Maritzburg College School Magazine Maritzburg College Magazine 2016 electronic | Page 98

BOARDING
Report by the Director of Boarding
The year 2016 was on the whole another successful one for the 435
boarders and 40 staff who made up the complement of the Maritzburg
College Boarding Establishment, which has entrenched its position as one
of the largest non-private-school boarding establishments in the country.
The BE numbers continued to rise in 2016, from 405 at the end of 2015
to 435 12 months later. The increase in numbers will continue in 2017 to
approximately 455, as ‘Project Madevu’ takes shape, with the construction
of the new Shepstone House commencing in December 2016. Mr G Jelley
has been appointed as the inaugural housemaster of the new boarding
house, and given his enthusiasm and infectiously positive nature, I am sure
that he will make a great success in that position.
At the start of the third term in 2016, the Nathan House boarders were
able to move into the new extension to their boarding house, the building
of which owed much to the inspiration and foresight of the headmaster
and the Governing Body. The completion of the new wing meant that the
100 boys in the house were spread out over an increased living area,
which dramatically reduced the congestion that was a necessary evil for
the first two terms of the year. The common room in Nathan’s is now an
inviting and – dare I say it – stylish place for the boys to relax, especially
over the weekends. It is further enhanced by the addition of its own little
quadrangle, where the boys are able to play hand tennis, braai, kick
a small ball around etc. The additions of 2016 certainly enhanced the
experience for the junior boys in Nathan’s.
One of the great challenges faced by the BE in 2016 was the sporadic
water shortages, which gripped Maritzburg during especially the dry
winter months. Mr K Hackland was full of inspiration and energy, as he
strove to resolve the considerable problems that arose from the inescapable
need each day for hundreds of toilets to be flushed and showers to be
had by the boys. He rose to the challenge admirably, and Jo-Jo tanks
were installed at the kitchen, outside Clark House, at the laundry and at
the sanatorium. Although the boys at times showed a remarkable lack of
fortitude – great was the gnashing of teeth from especially t he senior boys
in Elliott’s whenever restrictions were implemented – I salute Mr Hackland’s
energies and foresight.
One of the highlights of 2016 year was the introduction of the new Sixth
Form dining room in the fully refurbished ‘Crystal Palace’, the cost of which
was borne by Mrs H Lawson, our ever-considerate BE caterer. The new
dining room is a particularly stylish addition to the BE, and the profuse
thanks of the boarders go to Mrs Lawson for her generosity. The cost of the
project was approximately R80 000.
Another new privilege enjoyed by the Sixth Form boys was the introduction
late in the third term of an expanded (yet user-friendly) form of team-testing,
which meant that even the boys in Elliott’s appeared on the team-testing
sheets on Friday nights. After this successful introduction, we will continue
to include the Sixth Formers in the testing of junior boys in 2017. The
Housemaster of Nathan’s, Mr D Larter, has been supportive of this new
development, which is carefully monitored by the staff.
Worth mentioning is the fact that Messrs R Barbour and G Erasmus
attended the annual Southern African Boarding Schools’ conference at
Michaelhouse, and at which the two gentlemen were able to not just learn
of contemporary developments in boarding in SA but also rub shoulders
with fellow boarding masters from around the country.
One of the problems highlighted towards the end of the year was that of
banned substances, which resulted in the immediate implementation of a
new drugs policy early in the fourth term of 2016 and the weekly testing of
boarders from then onwards. This will certainly be an area of focus for the
BE in 2017, as we continue the fight against this scourge.
Another ongoing challenge faced by the BE related to mentoring, and one
could not help but notice that there remains a distance in the relationship
between the average boarder and his boarder master mentor. This is not
entirely unexpected, but certainly more can be done to ensure that those
boarders who need assistance (and there are not many of them in the
College BE) feel that they have someone on the BE staff that they can go to.
The matter of mentoring within the BE will enjoy a particular focus in 2017,
following the special Indaba held by the BE staff in November 2016.
The year ended off with the Sixth Form boys, as they are wont to do,
enjoying an illicit midnight run to Girls’ High School. The tradition of the
‘VC’ is much cherished by College boarders, and over the last few decades
sporadic problems have arisen, involving (inter alia) occasional ill-discipline
by the boys and the presence of dayboys. It has been most heartening to
witness over the last two years the mature, even decorous manner in which
the Sixth Form boarders have undertaken this annual tradition.
In 2016, we bade adieu to a number of senior staff, who had devoted many
years – in some case decades – to the interests of the College boarders:
• First of all, Sister Ann Houghting retired at the end of the year after
devoting 20 years of her career to the BE. Ann was always the epitome
of professionalism, and she had a mother-hen relationship with the boys,
whom she fussed over and attended to for a generation. She also had
an acute awareness of the workings of the brain of the average College
boarder, and had a well-developed sixth sense for detecting when a boy
was genuinely ill or just attempting to sham the upcoming bus trip to
Affies.
• Another great stalwart of the BE who stepped down, albeit only as a
Housemaster, was Mr Piet ‘Snails’ Snyman. Happily, Piet will be staying
on as an Assistant Housemaster, and thus will not be lost to the BE, and
his 15 years as Housemaster of Elliott’s saw him make a considerable
contribution to the development of the modern College BE. A man of firm
views, yet one who remained humane and compassionate, Mr Snyman
did a great job in arguably the most challenging position in the College
BE.
• A former inmate ‘back in the day’ of the fabled Alcatraz, Mr Andre Leroy
gave 13 years’ service to the BE and was a highly-motivated, passionate
and efficient boarder master who had been destined to be the inaugural
housemaster of Shepstone’s. His departure for Uplands College in White
River has deprived the school of a much-respected member of staff, and
we wish him, his lovely wife Liz and their two children, everything of the
best with their relocation to the Lowveld.
• Two other notable departures from the BE in 2016 were Old Boy
stalwarts Messrs Brandon Swart and Ryan Kyle – but they both ‘saw the
light’ soon thereafter and will be returning at the start of 2017, we need
not dwell on their brief absences from our midst.
• Other departures were Messrs Devon van der Merwe for Hilton College,
Caiden Lang for the challenges of beer brewing and Mr Siya Sityana,
and to all three gentlemen go the thanks of the BE community for their
contributions in 2016.
There were a number of staff changes during the course of the year, and by
January 2017 the number of resident staff will have increased from 32 to
40. A notable appointment was that of Mr K Emerson as the Housemaster
of Hudson’s, upon the departure of Mr Swart at the end of the third term.
We wish Mr Emerson a long and happy tenure in charge of College’s
biggest boarding house.
I would also like to salute the efforts made by the parents who are members
of the Boarder Parents Committee (BPC), who met on a termly basis and
ensured that the housemasters and I were kept on our toes. The reports-
back by the parents at meetings were invariably useful to the housemasters,
as was the robust discussion that sometimes ensued. I would like to pay
particular tribute to the outgoing chairman, Mr Richard Ford, whose service
to College over the last decade or so has been considerable. His passion,
energy and guidance over the last while has revived the BPC. In 2017,
Mr Guy McGladdery will be the new man at the helm, and I look forward
to working with him over the next while, given that we have fostered an
excellent working relationship over the last few years .
In closing, while 2016 certainly did throw up a number of challenges,
the BE was able to rise to meet them and by the end of the year we
were able to boast of having made significant progress in a number of
spheres. I would like to express my particular gratitude to the housemasters
and the other BE staff (including the Estates and Administrative staff), who
contributed to a successful year. The BE is able to look forward to the future
with confidence.
Mr M Marwick
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