Fifty years

The 50th reunion of the 1955 matriculation class of Sea Point Boys’ High School

...and counting

Page �

Alers Louis F 9451�87 alers@lantic.net Hallstraat, 37, De Lay Haye, Bellville 7530

Barends Graham 438��60 gabs@yebo.co.za 1� 1st. Crescent, Camps Bay

Beukes Conrad Untraced

Beverley David david.beverley@virgin.net Plymouth UK

Boiskin Stanley 4393601 stan@kazak.co.za 18 Quendon Rd. Sea Point

Brown Russell 4�178�0076-1306953

john.russell@worldonline.nl 77 Loader St., CapeTownChurchillllaan 31� 1078GC Amsterdam

Burton Ralph (Ray) Deceased 4/�001 (cancer) Widow: Mrs. Denise Burton, Howick Phone: 033 3307543

Coetzee Karl 08�441861� 9 Spanish Bay, Silver Lakes 0054 (Pretoria)

Crompton David crompton@netlab.co.za 706 Fernkloof, Park Dr., Port Elizabeth 6001

De Jamaer Okko 0833004357 Box �8� Napier 7�70

Evetts Keith 531 �800 kevetts@yebo.c.o.za �7 Crassula Way Pinelands 7405

Flight Trevor Deceased

Forsyth John 4388700 forsythjl@telkomsa.net 7 The Grange, Camps Bay

Fysh Graham US: �539416136 gfysh@att.net �8701 6th Pl S. #�09, Seattle, WA 98198

Gluckman Geoffrey Deceased – Canada — about 1996

Hoffman Eric 015 7816609 stevejon@mweb.co.za 4 Bezuidenhout Str., Stanford 7�10

Hurdus Thomas 01178�9351 41 Montgomery Haven, Langenhoven St. 14, Montgomery Park �195

Isaacs Cecil 434�336(h) eastradco@mweb.co.za

Jackson Neville 4347400 nevprop@iafrica.com 309 Rapallo, Sea Point

Kasmai Cecil Deceased �003

Klein Sydney UK: �08954�648 fk@ckcarchitects.com 54 Stanmore Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex UK

Marine Norman Deceased

Metrowich Tom 08�9006364 tommet@icon.co.za Johannesburg

Nicholls Donald 4388069 don@ctshipsuppliers.com �7 Beta Road, Bakoven

Pimstone Anton 4386901(Cousin) apimstone@aol.comarmstrong-solicitors.co.uk

140 Burdon Lane, Cheam, Surrey SM�7DA UK

Riach David (Tabby) 0�8-341848 �8b Caledon Street, Stanford 7�10

Sacks Donne Deceased

Sagorsky Geoffrey Deceased +/- �00�

1955 Matrics

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Samols Leonard Deceased �00� Widow: Margaret, living in London

Segal Dennis denssegal@aol.com 34 Hillrise, Manor, Walton-on-Thames KT1� �PE

Silber Gerald 555�080 gercel@iafrica.com Woodbridge Island, Milnerton

Simanowitz Arnold arnsim@aol.com UK

Thomas Brian Deceased

Veitch Graham 4389008 duke@kingdom.co.za 3, Fulham Road, Camps Bay 8005

Weeden Alan 0�8 316309� fillynilly@lando.co.za House No. �5 Box 1468 Hermanus 7�00

Weinkove Cyril UK: 870 43� 1519 cyril.weinkove@ntlworld.com 14 Moor End Avenue Salford M7 3NX

Classmates of earlier years who attended dinner, but who left before 1955

Price Robert 8516153 bdm@lagoonahq.co.za 1 Gardiner Street, Somerset West, 7130

Sara Kenn ksara@telkomsa.net

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From leftTop: Neville Jackson, John Forsyth, Arnold Simanowitz, Cecil IsaacsSecond from top: Dennis Segal, Sydney Klein, Russell Brown, Okko De JamaerThird from top: Gerald Silber, Anton Pimstone, Graham Fysh, Cecil KasmaiFront: A.D. Dodd, Cyril Weinkove, Tom Metro-wich, Norman Marine, “Tommy” Thompson.

From leftTop: David Beverley, Trevor Flight, Eric Hoffman, Conrad Beukes, Graham BarendsSecond from top: Graham Veitch, David Crompton, Geoffrey Gluckman, Geoffrey Sagorsky, Don NichollsThird from top: Louis Al-ers, Thomas Hurdus, Alan Weeden, Leonard Samols, Brian ThomasFront row: A.D. Dodd, David Riach, Keith Evetts, Stanley Boiskin, A.L. WilliamsonSeated in front: Karl Coetzee, Ralph Burton

Standard 10 A 1955

Standard 10 B 1955

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Report on the reunion dinnerSchool Tours Friday November 4, 2005

Junior School:

Graham Barends, David Crompton, Keith Evetts, John Forsyth, Don Nicholls, Anton Pimstone, Robert Price and Graham Veitch — eight of us gathered at 9 am at the Sea Point Primary School as it is now known. Some recognised each other while others had to introduce themselves.

There was much reminiscing outside before we set off for the secretary’s office. The narrowness of the passage-ways struck us as did the fact that among the “learners” were girls.

Most children were in “civvies” for which they paid R3 as it was a fund raising day. Most were not white and many came from across the Peninsula as far afield as Gugulethu and even Khayelitsha. One of the black children we asked lived in Milnerton and another in Sea Point. Both of these girls were in summer uniform, which included a black wind-cheater with red trimmings and the school badge.

The ground floor tour included a visit to the double-decker library that now fills the space where the Quad used to be.

All along the way questions were being asked: Do you remember Mr. Huggett and Mealies van der Merwe and Oh! Mr Dickensen?

It was obvious the school was in need of funds. We

touched sides with a few teachers and picked up informa-tion from them such as: The school could no longer afford even to hire the old sports field on the common from the municipality but it had also become unsafe for learners to use from an assault etc. point of view.

One feature that did not exist in our day was the com-puter room we visited. The hall, which has changed very little, was another focus point. Its prizewinner boards in-cluded those from Kings Road School, which merged with Sea Point some years earlier.

The old gymnastic wooden bars were still on the same wall but one disappointment was that the old ropes that had hung from the ceiling were gone. Some recollect that due to an accident they had been removed even in our time.

While upstairs, where we saw the old woodwork room and new art room that had been added on since we were there, we took in the magnificent view over Sea Point/Green Point/Moullie Point and the sea from the class-rooms. The swimming pool, jungle gyms and games area is in front of the school on the big lawn area.

At the end, as we all stood on the patio at the front door of the hall, one of the teachers, who was doing re-lief work that day and who had been taken out in earlier days by some of our number, was called and a reunion of a different kind took place. She is now engaged to Guy Rowe, another name well known to some of us. The visit

In the school quad during the school tour.Standing: Don Nicholls, John Forsyth, Tabby Riach, Robert Price, Eric Hoffman, Cyril Weink-ove, Keith Evetts, David Crompton, Anton Pimstone In front: Graham Veitch, Gerald Silber, Graham Barends

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to the Primary School was really a walk about rather than a guided tour.

High School

Those who were on the Primary School visit were now joined by Eric Hoffman, David ‘Tabby’ Riach, Gerald Sil-ber and Cyril Weinkove at 10.45 am – 1� in all. There was much introducing of one another in the tarred parking area in front of the school. Again many were not recognised but after brief introductions reminiscing immediately com-menced. Old photos, newspaper clippings and the school’s book Beneath the Lion Bold were looked at with excitement. Tabby had a certificate from his under-13 days and an old boys’ tie that he wanted to present to the school. He did so in the hall later.

The High School had done a great job preparing for us. Memorabilia were on display including the large mat-ric register with our exam numbers and full dates of birth, open at the right place, school magazines, photos and a large photo of Mr Dodd at the centre, plus trophies and a colours blazer, Old Boys’ striped blazer etc. All these were laid out in the entrance foyer outside the principal’s office. There was even a “Welcome to the 1955 Matrics” placed up on the wall. But we went to the hall first where the school choir (about 30 strong and not the full choir) sang several songs (without papers) for the 1� of us as we sat there, a small but mature audience. The School Song, with some slight differences from our day, was their final item.

After the choir was dismissed the principal, Ms Ma-rina Kaichis and vice principal Mr Piet Botha, spoke to us, presenting their vision for the school, which is a mi-

crocosm of the nation. Managing a school these days is much like running a business as so much is related to the availability of funds and what are the affordable priorities. We were impressed by the commitment of these two, what they were managing to achieve and the pride they had in the school. The academic record is good and has attracted more learners. They have managed to keep the school free of major drug issues and gangsterism that severely affect other schools. There are over 300 learners with only a hand-ful of white children. The question was asked – Where do the white children of Sea Point go? The answer – mainly to Camps Bay. The guys were very impressed with both principal and vice principal. Several of us came away with an enhanced picture to what we had before.

We could not spend more time in the hall as it was required for a dance class. Some would have liked to have looked over the prize boards on the walls that now include Ellerslie’s boards. The girls merged with Sea Point in 1989 after several attempts in the 1970s.

We then wandered around the quad that is now a laid-out garden. It was an assembly area in our day because the old hall was demolished after our Std. 6 year and the new hall came into use only in 1956. Group photos were tak-en and some chatting took place with teachers but much time was spent at the memorabilia tables. Some visited the enlarged library upstairs that now incorporates Leslie le Butt’s music room. I visited the woodwork room, still in the same place with some of the original benches, but it, too, has been enlarged. Models these days are straight-line cabinets. No ball and claw feet or molded panels are made nowadays.

The art room, no longer upstairs, was also open to us.

Sea Point School choir — November 4, 2005

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After visiting the woodwork room, I paid a natural visit downstairs to the cloakroom in the same old place.

I was reminded of boys, like Heritage, who were grabbed by the collar and seat of the pants and literally thrown out of the woodwork room down those stairs by a woodwork master with a short fuse.

After all the guys left, I obtained a photostat copy of the names and dates of birth from our matric class register. For the first time it gave me an official list, which helped me resolve, through links from other “state” sources, that Trevor Flight sadly is deceased. It also gave me a strong lead on Conrad Beukes on which I am still working. It helped resolve that Donne Sacks died, four years ago in Port Elizabeth, as confirmed over the phone by his widow, who is now in Cape Town.

The High School Tour was thoroughly appreciated by all the guys and they said so.

Donations have been made to both schools and sent with letters of appreciation for the tours:

High School R1 000.Primary School R500.

The Dinner

November 5, 2005 – 6.30pm – Swiss Club – Green Point Common.

All those on the school tours were now joined by Louis Alers, Stan Boiskin, Karl Coetzee, Okko De Jamaer, Neville Jackson, Kenn Sara and Alan Weeden. We were 19 in all and �0 with Dr John Gibbon, our Speaker, who is a past-pupil, head prefect and principal of the school. What better speaker could we have in someone who knows the school from many angles and was only two years ahead of us as a “learner” — to use today’s terminology.

A g a i n there were a number who had to intro-duce them-selves but Gra-ham Barends, waiting at the door for last-minute pay-ments, had name tags for each of us. A good deal of time was spent just chatting and reminiscing over pre-dinner drinks. There was also a memorabilia table. It was the old photos that seemed to have the most appeal. John Forsyth was our MC and called us to our seats at the table at 7.45pm. The table layout was in the form of a “U” with a TV monitor at the mouth. The décor was also in the school’s colours of black, red and gold. There was wine on the tables and our MC told us that Teddy Varkel, although not able to attend, had sent funds for a round of drinks, which was much appreci-ated. Keith had a word of welcome particularly for those who had come from overseas – Anton Pimstone (London) and Cyril Weinkove (Manchester). There was also a spe-cial word for Karl Coetzee (by air from Pretoria), David Crompton (by road from P.E.), Eric Hoffman and David Riach, both from Stanford (beyond Hermanus), Okko De Jamaer from Napier near Bredasdorp and Alan Weeden from Hermanus. Two others in Robert Price (Naval Gym

from 1954) and Kenn Sara (Naval Gym from 1955) were also warmly welcomed. They, too, had been classmates for most of our High and Junior School years.

After we were seated, the first thing that happened was a slide presentation of those classmates who were known to have died. It was such a touching experience that Louis Alers, who prepared these presenta-tions, was asked to rerun the pictures of the eight colleagues, which he had “lifted’ out of class photos of 1955. They were Ralph Burton, Trevor Flight, Geoffrey Gluckman, Cecil Kasmai, Norman Marine, Geof-frey Sagorsky, Leonard Samols and Brian Thomas. Unfortunately we did not have a photo of Donne Sacks. The MC then asked us to stand for a moment in silent remembrance. This was followed by a show of those who were not present, again using photos lifted out of 1955 group photos. In addition each 1955 individual photo was followed by a “now” photo where they had been provided. The contrasts at times were unrecognisable but the experience certain-ly kept us entertained and many unsolic-ited comments were heard from around the table. Stan Boiskin’s “now” photo was unique in that it was of four generations of

Gerald Silber

Kenn Sara (left) and Robert Price

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men in the family, including Stan’s father in his 90s. Thanks to those who sent in their “now” photos.

Our MC read out notes of apologies and good wishes from absent classmates, including one from Gus Milner (’54) who phoned Keith that morning. They had been in contact several times over the past year since before the 1954 50th reunion, which Gus organised. It was also held at the Swiss Club in November ‘54. Oth-er well wishes, received too late for the newsletters, included ones from Arnold Simanowitz from London whom we discovered was awarded an OBE (congrats Arnold) and Russell Brown, our retired dentist from Amsterdam. At this point Keith expressed thanks to the individuals who had assisted him on the committee. Louis had suggested and produced the slide shows. Graham Barends had been a great enthusiast and treasurer and the committee had met in his home each time. Each member of the committee had made a contri-bution. Other members were Stan Boiskin, John Forsyth, Neville Jackson, Don Nicholls and Graham Veitch.

Grace, said by Keith, followed and we then moved into the starter. All food was served buffet style and our MC said that we could swap seating to mix as we wished. But few did, as the size of the party and seating layout made for a convenient cohesive group. Keith briefly introduced Dr John Gibbon who really needed no introduction. He was principal from 197� to 1977 with 1975 as a sabbatical study year when he obtained his doctorate from Charlottesville in the USA. John talked about his time at the school. His introduction was a little rough as the school was in a run-down state when he took over. Mr Dodd’s health had not been good when he retired and both the physical condition of the premises and discipline in the school had deterio-rated. Mr. “Tommy” Thomspon was acting headmaster and pressurised John to come and take over. On arrival John called in the prefects, during the year-end holidays before the school reopened, to come and do clean-up work. Some parents were also involved. Such was his introduction to Sea Point Boys’, having come from vice principalship at Westerford, which was, and still is, co-ed. John is a firm be-liever in the co-ed principle although single gender schools have their advantages. Co-ed schools have the additional benefit of enabling pupils to learn wider social skills. John talked about various teachers while he was both a pupil and Principal. This often caused comments to be passed from those present especially regarding Tommy Thomp-son with his “Boy, boy,” “Cowboy” Quinn and his dramatic presentations, Peter Gilowey, a quiet unassuming but very effective maths teacher, Fanie van Heerden with his unique thumbs and Joey Joubert whom John and his classmates discovered was quite an accomplished pianist. During this phase of John’s presentation, amid all the interjections, Tubby Silber even quoted one of the maths theorems he remembered.

It was during John’s time as principal that the school reached its highest enrolment of 534 pupils. He had also made several attempts at merging Ellerslie with the boys but the education authorities would not budge during the

1970s. It ultimately happened in 1989. John also talked to us about his present involvement with dis-advantaged schools and training for new syllabi and school man-agement. He travels fairly widely in South Africa and overseas and is involved with the Abe Bai-ley Trust. He mentioned that all four of his children are qualified teachers. Ms Kaichis, on our High School tour, said John Gibbon had done a tremendous amount for education in South Africa. Our MC then thanked him and presented him with a gift voucher as a token of appreciation.

The main course followed after which John Forsyth as MC invited anyone who had not sent in ‘his story’ for publication through the newsletters, to tell us about their journey since leaving school.

Graham Barends, from his wheelchair, was first. He is often asked what happened to him. He said that a few years after leaving school he had contracted polio. (He gave it its specific name.) He is a great sports lover and often played open league and school games on the same day. On con-tracting the disease it was said he would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He spent a year in hospi-tal including time in Conradie Hospital in Pinelands. But then got about on crutches and has only resorted to a wheel-chair full-time in recent years. One admires his indomitable courageous spirit. Whereas some need hip or knee replace-ments, he said he needed elbow replacements. Because of loss of ability in his arms he now uses the wheelchair full-time. He worked for Protea Assurance all his life. Soon after school he realised he must ma-triculate so set about it d i l i g e n t l y after hours and was suc-cessful this time. His ca-reer saw him transferred to many ma-jor centres in South Africa. He has two sons from his first mar-riage. One lives in Cape Town and is married with children. The other is the man-ager of a major synagogue in London although he is not Jewish. He is over qualified for that job having obtained arts and law degrees at UCT where he was highly active in the SRC, once being nominated for president. Louis Alers followed telling us that he had worked all his career at Old Mutual in various departments finishing up in computer systems. He married late and his wife is 15 years younger than himself. They have two children. His daughter was

Karl Coetzee

John Gibbon

Page 9

married on 1/10/�005 and his son is preparing for the An-glican ministry although Louis’ family is Dutch Reformed. It was Louis who proposed the slide show and prepared it. Well done Louis! You experienced the appreciation.

Photographs: Throughout there was much clicking of cameras and at times, particularly on the High School tour, group photos were taken. We even used one of the grounds staff to click for us there.

The committee expected that a few of the guys would leave earlyish but that most would stay around the pub and reminisce further. Well, age must be telling as one or two began to move off around 11.30pm. Before the party began to break up John Forsyth and Graham Barends expressed thanks to Keith for initiating and organising the event. So many guys were really appreciative of it and said so. A mag-nificent and impressive framed citation bigger than A3, a work-of-art certificate, was presented to Keith for all that

he had done. It is beautifully done in calligraphy. Graham Barends probably initiated it and must be congratulated on the idea and for arranging it. It carries the names of all involved, in their categories as known at the time namely: in attendance, unable to attend, untraced, deceased and guest speaker. Keith’s name stands boldly near the top and it thanks him for his efforts. He was also presented with gift vouchers.

In closing we sang the school song well, accompanied by Keith on the piano.

Now all began to move off and farewells were said as this greatly appreciated event came to a close. Many have since sent e-mails or phoned their thanks and congratula-tions to Keith but be aware its success was indeed a team effort.

This reunion was �3 months in the making and turned out to be a great experience. Till next time, which could

“The Jewish Connection”: Neville Jackson, Anton Pimstone, Stan Boiskin, Gerald Silber and Cyril Weinkove

Left: David Crompton, Anton Pimstone, Stan Boiskin, Alan Weeden

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Graham Barends, Eric Hoffman, Karl Coetzee

be a combined effort with the 1954 and/or 1956 groups, let me express again my thanks for the pleasure, privilege and help in being able to stage this terrific event. I’m sor-ry others were not able to be with us. I am thankful for my schooling and the personal development afforded me through my school days and the role you all played in it.

Loudly your voices raise,Her name and fame to praise,Sea Point School of our youthful days. Sea Point! Sea Point! Sea Point!

Keith EvettsNovember �005

From left: David Crompton, Okko De Jamaer (striped hockey color blazer still fitted!), Alan “Tox” Weeden, Graham Veitch and Don Nicholls.

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Citation presented to Keith Evetts

Page 1�

O ur stories

Here, in our own words, are our stories since we left Sea Point Boys’ High School in

1955. They reflect our diversity, our varied desires and our wide-ranging destinations,

but a common element underlines all of them: Our formative years spent together in

a high school that taught us as much about life as it did about science or language.

We have achieved much in our own ways and we owe at least some of that success

to what we learned from our teachers and from one another five decades ago.

Thank you Sea Point Boys’ High for bringing us together.

Back then. And now.

Much of the information found in the “Looking back” sections of this booklet were taken from Beneath the Lion Bold compiled by Frank Quinn and edited by Conrad Lighton. It was published in 1963

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L ouis Alers

Looking back

On the sunny shores of Africa,Beneath the Lion bold,Where rollers race, and rage, and roar,As they’ve done from days of old,There stands a school not old in years,Nor famed in verse or song;But in sport, and pluck on Flanders’ fields,It holds tradition strong.

Chorus:Loudly your voices raiseHer name and fame to praise!Sea Point! School of our youthful daysSea Point! Sea Point! Sea Point!

The School Song

When we’ve wandered far to distant lands,We’ll think of the days of yore;Of the lazy lap of the ocean waveAs it sings to the sun-kissed shore.As in fancy we roam o’er the health-clad slopes,And dream old dreams again,Clear on the summer-scented breezeIs borne that old refrain.Chorus

May her sons be strong, and straight, and true,In work as well as play;Clean-lived, clean-tongued, brave Afric’s sonsIs the simple prayer we pray.As years roll by, old friends we greet,And live those days again,Still in our hearts in memory sweetWill sound the old refrain.

Words by Mrs. D. YoungComposed by N.R. Ingleby, F.R.C.O.

On leaving school I immediately started work at Old Mutual. I worked in various departments starting in one of the Pensions Departments and thereafter a brief stay in New Business(ironocally I landed up looking after the New Business processing System when I started in the Systems area) thereafter to Claims where I spent 17 years looking after payments to Annuitants being instrumental in the computerising of the annuity payment and account-ing system. In 1981 I moved into the computer systems area as a Business/Systems analyst with the task of looking after the New Business System. I was also involved in the automation of a link to the premium and benefit calcula-tion system ( all of this was on ICL).

Sometime in the 1990s it was decided to rewrite the whole New Business System (on IBM). Again I was com-pletely involved. I also got to know quite a number of other systems that impact New Business.

I retired in Decenber 1997 after 4� years service. I married late (at age 38) and my wife is 15 years younger than myself ( She is from Fouriesburg in the OFS).

We have two children. Our daughter was married on

1/10/�005 and our son is preparing for the An-glican min-istry although my family is Dutch Reformed. At the mo-ment, however, he is working as a town and district planner in George.

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I only had one “boss” all my working career, the Protea Assurance, 44 years, and moved all over the country.

At one stage my next door neighbour in Johan-nesburg was Mike Levett Old Mutual) whom I knew from Clifton and CBC school days.

I retired when the company was sold to Mutual and Federal in 1996 and have enjoyed every minute of retire-ment.

I don’t know how I found time to work!!

G raham Barends

Looking back

The 1955 rugby team included Graham Barends, John Forsyth, Sydney Klein, Tom Metrowich, Stan Boiskin, David Riach, Cecil Kasmai and Brian Thomas: can you spot them?

Rugby team, 1955

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I arrived at Sea Point Boys’ Junior when I was 1� af-ter my family decided to make a new living in South Africa away from ration books (UK) — not knowing

we would be faced with boerewors, droevleis, biltong and other mysterious culinary delights.

Straight after matric I joined the Chamber of Mines on their learner officials’ scheme and stayed in Welkom on a gold mine for four years acquiring a blasting certificate, which I still have and is still valid!

Then a year on O’kiep Copper Mine in Namaqualand where I found a most precious gem, my wife Kay who was nursing at De Beers diamond mines at Kleinzee, Nam-aqualand.

Together we returned to Cape Town, to marry, and where I spent a year at UCT. And then a year trying to make ends meet, which included a few months diving for perlemoen off Robben Island — I did not see Mr Man-dela. Another stretch selling life assurance and another driving hire cars with Okko De Jamaer before joining the Cape Argus in 1963.

Thus began a 35-year writing career. Court reporting and sports at the start together with

work on the weekend magazine (Graham Fysh was one of my colleagues).

Then off to Kimberley where I was news editor, but being such a small paper every job came my way from city council to political meetings. I enjoyed amateur dramatics there, too.

The last stint was in Durban with the Natal Mercury — then one of the few independent papers. Most of the

�5 years was in the finance department where I be-came finance editor. In the final years when the paper merged with the Daily News I was investment editor. As a sideline I ed-ited a trade magazine — Diamond News and S A Jeweller — for the �5 years I was in Durban.

Retirement loomed and tough decisions faced us. Our two sons had left for London 10 years before; should we go there or might it be Ireland where Kay had ancestral roots and which we had visited several times and loved deeply?

In the end we chose the South West of England: Plymouth where the Pilgrim Fathers set off for America. We have been here since 1998 and while not having the Devonian accent, yet, feel a part of the scene.

Our sons are both in telecommunications: Jeffrey works in the bowels of the John Lewis department store keeping their computer system going; Patrick is with Ca-ble and Wireless working all over London keeping their installations in order and installing new systems.

I still work (but not very hard!) as a publisher’s proof-reader and we both enjoy good health apart from a minor stroke for me some four years ago.

We’re also keen members of our local Methodist church.

Unless we win the Lottery we won’t be at the Reunion; however I take this chance to send greetings to everyone, en veels geluk.

D avid Beverley

Looking back

Originally the school colours seem to have been blue and white, but early in the school history — at least before 1895 — they were changed to red and black.In 1905 the Sea Point Municipal Council permitted the school to adopt the arms of Green and Sea Point. For the school motto was chosen the beautiful medieval maxim Labo-rare est orare — To work is to pray.Both crest and motto appeared on the prizes awarded at the end of the year. The present school badge dates from 1916 and was designed by Mr. R. F. Keet.

The school badge

Page 16

I started my school career at Dean Street Primary (now SACS I believe), and moved to Sea Point Primary half way thru Std. 4. I completed my schooling at Sea Point

through to matric. Along with Keith Evetts and Ralph Burton I opted for woodwork and must say that it was the most valuable (if not the only) life skill I acquired during my School Career — apart from the obvious things like reading and writing.

After school I joined the Cape Town City Council as a trainee draughtsman in the survey office, soon after switched to surveying. In 1957 I joined the CPA Roads Dept. where I qualified as an engineering surveyor, during that time I was based mainly in small towns like Oudt-shoorn, Malmesbury, Beaufort West, Laingsburg, Union-dale etc., etc. What I didn’t learn about Afrikaans at school I quickly made up for during that time. My career in sur-veying spanned a period of 40 years including nine years as a lecturer in surveying at a Technicon, several years as a site agent for a construction company, building railway lines, bridges and tunnels.

For the rest I was employed as a survey consultant with reference mainly to civil engineering projects. As a conse-quence I was seriously involved in the development of the Richards Bay complex, including the harbour, major roads, residential and industrial townships, rail and mining de-velopment. I also spent considerable time and effort on as-

pects of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. My career as a surveyor has taken me to many out of the way loca-tions including Kaokoland, the northern reaches of Venda, the Makgadigadi pans and the shores of Lake Malawi.

I have lived and worked in places most of us never even visit, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain too much about having to leave the beautiful Cape at an early age. My two sons, now both in their late 30s, were born in Bethlehem in the OFS, and they attended schools in Richards Bay, Somerset West and Pretoria. I was married in 1964 to a Somerset West girl, Janet Kilfoil who endured the gypsy life valiantly. Eventually, once the boys had flown the coup she went out to work in the food industry, and went on to establish a successful sensory evaluation consultancy. At the time of her death two years ago she was recognised as a leading authority in that field.

My elder son Charl is an attorney, and his younger brother Justin a director of a cellular communications com-pany in Mozambique. I no longer work and live alone with my friend and companion, a gorgeous Staffie bitch called Muffin, on a golf estate east of Pretoria. I still maintain a reasonable level of fitness and do my 40 minutes a day at the local Virgin Activ. My hobby and passion is cooking Mediterranean and Asian cuisine and I enjoy a good bottle of red wine.

Karl Coetzee

Looking back

Chronicle staff

The Chronicle staff about 1955: Top row (from left): Selwyn Margolis, Gerald Sil-ber, Neville Jackson, Ralph Burton, Cecil Kasmai.Front row (from left): Stan Boiskin, Leonard Samols, Cyril Weink-ove, Arnold Simanow-itz, Russell Brown.Right in front: Graham Fysh

Page 17

D avid Crompton

After I left school I joined Barclays Bank. In 1957 I was transferred to Rhodesia. In 1959 I asked for, and received a transfer back to Cape Town.

On December 31, 1965, I met my Norwegian wife. Her name is Gro. I dated her four times. She then went home to Oslo. On the �9th of January I proposed by tele-phone, and we were married in September of that year.

I was transferred to Johannesburg in 1971, where I was eventually appointed Fleet Manager.

As some of you may know my parents ran a mission-ary home in Cape Town for many years. We were able to carry on this work in Johannesburg-Sandton, servicing a number of Norwegian missionaries, who were working in Swaziland.

I finally retired from FNB as Group Fleet Manager in 1998, and been a happy pensioner ever since. We moved to Port Elizabeth soon thereafter, as many of my family now live here.

We have two daughters and three grandchildren. The elder one is married to a pastor in Norway. They are plan-ning to move to Port Elizabeth with the grandchildren at the end of the year, where he is planning to work among the Coloured youth.

Our younger daughter is a diplomat for the SA Dept

of Trade and Indus-try, and lives in Ge-neva.

We purchased a motorhome in 1999, which we keep in Norway, and spend our winters touring Europe.

Last year we did a grand tour of Britain, a distance of 5500 km. We started in Newcastle, drove up to Loch Ness, and then came down the west coast all the way to Lands End. From there to London, and then back to Newcastle to catch the ferry back to Norway.

We had a wonderful time. This year we did a tour from Norway to Sicily and

back, a distance of 1�000 kilometres. We were particular-ly impressed with Sicily, with its marvellous mosaics and Greek temples. It was also exciting to go up Mount Etna to a height of �900 metres, and look down into the most recent crater.

My daughter and her Norwegian husband are now in PE, so we have our grandchildren on our doorstep. He is opening a youth centre in Uitenhage next month.

Anthony Dodd, M.A., M.Ed.

Headmaster

After being on the staff of Selborne College, East London, Mr. Dodd served his apprentice-ship as headmaster first in charge of the second-ary school at Peddie and then at the Union High School, Graff-Reinet.

In 1947 he was appointed successor to Mr. R. Graham, who served as headmaster of Sea Point Boys High School from 1938 to 1947.

Mr. Dodd was chosen to tackle the ardu-ous role of the peace-time reconstruction of the school. The buildings were badly in need of repair and replacement.

During his time a new wing was opened in 1948 and the new school hall was built.

Looking back

Page 18

O kko de Jamaer

Looking back

Rewrote Matric in 1956, JMB type matric, changing all contentious subjects i.e. went for Nederlands and Afrikaans in the higher grade and English in

the lower grade! Maths, Geog and Science stayed, the re-sult: First class pass and no problem entering U.C.T.

Read Architecture after a so-called gap year to accu-mulate funds. After first year took a part-time job with African Car Hire doing the evening taxi shift for three nights a week. Any pracs that had to be done were accom-plished between calls. This was pretty interesting stuff and not nearly as bad as the present lot. Life was full and the studies continued apace.

Then I landed a practical year job with an architectural firm in Windhoek where John Forsyth was doing a similar stint in the quantity surveying field; that was 1963.

1964 saw me up in Windhoek again after getting mar-ried to Yvonne. We worked and explored the Namib for the period through to Dec 1965 when I returned to Cape Town to write my architectural thesis on an abattoir for the town of Okahandja in the centre of the substantial beef rearing region of Namibia. Got the mortar board and the piece of paper.

My architectural career took off with Tygerberg Hospi-tal drawing the details of sluice rooms and other mundane details. Experience was the in thing and us young architects worked for various firms before settling down to the seri-ous stuff. 1968 started well with a new boss. My father was also an architect and worked for well known firm in Cape Town. I was invited to join them and landed (no pun) right

in the middle of the new design for the then D . F . M a l a n Airport. Quite a challenge as this was to be a very extensive upgrading. During this pe-riod of airport design and planning the firm handed me the additional tasks of various churches, schools and other projects spread throughout R.S.A. and the then S.W.A. My architectural mark spreads from Cape Town to Tsumeb and into Etosha.

In this busy time we raised two sons who are now 34 and 3� unmarried, (hoi have I got a boychik for you!) and working from Hout Bay where the family lived for some 30 years.

Before my semi retirement in 1999 I filled the post of Building Control Officer, City of Cape Town, a con-sultancy and regulatory post. In �000, the boys out of the house, we moved out into the country, Napier in the Over-berg. My architectural practice continues apace, but sadly after 39 years my wife left for the U.K and me to my own devices.

During all of the above time I was involved in the founding with others, Hout Bay Yacht Club and the N.S.R.I station 8 in Hout Bay. Mountaineering which is still a large part of my health kick has led me to almost all of the high points in the Western Cape.

Hockey team, 1952

Back row: UnidentifiedSecond row: Hubert Davies, Teddy Varkel, unidentified, Anton Pimstone, Graham FyshSeated: Unidentified, Russell Brown, Loftus Owen-Wahl, Robert Kneen, Hilary Fortes.

Page 19

Started school (at Sea Point Junior) in 1944. Lived at �3 Upper Rhine Road with the Junior School just over the open field. E D Smith was Principal

while teachers included Huggett, Botha, Wilkinson, Meal-ies v d Merwe, Huisamen, Hart and Misses Orderman, Davids, Luchkoff, Mrs Copling and Lennox the janitor who distributed the cheese and dried fruit - school feed-ing scheme. Danie Botha became Principal of a Pinelands Primary School where my 3 children attended. I served on that School Committee with him. He died of cancer a few years back but his widow still lives here. I met up with Len-nox at the Langa Methodist church about 15 years ago.

Scouting : Several of us were in the �nd Green and Sea Point Cub Pack (Red). The 7th (Green) and 3rd (Blue) Groups were prominent with the 10th (Yellow) which was the Jewish Group. A number of our school colleagues were part of the 5th Group (Black). I spent 6 months in the �nd scouts under Fatty Rutter. In Pinelands I joined the 1st Group and am grateful for my scouting experience ending up as Troop Leader and Queen Scout – a long time ago but opportunities I appreciate still today.

In Std. 5 ( June) my family moved to Pinelands. Sig-nificant in that decision was the building of Embassy Court in the open field next to the school on High Level Road. We lost our privacy in the process. I elected to continue at Sea Point Boys’ and traveled by train and bus for 51⁄� years – crazy in part as I look back on it and the time and expense involved but have always been grateful for my school years and the development it afforded. Frank MacClelland was also at Sea Point and lived in Pinelands then.

Working Career: An invitation from a manager of Old Mutual who knew me well, to join his ‘Staff Department’ at Pinelands saw me spend my whole working life there, 17 years of it in Personnel Management, now labeled ‘Human Resources’. Since those days it has become quite technical compared to ‘Personnel Relations’ with its far more human touch when I started. After 3 years I resigned and went to UCT. I had studied through part time lectures and then by correspondence with Unisa. Four years at UCT with a bur-sary from Old Mutual for the �nd, 3rd and 4th years gave me a BA., B.Soc,Sci and Certificated Social Worker qualifi-cation. My syllabus included two years of Xhosa - fascinat-ing. I promptly went back into personnel work at OM to pay off my bursary and never left. I rose through the lower management ranks to Manager Personnel Relations and af-ter 17 years was transferred into policy servicing to broaden my line experience. After premium servicing, new business

K eith Evetts

a n d claims m a n -a g e -m e n t expe-rience I ulti-mate-l y

moved into client servicing and retired as Manager Client Services in the life policies division at middle management level around the time of demutualisation.

Family: My wife (trained nurse) and I have just cel-ebrated our 40th wedding anniversary having lived in the same house in Pinelands from 10 months after we mar-ried. It has had two major extensions and a swimming pool added. We have a married daughter (trained kindergarten teacher with two small boys) and a married son. Both live in Edgemead. Our middle child, a spinster and entrepre-neur in her own right, has a small shop in the Durban-ville area and lives in Table View. All our children are in their 30’s. Perhaps we are one of the few couples with all our children/grandchildren in Cape Town. For that we are grateful and interact with them very happily. We’ve not suffered tragedies in our family as some of you have. Life has been quite straight-forward for which, in a deep sense we are very grateful. Life is however enriched by experi-ences even if they are rough. We learn and grow from them all. Its fascinating how many of the”‘old boys” are overseas and in London.

Touring abroad: While at UCT my fiancée, my par-ents and I visited Rhodesia twice by road (’60 & ’61). In 1977 I took my whole family (wife & 3 children) on 4 months Long Leave to the UK where I was born (Coven-try). We also had two weeks on the continent. I’m thor-oughly South African as my parental family came to RSA when I was 18 months old. I’ve two older brothers – the eldest emigrated back to the UK over 30 years ago with his RSA born wife and two sons. The other has lived in Gauteng for most of his married life. Both brothers went to Sea Point from Junior school levels. In �000, with my wife and middle child, I spent five weeks in a campervan

Continued on next page

Page �0

touring the UK and then 6 weeks in the USA (Washing-ton DC area) with our elder daughter and her family who were on assignment there for 14 months. They could have stayed but thankfully for grandparents they chose to return – and before 9/11.

Outside of family and work, my wife and I have been heavily involved in the leadership and activities of Pinelands Methodist Church (where we were married) for around 40 years. I played the organ there for my first service at Easter 1955 and have been playing for most of the years since. I’m currently the only organist but with choirs no longer the “in” thing and (youth) bands involved in the evenings, I play regularly for morning services only. I’m a rank ama-teur never having written any music exams although I’ve taken a good few lessons. I’m foremost a member of the congregation and as such, fully active.

Most of you will have health issues in your history. I’ve been very fortunate and been in hospital for only two mornings - removal of a granuloma (burr caused by strained singing) from my vocal chord and this year the lens in my left eye was replaced because of cataract. I can see better through that eye than my right now but must still wear reading glasses. That op was a piece of cake un-der local anaesthetic using eye drops. There have been no heart attacks or major issues (yet).

In retirement: In 1998 we had a shell of a holiday cot-tage built at Franskraal beyond Gansbaai (beyond Herma-

nus). It’s double story for view purposes but was unpainted, had no floorboards upstairs and only the electrical work done. My son (a trained plumber) did the plumbing – some bits still to be finished – while I put in the staircase and upstairs floor on the already present joists — hung 7 internal doors and done a good deal of other development work since. I still need to put up decks - there is a french-door upstairs with no deck yet. My school woodwork and father’s trade background have proved very useful.

From previous page

Looking back

Many of us took part in the WELCOME sign formed of children sitting on Signal Hill when the royal family visited Cape Town on February 17, 1947

Were you there?

Page �1

This 1962 picture of the headmaster and staff, taken about sev-en years after we left the school, includes a number of our teachers and one of our fellow pupils. Ones we recog-nized were:Seated: Ferguson, Gilowey, Quinn, Dodd, Joubert, ThompsonStanding: J.J. van Rens-burg, Basie Olivier.Back row: Tom Metro-wich, Leslie Le Butt and Alf Schickerling.

Looking back

ohn ForsythJMatriculated in 1955 and then joined Babbs,Labdon

& Partners, a firm of professional Quantity Sur-veyors as a student Quantity Surveyor attending

the University of Cape Town part-time and qualified in 1960. During this time I was balloted and did my ACF training in the Navy stationed on the Bluff in Durban.

After qualification I worked as a QS in Cape Town and also did a six month stint in Windhoek, still South West Africa in those days to earn extra money to be able to travel overseas.

In December 196� I sailed with Lisette Rauch, my wife to be to Southampton, England on the Cape Town Castle on an Overseas Visitors Club chartered voyage and spent 1963 working for a QS firm in London and travel-ling through the British Isles and the Continent. We went from England across to Norway, down through Europe to Greece, across Europe to Spain and back to England a dis-tance of 10 000 miles, all in a BMW Isetta bubble car.

Returned home down the East coast of Africa on the passenger liner “Europa” in February 1964 and Lisette and I got engaged and I went to work again in Windhoek and married in Cape Town in August 1964 and returned to Windhoek to set up home.

Became a partner in an QS firm in Windhoek and

stayed there five years dur-ing which time our three d a u g h t e r s were born and the fam-ily returned to Cape town in 1969.

Set up a QS practice in Cape Town and stayed there as a partner until 1990 and then resigned from the prac-tice and joined Cape of Good Hope Bank and set up and managed the Project Co-ordination Department in their Property Division until I retired in �001.

On our return to Cape Town we stayed in Tamboers–kloof for five years and then moved to Camps Bay at the end of 1975 where we still are 30 years later and are greatly enjoying our retirement. We are very fortunate that our three daughters with their families (eight grandchildren in total ) are all still living in Cape Town and the farthest we have to travel to see family is our one daughter who lives in Stellenbosch.

Headmaster and staff, 1962

Page ��

G raham Fysh

After graduating from high school (he’s Ameri-canised! – Ed.) and obtaining a BA in English at UCT, I worked as a reporter for The Cape Ar-

gus from 1959 to 197�, covering the magistrates’ courts and the Supreme Court. I covered the first Kasmai case. In 1965-66 I took a year off to earn a master’s degree at Columbia School of Journalism in New York City. I also covered the world’s first successful heart transplant, ghost wrote a daily column in Philip Blaiberg’s name, which was published around the world, and ghost wrote a book, “My Life With Phil,” for his wife, Eileen.

After a stint in business reporting I was appointed political reporter. When I left I was covering Parliament for the entire Argus Group. In January 1973 I joined the weekly To the Point newsmagazine in Johannesburg where, after a few years I became news editor. I resigned in protest in 1979 when it was revealed that the magazine had been started with government money.

After working for a brief while at The Star, I became political correspondent for the Financial Mail. In August 1980 my family and I left for the U.S.A. where I earned an MA in communications at the University of Washington in Seattle.

We settled into life in Seattle really well. The children were happy so we decided to stay if we could. I succeeded in obtaining a position on a temporary working visa at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the second largest daily in Washington State, where I was appointed business editor. They applied for permanent residency (green card) for me, but it failed.

Anxious for permanent residency, I applied to several universities and obtained the position of assistant professor of journalism at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Penn-sylvania and obtained permanent residency.

After two years I wanted to get back into daily journal-ism and to the Pacific Northwest. I moved to Tacoma where I worked as business editor and later business columnist for The News Tribune for 1� years. During that time I wrote a book, “How business owners succeed – and how you can too” based on interviews I had with 1�0 small businesses in Pennsylvania and the Puget Sound area. I self-published it and sold copies when I spoke at the local chambers of

commerce and Rotary meetings.

After a brief stint at onvia.com, writing a column on small business, I joined the head office in Tacoma (south of Seattle) of Russell Investment Group (formerly Frank Russell Company) as senior public relations manager, where I am still working. Russell, which has offices around the world including Johannesburg, is the world’s leading pension advisory company and most of the world’s largest companies are our clients – one client in RSA is Telkom.

We also run 44 multi-manager unit trusts and provide indexes to track stock movements. In RSA we partner with Investment Solutions and sell through Liberty Life. My job is to write articles in the names of our senior analysts and place them in magazines/newspapers as well as on rus-sell.com. I also write other material for publication, such as the commentary on our quarterly survey of manager senti-ment. I am not sure when I will retire.

My family: I met my wife, Marcia, who is from New-lands, while I was still living with my parents in Bantry Bay. We married in 196� and have three children all of whom are married with children and live in the Greater Seattle area. We have seven grandchildren.

Our youngest son, Gavin, owns two companies that he founded — Tribal Scream, which specialises in graphic and web design (Microsoft is a major client), and Church Web Works, which provides Internet services for churches. The company is growing and he now has five employees.

Our oldest son, Steve, runs Church Web Works where he does all the programming and technical support, and my son-in-law Jerry, married to our daughter Carolyn, is sales manager of Church Web Works. Marcia does the bookkeeping for both Gavin’s companies – quite a family affair. Carolyn teaches Grade 4 at a Christian school in Tacoma.

We are both well and are regular attenders at a local church.

Looking back

In 1948 the Administration doubled the accommodation of the school for about £11,000 (R22 000). Eight years later the hall cost about £28,000 (R56 000).

Page �3

It looks like so many of our children live overseas. My two live in Israel, in a suburb of Tel Aviv. My daughter is married with a daughter and another son is due at

the end of April. My son is an estate agent in Tel Aviv but a bachelor

enjoying each day as it comes.I qualified as a chartered accountant in 1961, got mar-

ried the following year and was in private practice in Bell-ville until early 199�.

I was always involved with property and started an es-tate agency along the Atlantic coast where I have always lived. A Sea Point boy through and through. Divorced, but together with Estelle for 15 years now.

My latest property venture is the upgrading of an office building on the corner of Loop Street and Short Market Street which was vacant and vandalised and which I have now got 95% let.

So if you or any of the old boys are passing 55 Short Market Street, stop in and we can have a cup of coffee and catch up.

N eville Jackson

Looking back

1952: School participated in the mass P.T. display and combined choir of the Van Riebeeck Tercentenary Festival on the Cape Town Foreshore. Old school building demolished. 1953: Classical Music Society formed at the school. 1954: Site chosen for the Memorial Hall with frontage on Blackrock Road facing seaward.

1955: Work on Memorial Hall begins.

1956: The new school hall is opened.

Memorable events

Page �4

I lived in Sea Point till the age of 3� and then bought a bungalow in Bakoven which I renovated and in which I still live.I worked for Garlicks for about two years, went over-

seas for six months and then joined Readers Digest for �6 years. I then joined Chandling International (part of Ren-nies Group) and was there for 10 years until they closed us down. I then joined Cape Town Ship Suppliers and am still there as financial manager after nine years service. Passed my CIS in the sixties and have been in the financial game ever since.

I am a founder member of the National Sea Rescue Institute and am still active after 36 years — coxswain of the rescue boat at Bakoven — despite the aches and pains associated with growing older. It has been a major part of my life for over 36 years and I am loathe to give it up.

I had huge problems three years ago when a shoulder prosthesis, which had been inserted a few years earlier, had to be removed due to major infection. I went into multiple organ failure twice during the month — I was in intensive care and only the prayers of the many prayer groups saved my life.

I now do not have a ball and socket in the shoulder and have limited movement but plenty of strength. Unfortu-nately after a relatively pain-free two and a half years, pain

started up again last September so I may have to have another operation. I guess I may be forced to give up active sea rescue in the not too distant future!!

My brother Tony died of cancer about seven years ago as did my father over �0 years ago. My mother died of old age about five years ago.

I married in 1976 (no children) but have been sepa-rated for the past �0 years although my wife and I remain good friends.

D on Nicholls

Looking back

K. Evetts (head prefect)D.W. Riach (vice head prefect)C.B. BeukesP. Boxall (jnr)R.J. BrownW.J. ForsythJ.H. de Gouveia (jnr)S. Handler (jnr)

E.F. HoffmanC. KasmaiD.J. NichollsG.A. Rabie (jnr)L.C. SamolsB.L. ThomasC. WeinkoveM.R. Wyness (jnr)

1955 Prefects

Page �5

In 1956 I joined an export and import company in Cape Town and in 1961 I went to Europe for two years. To get to the UK I washed dishes on the Warwick Castle,

settled in Earls Court and did a variety of jobs to earn enough to live. I spent six months as a cook with D H Evans in Oxford Street where I met the girl I was to marry in 1963.

We bought a house in Pinelands, 49 Eastway and I joined a small packaging company as a salesman/repair-man/delivery boy doing everything I could to build the business.

In 1968 the company was growing and the directors in Johannesburg offered me shares, which I bought and continued to buy whenever opportunity arose.

I went to the University of Life spending those two years in Europe where I learnt a lot and knew I had to settle down in RSA and graft out a future. I grew in the company, pushing the board to expand and cover the whole of RSA. The company. became very successful and we sold the business in 1988. I had been on the main board for 15 years as National Sales Director having moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg in 1979.

As I knew the business from A – Z I stayed on until 1993 when I retired at 55. I am turning 67 in Jan. �005 so have been retired 11 years.

We had two daughters who have successful careers. Ros performed well at tennis and reached the last 18 as a

junior at Wimbledon. She won a scholar-ship to Miami Univer-sity and won three “All American” titles in doubles. She met the young Pro Direc-tor of Miami University, got married and they now have four children and live in Dallas.

Our youngest, Nancy, took up modeling and was run-ner up to Miss RSA in the 80s. Lives in PE and has three children. Her husband died of a heart attack three years ago so things are tough.

Unfortunately I got divorced after 38 years so moved to Stanford in �001. I joined Rotary in Hermanus and work a lot with underprivileged children and the elderly. I’m also on the committee of Bird Life in Stanford and the Hermanus Bird Club. I’ve studied birds since the early 80s, attending lectures with all the top RSA birders.

I bought a share in a game farm in Umbabat in the Greater Kruger Park in 1988 and have a wonderful up-market bush house with partners on the farm of about �000 hectares.

Stanford is a quiet village – nice people. I also spend time in Hermanus where I have family. I visit my daugh-ter every year in the U.S. – three weeks in their condo in Florida and three weeks in Texas. My son-in-law is the Pro Director for the Dallas Cowboys – NFL football - and has been very successful.

D avid (Tabby) Riach

Looking back

The Memorial Hall

In 1955, work started on the new hall, which was built on the so-called “tennis court site” on Black-rock Road, seen on the left. The new hall was formally opened on November 9, 1956. It cost about £28,000 (R56 000).

Page �6

G erald Silber

My working carreer can be divided into four phas-es.

The printing Industry The Supermarket In-dustry The Industrial Chemical Industry and finally the Laundry Industry.

I am now retired.I have been married 38 years now and my wife Celia

and I have two wonderful children:A boy -Bradley, 35, and a girl Simone, 3�. Both are

married. Simone has three children and Bradley has just married and we are waiting to be presented with grand-children on his side.

Celia still runs a large direct sales business. But we make time to visit our daughter who now lives in England, especially to see our grandchildren.

Looking back

In 1950 the headmaster was overseas as South African delegate to a Unesco seminar on history text books in Brussels. During his absence the vice-principal, Mr. Etienne Joubert, acted in his place. It was during this period that the death of General Smuts took place and the event was the occasion of a memorial service held in the quad, and attended also by the girls of Ellerslie. Dr. Jan Dommisse, who in his young days had been sec-retary to the General, paid an eloquent tribute to the work which the great leader had done for South Africa.

In 1952 the school took an active part in the Van Riebeeck Celebrations, and the Senior Certificate class of that year marked the occasion by pre-senting to the school the ship’s bell which marks the passing of the school day.

The year 1953 saw the Christian Union celebrat-ing its 21st birthday, while the Sea Point Chron-icle recorded its 17th year of regular publication — an achievement for something as transient as a school newspaper as distinct from its more conservative companion, the school magazine.

Events you might recall (1)

continued on next page

Page �7

After I left school I became articled to an Attorney in Cape Town and in due course was admitted as an Attorney.

Shortly after that I travelled to Europe and spent six months on a kibbutz in Israel. There I met my wife who came from England and decided to settle in England. I had to requalify as a solicitor in England which I did in 1966. My wife and I then decided to spend a spell in Zam-bia and I worked there as a solicitor for three years.

On returning to England I became a partner in a firm of solicitors in the suburbs – the firm where Anton Pim-stone is now a partner. Subsequently I set up a new part-nership in London with another Capetonian. By 198� I had had enough of legal practice. I became involved with a steering group trying to help victims of medical accidents. The group was gathered together by a playwright who had written a BBC play, based on a true story, about a woman who had had a medical accident – she went into hospital for a sterilisation, her bowel was punctured and she nearly died. She tried to get redress but there was a major cover up by the health service.

There was such a huge reaction to the play that the author decided to set up the group to try and help anyone who had suffered a medical accident and to change the way they were dealt with by the Health Service and health professionals.. We established a Charity with a grant from the Greater London Council for this purpose, called Ac-

tion for Victims of Medical Accidents (AVMA), now known as Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA) and I was its Chief Officer (and only employee for the first six months). We covered any type of medical accident whether an operation going wrong, misdiagnosis or failure to advise properly and whether it was caused by negligence or was a “pure” accident.

The Charity grew and became quite influential in changing the attitudes of the Health Service and, in par-ticular, doctors, towards the problem of medical accidents. As a result patient safety became a priority.

I retired from AVMA at the end of �00� having been awarded an OBE for my work in that field.

I now have a “portfolio”: I am on two Government quangos - a non-Executive Director on the National Pa-tient Safety Agency and a Commissioner on the Commis-sion for Patient and Public Involvement in Health. I am also on the General Medical Council’s Fitness to Practise Committee which deals with errant doctors. I still have time to look after my garden and in n particular to grow vegetables.

On a more personal note I live in the beautiful English countryside near Brighton with my wife Val who is a ther-apist. We have two boys one of whom lives in Spain and two grandchildren aged 5 and 4 whose parents fortunately do not live in Spain!

A rnold Simanowitz

Looking back

Events you might recall (2)

In 1954 the school organized an overseas tour, and during the Christmas vacation a small party under Mr. Smuts enjoyed a hectic trip to Europe.

The school flag dates back to 1951 when a design was chosen and a flag donated by the Std. 10 class, whose names may be seen on a miniature copy of the flag in the supper room. The flag, initially flown only at the pavilion during sports events, has in more recent times become an integral part of the Cadet Corps.

Page �8

C yril Weinkove

Looking back

Hockey team

David Crompton (top row, right), Center row (from left): Kevin Atkinson, Graham Fysh, Neil LurssenFront row: John Harrison (left), Russell Brown (center)

After leaving school I started a mad academic chase to avoid getting into the real world. I completed my BSc and MbChB at Cape Town, came back

after working in Durban for three years to do my special-ist qualification in medicine FCP(SA) and then topped it with a PhD, also at Cape Town University. My grave stone will require an extension to print out my qualifications.

I left for England in 1974 and gained experience in Chemical Pathology to become a Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester in 1978. I retired in �001. I still work part-time at my old Manchester Hospital (Hope Hospital), where I run a Weight Management Clinic, put-ting sick folk on a semi-starvation diet. It is great fun, even if I am overweight myself. This usually cheers my clients.

After two marriages I have three lovely sons (better than anything else I have done) and a partner.

No, I am not marrying again.I became hooked on music at school. Mr Le Butt taught

me the piano which I later abandoned to play the clarinet. I now play in two wind bands and in a clarinet quartet. It

is a wonder-ful hobby. The problem is finding an audience. We usually play in homes for the elderly, where the inmates are too infirm to run away.

Page �9

K enn Sara

I finished school in 1954, having failed Standard 9, and went to the Naval Gym in 1955, where I joined the Permanent Force halfway through the year for a period

of five years.Lhs had many ups and downs, and with two failed

marriages and four kids I have had a bit of fun.My eldest daughter is 47 and my youngest son is 30.After the S.A. Navy I did all manner of foolish things

and ended up 40 years in the textile industry as factory manager in a knitting mill.

At the end of February this year (�004) I decided that I would call working �4 hours on call work a day and re-tired to a small workshop I have in Killarney Gardens, do-ing specialised worked on VW Beetles, cars on which I have been working in my spare time for 43 years.

Apart from a few grey hairs and wrinkles, I think I am pretty much the same as before.

I have a lot of contact with Guy Row, who matriculat-ed from Sea Point in 1954. I also have contact with George Wilson who is an old Sea Point boy.

Looking back

Stephen Honour Prizewinners in our years

1951 Barry Zackon

1952 David Jocelyn Clain

1953 John Gibbon

1954 David Arthur Samols

1955 Keith Evetts