body determining the future of technical education in this phase.
The first female Deputy-Principal, Ms S.D. Wilson, was appointed in 2002.
Mr P.H. Ferreira retired in September 2016. Ms S.D. Wilson has been Acting Principal between Septeber 2016 and March 2018.
Mr Theo van Brouwershaven is the current principal as from 1 April 2018.