50 Year Reunion

DETAILS

THE 1961 KHS MATRIC CLASS HELD A WONDERFUL, SUCCESSFUL, ABSOLUTELY STUNNIG REUNION IN SEPT 23/ 24 2011.

The 50-year reunion of the KHS class of 61

by Peter Adams

On Friday 23 September 2011, the KHS class of ’61 had their 50-year anniversary reunion in Krugersdorp, at and near the grand old school. After months and years of searching for colleagues, sending out invitations, persuading people to make the trip, a group of about 40 ex-pupils and partners gathered in the cricket pavilion on the school sports fields.

Of the 62 who were there in 1961, 11 had died and many others had dispersed to places all over the globe. The small committee made contact with fondly-remembered colleagues in places like the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Israel and others. Not to mention places in South Africa like Cape Town, Amanzimtoti and Ladysmith.

In the end, the cost of travel proved a major hindrance and most were not able to afford the trip. On that score, full marks to Martha Michelmann who came all the way from Canada, Gudrun Boemer from George and Louis Piovesan from Ladysmith.

There were other reasons why some could not make it – health being one. As an example, Norman Goldberg was very keen to come from Florida in the US but his wife developed back problems and a long flight was just out of the question.

Even the committee suffered its share of vicissitudes. Firstly, the instigator and driving force behind the initiative, Stan Waisbrod, was brought low. After contacting as many people as he could and firing up their enthusiasm, Stan suffered a series of strokes and, most regrettably, passed away.

Steve Meltzer bravely took up the reins, with Bruno Swanepoel, Peter Adams and Etienne Vlok as his committee members.

Shortly before D-Day, however, fate struck again. Peter experienced a series of mini-strokes which left him dazed and bewildered, and, one week before the big event, Bruno was diagnosed with malignant tumours in his liver. His first session of chemotherapy was on Thursday 22 September, and there was just no way he could travel to the reunion.

It was with a degree of anxiety that Peter and Etienne arrived early at the KHS cricket pavilion on Friday 23 September, wondering what more bad news would arrive. They couldn’t blame the weather – it was a beautiful day with bright sun and no wind. Soon enough, however, Steve phoned to say he was stuck in a monstrous traffic jam in Johannesburg – a huge power failure had doused all the traffic lights and he would be late arriving at the school.

Fortunately, from then on, things ran smoothly.

The current principal of KHS, Ivan Bailey, and the chair of the governing body, Patrick Steinhobel, accompanied our group to the “quad” between the main block and the southern wing. There we were met by Lauren Jooste-Coetzee, the school’s marketing director, who had been most helpful as we solicited the school’s involvement in the occasion.

All school assemblies are now held in the quad – with a body of “learners” numbering more than 1200 and growing, there is no way the school could fit into the old hall we all knew. A row of chairs had been placed at the back of the quad for our use while the learners sat on the brick paving, kindly donated by one of our classmates, Terry Moolman.

Principal Bailey introduced us to the school, saying we had done our matric there 50 years before. An audible gasp greeted this information – many youngsters were stunned that we had written our final exams even before their parents were born! Clearly, they thought that 1961 was in the Dark Ages. (Maybe they weren’t wrong).

Mr. Bailey invited the reunion committee chair, Steve Meltzer, to address the school, and Steve acquitted himself of his task with flying colours. He then led the assembled crowd in singing the school song: “With ardent steps we press…” and this was followed by a deafening rendition of the war-cry: “Chalamanzi school”.

With assembly over, our group was given a presentation in the school hall, recently vacated by a group of matrics who had been writing exams. We were privileged to be addressed by both Bailey and Steinhobel. KHS is now a “business” with an annual turnover of R25-million, which gets very little financial support from government. Most of its expenses must be met with money raised by the school and supporting bodies like the KHS Foundation. We were intensely proud to see how well they were doing, and deeply impressed with the quality of young person they were producing.

Next we were taken on a tour of the (electronically enhanced) classrooms, the grounds and the men’s hostel. We were accompanied by the prefects (now called Representative Council Leaders Executive), who impressed us with their maturity and poise, and how well they spoke. Without question, KHS school-leavers are well prepared and able to meet the challenges of 21^st century life.

The first part of the programme over, the reunion group moved on to a charming restaurant close to the school called “Cherry on Top”. Situated in a magnificent double-storey house and beautifully-kept grounds, it had been booked out by the committee for both the Friday and the Saturday. It was both spacious and intimate and the staff was constantly attentive to our needs. And the catering was superb.

Here we must make mention of how Terry Moolman and Steve Meltzer demonstrated their unstinting generosity by jointly funding the reunion so that the rest of us didn’t have to pay for a thing! Not only are they successful businessmen in their own right but they don’t hesitate to share their good fortune with others. May long life and good health be their portion!

We had a delicious lunch, consisting of three types of quiche and a salad “to die for”. Not to mention the irresistible desserts – these destroyed all the good intentions of the members of the group.

The afternoon was a relaxed affair with time set aside for old friends to catch up on what had happened to them and what they had done since 1961.

We reassembled in the evening for an equally outstanding three-course buffet dinner, with the guests showing no signs of having run out of things to say. Eventually, several hours later, the exhausted restaurant staff gently encouraged the “bitter-einders” to depart for the night so they could get some rest.

During the night an icy wind and dense cloud cover replaced the perfect weather of the day before. But, nothing daunted, most of the revellers reached the Cherry on Top by eleven in the morning and took up where they had left off the previous evening. And a few more guests, who had been unable to join us the day before, arrived to a warm welcome. Four of the teachers who had been at the school in 1961 joined us – David and Yvonne Gray, who came up from Nelspruit to be there, Andries (Apie) van Tonder, who came from near Rustenburg, and Dr Piet Grey and his wife, who drove there themselves from a retirement complex near Krugersdorp. At 92 years of age Dr Grey is still sprightly and as bright as a button! If only we could all be like that when we reach his age!

We were also graced by the presence of some who finished in 1959, e.g. Ashton Dell, some in 1960, e.g. Stan Dawson, and some in 1962, all of whom were made most welcome. We were also joined by Craig Rowe, chair of the KHS Foundation, which is doing excellent work for the school. So, in total, the numbers reached a respectable 50 – not too bad!

Just so the guests would know that this was, after all, a special occasion, Steve gave a short speech, followed by Peter who said a few words about those who had passed away and those who had wanted to be there but couldn’t. Then the assembled crowd trooped outside on to the lawn where the obligatory group photos were taken by the patient photographer, Piet Sparks jnr., whose father took countless school photos in days gone by, and who will be remembered by many.

Lunch was a traditional braai, just as good as the other meals, and the guests began to realise that the epochal event was nearing an end.

Sad farewells were the order of the day as the nostalgic crowd departed, most realising that the chances of a 60^th anniversary reunion were not great. How they had enjoyed renewing friendships and catching up on the news of the past 50 years. How they marvelled to see how little many had changed. Some waistlines had increased slightly and some heads no longer sported much hair, but the youthful spirit was strongly in evidence.

How privileged we are to have been part of such a great school, and to have known such great people. And how wonderful it is that the school is in such capable hands, growing from strength to strength, a beacon of excellence in a sad and struggling educational sector.

High school!

REUNION PHOTOS

Group Photo at "Cherry on Top"

Back Row:- Etienne Vlok, Terry Moolman, Paul Kirschmann, Larry Palk, Alfred Robinson, Lodewyk La Grange

2nd Row:- Bryan Wallis, Steven Meltzer, John Robson, Ben van der Spuy,

3rd Row:- Valerie Yelland, Sylvia Schulman, Joy Ley, Jimmy Gomez.

4th Row:- Gudrun Irsigler, Jean Cron, Audrey Herbst, Tony Kaye.

Kneeling front:- Peter Adams, Louis Piovesan.

Class Mates and Teachers Group Photo

Back Row - Anthony Kaye, Bryan Wallis, Louis Piovesan, Jimmy Gomez, Gudrun Irsigler, Ben van der Spuy, Valerie Yelland, Lodewyk le Grange, Terry Moolman.

Front Row - Steven Meltzer, Dries van Tonder, David Gray, Yvonne Gray (Du Toit), Piet Grey, Peter Adams, Joy Ley, Nan Irvine.

Classmates, Spouses, Teachers

Standing - Susann Vlok, Paul Kirschmann, Gudrun Irsigler, Etienne Vlok, Ben van der Spuy, (Gail, Ben's partner), Lodewyk le Grange's daughter, Lodewyk le Grange, Valerie Yelland, Larry Palk, Ashton Dell, Peter Caroto, Alfred Robinson, (Peter Adam's Wife Ingrid)

Seated - Eda Meltzer, Steven Meltzer, Dries van Tonder, David Gray, Yvonne Gray, Piet Grey, Peter Adams, Joy Ley, Nan Irvine.

Seated in front - Bryan Wallis, Kathy Wallis, Terry Moolman, Libby (Terry Moolman's partner), Louis Piovesan, Jimmy Gomez, Mrs. Grey, Anthony Kaye's partner - Iris, Anthony Kaye.

Steven making a point during his speech.