Cedric Parker

A. W. MCIVER:  ON DURBAN HIGH SCHOOL

A.W. "Winkles" McIver was headmaster from 1959-1961. He wrote this article for the magazine Data in 1962, as part of the magazine's series on "Famous South African Schools".  In the article, he emphasizes what he thought was important about the history and culture of the school. (Thanks to Chris Harris for providing this material.)

Cedric Parker

RE: DHS ranked top!
Posted Friday, August 17, 2012 04:51 PM 

Hi Ian.  I recall a Sunday Times article from the late sixties writing thus of the DHS contribution to public life in the then Union.

I also recall sitting in the Staffroom whilst a School Counsellor at Maritzburg College (a great need too there was might I suggest!), talking with Ron Jury, a Glenwood H S Old Boy. He commented on just this same attribute and went further to add that stats he recalled showed that the next 3 Natal Schools added did not match the DHS Matric results in the province over a 60 year period up until at that time, the early eighties.

I also seem to recall specifically, that at our time at DHS the next three SA schools added could not tally the number of DHS Springbok cricketers. Further, I recall that no fewer than 4 Springboks in the period 1955 - 1964 were DHS Old Boys. These inluded: Trevor Goddard, Johnathan Fellowes-Smith, Richard Dumbrill, Hugh Tayfield, Denis Gamsy, Geoff Griffin, Lee Irvine, Barry Richards. In one series 5 of these were in the same test team at least on 3 occassions.

So, as I remarked in conversation with Richard Bell recently, it was not necessarily the quality of the school or its structures, but rather was it more the quality of youth there. These were sons of liberal, accountable, hard-working spirited pioneer parents, war-torn and weary with a will, whose ethos was founded deep in the heart of British liberalism, and wider.

Mixing with such soul-mates allowed connections of value. The sense of humour, candid and un-pointed, the sense of fair play - expressed in these pages, all erudite renditions of the peculiar and the mundane, were what we were all exposed to, daily and to our greater gain.

The community drove itself almost with the thankfull exceptional few who added value.

Hence the success and contributions mentioned.

Roger Sheppard

Cedric Parker

Thanks to DHS Class of 1961 for these posts (used with their permission)

Francois Everson

Cedric, hi.

You mention that McIver was head until 1961. I fear you have made a typo as he was still head in '66 and I don't know how many years after that!

Also: Was it "winkles"? Not maybe "wrinkles"? I personally have no recollection of him being called either but as I've already commented on my memory..........

Francois

Cedric Parker

Hi Francois. I copied and pasted this article from the class of 1961 website as I thought it may be of interest to our class. The article was probaly written in 1961. You are absolutely right that McIver's nick name was Wrinkles - not Winkles

Larry Butchins

Hi Cedric. It was "Wrinkles". - the picture in the article must have been taken when he was a VERY young man. And he was certaily there in ''66 - centenary year.

Best, 

Larry Butchins.

Michael Cornelissen (Class Of 1960)

The photo was taken of McIver when he was a very young man.

Here is an undated historic picture of him with Izak van Heerden standing behind him - from the archives of the Class of 1960 website!

Denzil Andrews

Denzil Andrews

Geoff Caruth

Thanks Denzil!

Francois Everson

Hi all

This site sure brings some memories flooding back. Good ones as well as the distinctly less good. One of the great ones is of a trip I made together with John Mason after our JC year in 1964. The two of us hitched to Cape Town and back. The only news I have of him since '66 is that he is now in Australia. Does anyone have any other, more detailed, information about him? I'd be greatful for any snippets.

Thanking you and hoping to meet up in '16.

Francois

Cedric Parker

Francois - have you tried looking for john Mason on Facebook and Linked-In?

Francois Everson

Cedric, hi. Yes, of course I've tried both sites mentioned. And more besides. Thanks anyway.

Oh and concerning your hint about putting names to faces on the photo of class 6A on my profile, I can only add that the state of my memory doesn't allow me to find the 24 names I'm looking for from the 200 or so on the "classmate profile" page. I can actually remember a few of them but there are many more "unknowns". Thanks for taking the trouble to respond.

Phillippe Bouffé

Re the above picture with Izak VH, standing behind the Headmaster to be, recall around 1966  Izak van Heerden was a great rugby trainer (innovative) first helped the then Natal team, now Sharks and then went to Argentine to train the Pumas, interestingly they still play his brand of rugby (he also wrote a book) and perhaps the present Sharks are now reverting to his style of play!

For those who follow rugby...

Philippe

Allan Jones

Thanks. Allan Jones

Allan Jones

Isaak Van Heerden, coached me in under 15. I wasn't much good, but went on the referee in Natal, Transvaal & then in Queensland. Allan Jones

Graham Bell (Class Of 1964)

Dear 66s,

Something very important has happened and is happening. Your site manager Cedric has been a protagonist and crucial player in what follows...thanks Cedric, you are a star!

Through none of our doing (we thought this would be taken care of last December), the Founders Day and reunions coincided with the school management announcing (In The DHS Herald of 5th June) an apology for mismanagement of sex-abuse at DHS over many decades from the 50s to a recent case now before the courts. They have also adopted policies to ensure that it never happens again.

The school refused to name Jiggs Gray as a paedophile but agreed that if they didn't, the Concerned Old Boys group (COBs) would.  This we did, and  you will probably have seen some of the publicity in the SA papers. I've copied the following links to some of it from the 64 and 61 sites for your convenience.

The COBs consisted of guys from your year and others from 60 to 68.  Thanks to the decade of the 60s cohorts for backing this effort. New Old Boys are now learning of the initiative and expressing much appreciation.

The press release attracted considerable press attention in South Africa and resulting press reports were  featured on News 24 and on Sky News television in the UK.  Here are hot links to some recent reports in the South African press:

http://m.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/Durban-sex-teacher-another-victim-speaks-20150608

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/sex-abuse-teacher-named-1.1868730#.VXdNTGSqqko

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/sex-abuse-teacher-victim-s-story-1.1868980#.VXdNImSqqko

http://www.sabreakingnews.co.za/2015/06/09/past-pupils-confessions-out-deceased-serial-molester/

While the press made much of the salacious aspects of the case, the School was widely praised for its apology and efforts to sweep the skeletons out of its cupboards.

Several other victims of sex abuse at DHS have contacted the "hot-line" (abuse.dhs@gmail.com), and a "new" DHS teacher paedophile (from the 80s) has been identified.  New victims have been asked to submit sworn affidavits. Complaints against living persons will be referred to the SAP or taken up by the victims in civil actions. The Concerned Old Boys (COBs) offer confidential discussion with victims.

There are moves afoot by the COBs to help the school grow in stature, based on the new moral compass settings!  If you want to read more about the COBs campaign, open the 64 site using the hot link here, and scroll down the Home Page:  www.dhsclassof1964.com

Once again, thanks for the widespread moral support from members of the 66s, and to those 66s who were part of the COB group. 

Cheerio for now.  

Graham Bell (Class of 1964).

Cedric Parker

Geoff Chater - R.I.P

Last evening we received news that Geoff Chater passed away quietly on Tuesday, 16 June 2015.

Our condolences go out to his children and grandchildren, and also to his carer of the last few years, Sybil.

Those of us who managed to visit Geoff Chater in the last year or so were struck by his still alert mind and the bond of affection between him and Sybil.  She was very protective of him, yet not intrusive during our visit, a real gem of a lady.

Terry Dowdall (class of 1961) has suggested that those of us who want to honour the memory of our teacher can make a financial contribution to Sybil via Mike Chater's bank account (Geoff's son).  If you'd like to participate in this initiative, please contact me and I'll give you the banking details.

An email has been sent to the School asking that Geoff Chater - husband, father, grandfather, RAF fighter pilot and outstanding educator - be remembered by the lowering of the DHS Flag to half-mast. I have also placed a tribute in Monday's Mercury and Daily News Classifieds on behalf of our class.

RIP, Sir, you impacted so positively on many of our lives.

Cedric Parker

Email received from Mike Chater (Geoff Chater's son):

Greetings Terry / Roger

Thanks for the call this morning (Terry) / the mail this morning (Roger) and it already seems like there is feedback judging from Roger's mail.

As discussed we really appreciate the thoughts and support from the DHS community (past pupils) at this time and a way of paying things forward that,I am sure my dad would appreciate, might be for me to pay all donations that we receive through to George Campbell High School to cover school fees for Sybil's daughter who is there.

Sybil looked after my dad for the last two and a half years and she really was an outstanding companion and compassionate carer who ensured that my dad had a quality of life that, under the circumstances, was as good as it could be.    

Any donations for Sybil should be paid to the FNB account below and the word Sybil should be used as a reference:

Bank: FNB

Account Holder: M Chater

Account Number:  62414483983

Branch No. :  250655

SWIFT Code (for foreign payments) - FIRNZAJJXXX

(Also just to make people aware that for foreign payments they would need to pay all bank charges on their side (as opposed to the receiver paying half) and for smaller amounts of R100 to R500 that is around R58 per transaction for the bank charges on our side (plus there will be bank charges on their side). For larger amounts it is a minimum amount of R135 or 0,5% of the transaction amount)

As the executor of my dad's estate I will ensure that any donations are then paid forward to George Campbell to cover school fees.

Cheers

Mike Chater

Cedric Parker

DHS FOUNDATION TRUST APPEAL

The DHS Foundation Trust has sent us a letter dated June 23, 2015 appealing to Old Boys to subscribe for membership - only R600 per year.  Please click on this Link  to read the letter, and respond directly to the DHS Foundation if interested.

Cedric Parker

Passing of Roger Westbrook

We join the Westbrook family in mourning the passing of Roger Westbrook on Friday. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mike and the rest of the Westbrook family. See and add to In Memory tributes. There will be a wake for Roger at Kloof Country Club at 15h30 this Thursday (6 August). Contact Mike Westbrook for further details.

Des De Swardt

ROGER WESTBROOK

It is with shock I read of the passing of Roger.

We were in BLACKMORES together.

My condolences to Mike and families

Rest in Peace my Friend.

Raymond (DES) de Swardt

Billy Francis

Roger Westbrook was one of the stalwarts in Dbn Prep BE and BLACKMORES. A great sense of humour,a great schoolboy cricketer and was not a shabby 1st xv flank.

Rest in peace roger and you will be missed at the get togethers.

Dr mike and families my thoughts are with you at these times.

Unfortunately unable to attend the wake at KLOOF GOLF CLUB .

Regards

bill francis