Durban's oldest school celebrates 150 years
Durban High School, the oldest school in Durban, has celebrated its 150th anniversary.
During a corporate breakfast at the Greyville Convention Centre, the principal of the all-boys' public school Leon Erasmus said the school started in 1866 and had planned many activities to celebrate.
“We are the oldest school in Durban and the second-oldest in KwaZulu-Natal. We are very excited and have a full programme to celebrate during the year.
“Our programme started with a cricket tournament and then we had this corporate session. We also had the 150th assembly where we opened up a time capsule from 50 years ago with old coins and old newspapers.”
Erasmus said there was a hockey day and rugby, basketball and football festivals were planned.
“We also have a battle of the bands coming up.”
Erasmus said he was very excited.
“Our school is fully integrated and we have moved a lot in the past 20 years. I believe the boys that come from our school are the future leaders of South Africa.
“We have such a diverse society in our school… this lack of cohesion between people and all cultural groups is because we don’t understand one another.
“We stereotype and people don’t mix with others from different socioeconomic groups.”
He said the school had a good mix of pupils.
“There are boys we are feeding and, on the other side of the spectrum, we have very wealthy parents. We have a fantastic blend of cultures.
“We are a school that is a microcosm of South Africa and we experience the same problems that the country faces, such as finance and cultural differences, and yet we have made a success of that.”
He said his pupils would be leading the country in a few years.
The school has about 1 000 pupils and 100 support staff.
“We see ourselves as a community school and it is important to give back to our society. We know there is a problem with water in the country so we are collecting water and reaching out.”
He said the school did not view itself as elitist.
“We are right in the middle of Musgrave and we give back to the community.”
The school hosted former Australia batsman Greg Blewett as the guest speaker because it had produced a number of well-known South African cricketers, including Hashim Amla.
“We have produced 24 South African cricketers; the list of famous cricketers is long.
“In total we have about 36 players that play internationally that come from DHS, so we have this rich history and that is why we invited him [Blewett],” said Erasmus.
(Photo via Twitter/Durban High School)