King Edward VII School (Johannesburg)

For other King Edward VII Schools, see King Edward VII School (disambiguation). For other King Edward Schools, see King Edward's School (disambiguation).

King Edward VII School
Strenue
Location
Houghton, Gauteng, South Africa
Information
Type	Boarding
Established	1902
Locale	Suburban
Headmaster	Mike Fennell, Rolf Hansen (Acting)
Grades	000 - 7 (Preparatory School), 008 - 012 (High School)
Number of students	~1200
School Color(s)	Green and Red
Fees	R 47 000 p.a. (boarding) R 25 700 p.a. (tuition)
Website	http://www.kingedwardschool.co.za

King Edward VII School is a public school located within the city of Johannesburg in South Africa's Gauteng Province, one of the historically significant Milner Schools.

History

In 1902, when the Boer War came to an end, there was an urgent need for schools in the Transvaal. The Milner Administration, in search of suitable buildings in which to establish temporary classrooms, found a vacant cigar factory in Johannesburg, on the corner of Gold and Kerk Streets, which was chosen as venue for "The Government High School for Boys", also known as the "Johannesburg High School for Boys". Thus was born a school which ultimately became the King Edward VII School.

It grew so rapidly that, in 1904, it was moved to Barnato Park where it was established in the mansion that originally had been designed for the mining millionaire Barney Barnato, who died at sea in 1897. At its new location, it was referenced as "Johannesburg College" but, within seven years, the premises were deemed inadequate and, in 1911, the school was moved to its present site on the Houghton ridge where new buildings had been impressively-designed and specifically constructed for the school. The time frame, within less than a year after the founding of the Union of South Africa and the death of Queen Victoria's eldest son and successor, Edward VII, led to the proposal that the institution's name be changed to honour his memory, thus establishing the appellation, King Edward VII School.

Today

The School remains a public school, with an enrolment of over 1,000 boys from grades 8 to 12 (ages 13 to 18). King Edward VII Preparatory School, which is situated adjacent to the High School and shares its grounds, caters to boys from grades 0 to 7. In 2011 the School won the inaugural South African National Schools Moot Court Competition.

Buildings

Nearly a century old, the school buildings of King Edward retain their impressive appearance and are considered national monuments. These include the school hall, the back facade, the front facade, the lecture theatre and library wing, the memorial wing and the cenotaph in the main quad.

They are also fully committed to fulfill their duty to the school and offer newly renovated classes, a modern and renovated lecture hall, one of the biggest libraries in Gauteng, three state-of-the-art IT centres with 110 computer stations, art centres, a museum, historic hall and theatre built by the Dramatic Society in previous decades.

Administration

The new headmaster, Mike Fennell, is widely respected for his skills as a headmaster and has a reputation as a strict, but understanding and caring administrator^{[citation needed]}. Although attending to wide-ranging duties he, nevertheless, has time to shake the hands of all captains of sport before their matches all the way to the under 14 F team. The headmaster has also noted that the school's priorities need to be refocused from its strong emphasis upon sport and culture to a more significant effort into improving the academics of the school, to really emphasise the motto of "Strenue" and of the all-round gentleman King Edwards has been producing since its founding.

Warcry

Itchy ballagoota,
Skiet a ramma doota
SusKanada, Son of Kanovsky
Boom !
Budias ! Budias ! Budias !
Sas Sas !
Gigomalaia Gee ! Gigomalaia Gee
Teddybears Wha !
Who are we ? Teddybears !

Activities

Summer sports

• Basketball (as of November 2010 - four courts are used)
• Cricket (the School has three turf wickets, twelve turf nets and eight astro-turf nets)
• Rowing (training is done at Wemmer Pan and Roodeplaat Dam)
• Squash (the school uses the courts at Old Eds)
• Swimming (the School has a heated pool)
• Table Tennis
• Tennis (the school has three courts)
• Water polo
• Indoor cricket centre (4 nets which are used throughout the year)

Winter sports

• Athletics
• Cross Country
• Hockey (practise on the Astorturf or on the fields or at Old Eds)
• Rugby (four fields including the legendary "Reds Field")
• Football (one field at school and fields at Old Eds)
• Squash
• Indoor cricket centre (4 nets which are used throughout the year)

Cultural activities

• The Moot
• Dramatic Society (the society has its own theatre, props and is active all year)
• Music Societ
• History Society
• Art Club (projects are set for Art students and non-Art students)
• Photographic Club (the school has its own darkroom which is in a process of revamp)
• Outdoor Club
• Chess Club
• Debating (uses the newly revampted lecture theatre)
• Public Speaking
• Business
• Stock Exchange Games
• First Aid (has its own caravan and trains on a regular basis)
• Pipe Band (has its own band room and supports the memorial parade)

Old Edwardians

See also: Category:Alumni of King Edward VII School (Johannesburg)

• Sir Sydney Kentridge
• Sir Sydney Lipworth, lawyer and businessman
• Sir Mark Weinberg
• Sir Donald Gordon, businessman and philanthropist
• Justice Neil Maule MacArthur (1921-2010)
• Justice Johann Kriegler
• Justice Richard Goldstone, together with Sir Sydney Kentridge, served on the Constitutional Court
• H Gluckman, cabinet minister
• D Keyes, cabinet minister
• Ronnie Kasrils, cabinet minister
• William Kentridge, artist
• B Steinhobel, artist
• G Westcott, artist
• S Ullerstam, artist
• L Chait, artist
• B Ainslie, artist
• M Meyersfield, artist
• D Hoets, artist
• G Hoets, artist
• 3 Anglican bishops
• Many distinguished professors, particularly Prof du Plessis (Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand.)
• Bryce Courtenay, novelist ("The Power of One")
• Anthony Preston, Naval Historian
• Professor Emirutus Manfred L. Karnovsky - Harvard University (died 1999, aged 80) and of the family named in the warcry

Sportsmen

• Gary Player, golf
• Ali Bacher, cricketer
• Kevin McKenzie, cricketer
• Neil McKenzie, cricketer
• Ray Jennings, cricketer
• Hugh Page, cricketer
• Adam Bacher, cricketer
• Anthony Pollock, cricketer
• Nic Pothas, cricketer
• Graeme Smith, cricketer
• Joe van Niekerk, rugby player
• Bryan Habana, rugby player
• Rhys M. Thomas , rugby player (Wales)
• Gary Bailey, soccer player
• Richard Gough, soccer player
• Cliff Durandt, soccer player

External links

• King Edward VII School Family Official Website
• King Edward VII School (High School) Website
• King Edward VII Preparatory School Website
• Old Edwardian Society
• Old Boys Association