Parktown Boys' High School


Parktown Boys' High School is a public English medium high school for boys situated in Parktown, a suburb of Johannesburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa. It is one of the oldest schools in Johannesburg. Parktown Boys' sister school is Parktown High School for Girls.

History

North Western Suburbs High School was founded in January 1920, in disused wood and iron buildings which had previously been Police Barracks at the top of Canary Street in Auckland Park. There were eighty-seven pupils in five Form II classes, four for boys and one for girls, with acting Headmaster, C. Hare. The site is now occupied by the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
The Acting Director of Education, W.E.C. Clarke, the Inspector of High Schools, officially opened the new school with an address to the scholars and staff. He apologised for the lack of decent furniture and playing fields and promised that a new modern high school for boys would be built on the Parktown Ridge overlooking Milner Park and a new high school for girls near Zoo Lake.
The first Headmaster, P.M. Druce, arrived at the beginning of 1921 and, in February, the name of the school was changed to North Western High School. In April the first hatbands and ties arrived. The colours were purple and white.
On 1 September 1921 the school was divided into five houses: Romans, Spartans, Thebans, Trojans and Tuscans. On 19 September the name was changed again, this time to Parktown Boys' High School with the motto Arise, and the school badge a rampant lion. When the Rand Revolt took place in 1922 the school, which was in no-man's-land, had to be evacuated for a short while.
At the beginning of 1923 the masters and boys moved to the new buildings in Wellington Road on Parktown Ridge. They took little with them except the school name, motto and badge, the names of the five houses and the traditions they had built up. When the school reopened in the new premises, there were 435 boys on the roll and the school colours were changed to red and black. The girls remained at Auckland Park.
The Old Parktonian Association, which was formed in 1925, bought the grounds in Bedfordview but later moved to Craighall Park. Strong links with the school are maintained.
When Mr Druce retired in 1938 he was succeeded in turn by B.A. Logie, C.A. Yates, F.J. Marais, J.A. Cameron, N.A.M. Scheepers and T.P. Clarke, Parktown's previous Headmaster for a record 23 years, as well as Mr C. Niemand, and Mr D. Bradley.
In 1985 Druce Hall was opened to accommodate boarders and following the school's tradition in the classics, in 1987, the name Vulcan was given to the sixth school house to which all boarders belong.
Parktown Boys' High School was the first government school to allow boys who were discriminated against because of their colour into a mainstream 'white' school in 1991.
Parktown Boys' High School was the first school in South Africa to install an international standard water-based Astroturf playing surface. This surface has hosted many national and international games. More recently, Parktown has built Surgite House overlooking the McCorkell Oval to incorporate the administration and entertainment needs of Old Parktonians, as well as the Sydney Klevansky Sports and Cultural Centre.
Parktown Boys' is consistently rated as among the best performing schools in South Africa, as well as in Africa.
Parktown Boys' has a history which includes the use of boaters, a distinctive red and black uniform, school songs, and particularly 'Parktonian' language which has evolved over the years. The school motto is 'Arise'. The original school buildings have provincial heritage sites status.

Headmasters

Current and Previous Headmasters

Mr Malcolm Williams is the current Headmaster. Parktown's previous Headmasters were : Mr C. Hare, Mr P.M.Druce, Mr B.A. Logie, Mr C.A. Yates, Mr F.J. Marais, Mr J.A. Cameron, Mr N.A.M. Scheeper, Mr T.P. Clarke, Mr C. Niemand, Mr R. Pillay, Mr D. Bradley, Mr K. Stippel.

T.P. Clarke

T.P. Clarke was the one of the longest serving Headmasters of a public school in South Africa. Mr Clarke entered Parktown as a 'formie' in 1958. In 1975 he returned to the school as Head of Mathematics, being promoted to Headmaster in 1987. He retired in 2010.

Academics

Past Matriculants of the school have consistently achieved excellent results over the years, and continue to do so. Parktown Boys' has produced a number of Rhodes Scholars.
The school is divided from Grades 8 to 12, and grades are referred to as 'Forms' at the school.
The academic subjects offered each year include:
Cultural activities refer to all extramural activities excluding sporting activities.
Recognised cultural activities offered to the learners at Parktown include:
Recent additions include:
Cultural life also extends to visits to musical performances.

Sporting activities

A number of Springbok, National, and Provincial sportsmen have come from Parktown Boys' High.
Summer sports offered by the school include:
Winter sports offered by the school include:
Tennis is offered throughout the year.

Shooting

Parktown is one of the few schools to offer shooting in the Johannesburg area, and is one of the best performing sports in the school. Numerous national and South African school shooters have been produced at Parktown.

Rugby

Rugby at Parktown Boys' currently fields 18 rugby teams from Under 14 to Under 18 level.
The First XV are known as the 'Black Squad' and traditionally embark on at least one tour every two years. Recently this has included tours to Argentina, Dubai, Australia and New Zealand. Parktown are also a regular fixture at the annual Easter Rugby Festivals held throughout the country.

Druce Hall

Parktown Boys' High School has a weekly boarding establishment, which is known as the Druce Hall. The Druce Hall was officially opened on 9 June 1985 and is named after P. M. Druce, the first Headmaster of Parktown Boys’ High School.
The boarding is supervised with a ratio of one master to every 15 boys.

School songs and chants

War Cry

Ukuloe Moena Bani
Ukuloe Moena Sebi
Ukuloe Moena Bani
Ukuloe Moena Sebi
Zingti Negeti
Elavoo
P – A – R – K
Zimba Zimba Zimba Zea
T – O – W – N
Zimba Zimba Zimba Zea
Arise – Arise
PARKTOWN

Old Boys of Parktown

Sung to the tune of the unofficial National Anthem of Scotland 'Flower of Scotland', Old Boys of Parktown is sung at rugby derbies.

Last of the Mohicans

This tune is played by the Brass Band and Drum Corps at rugby matches, as well as at the induction of every new set of Prefects where the entire school claps out the rhythm of the music and forms a symbolic passage for old Prefects and Matrics to leave the school.

Traditions

Orientation and initiation

As part of their orientation and initiation into the school, all 'formies' receive a coloured button to wear on their blazer which indicates their 'formie' status as well as what house they belong to for the duration of their Form I year. At the end of their second week of school, all formies are assigned a Matric 'Old Pot' who will help and guide that formie through their first few months at the school. The Old Pot/New Pot braai is held in the first term.
Harmful 'initiation' is banned throughout the school. However, there have been numerous incidents at the school which have been widely publicized.

Cadets

Parktown Boys' High School is one of the few schools in South Africa that still continues with the tradition of Cadets and Cadet practice every week that involves many push ups and exercise for younger grades.

Memorial parade

Parktown conducts a Memorial Parade and Service on the Sunday nearest 11 November every year for Old Parktonians and South Africans in general who have died in various conflicts around the world. It is compulsory for all Form Is and IVs to attend.

Third Cricket/Hockey v Teachers Matches

Every year a hockey and cricket matches are held between the staff and Third teams.

Old Parktonians

The Parktonian Foundation, Surgite House, the Parktown Waterpolo Club, a Facebook page, the annual Surgite publications and the Old Parktonian Sports Club, all aim to foster the Old Parktonian Community.

Old Boys' Day

Every year in the first term Old Boys are invited to play against current school First Teams in a variety of sports. The day culminates in rugby and hockey games between the Old Boys and the recently announced First teams.

Notable alumni

Past Matriculants of the school have gone on to be leaders in all fields of South African life, from leaders in commerce, Members of Parliament, renowned academics, Springboks rugby players, other internationally renowned sportsmen, musicians and artists.
Some of these include:
Notable academics include:
The following Old Parktonians have represented the South African National Rugby Team :
The following Old Parktonians have represented the South African national cricket team :
Old Parktonians who have played for the national hockey side are:
Some notable musicians and artists who attended Parktown Boys' High School are:
Aside from those mentioned above, Old Parktonians have been awarded the C.B.E., M.B.E. or O.B.E.s include:
Parktown Boys' High School has also had some notable associations including: