Sir John Adamson High School is located in Robertsham, a suburb in southern Johannesburg, Gauteng. The school teaches grades 8 to grade 12. The school's motto is "Laetus Laborum" which means "Let Cheerfulness abide with Industry".
F R Miller, in her Masters Thesis - The History of a Johannesburg Primary School 1902 - 1937 - writes as follows regarding the establishment of the school:
"There seems to be no certainty regarding the exact date of the establishment of the school. Addressing a commemorative concert at the school in 13 April 1923, the second headmaster E J Butler reported that "as near as he could determine the school was this month 21 years of age."
It would seem that even then the unrecorded earliest years of the school's history had faded into oblivion. Based on the date of the anniversary concert, and annotations appearing on official records and detailed hereunder, Butler and his successors accepted as a matter of course that the school opened in 1902.
On 28 July 1922 Butler made this entry into the log book: "Received verbal information today that the school was originally opened by Miss Bennett, that she after a few months left the school in charge of Miss Wood and Miss Joubert. Shortly after that Mr Newby was appointed. Date uncertain."
There is no record of who provided Butler with this information, nor who the Misses Bennett, Wood and Joubert were. The first entry into the log book is dated 28 July 1903, but no mention is made of the previous fifteen months or so. A note in the first Admission Register states "School opened in tent, Hay and De Villiers Streets by Miss Bennett later congregational Church hall. Following on this note there appears a pencil-written date "20/4/02"........tradition has resulted in an acceptance that the school was founded, sans fanfare and formality, in 1902.
During the course of 1902, 102 pupils (fifty-seven boys and forty-five girls) were enrolled at the school....[and]...accommodated in a marquee. The first headmaster, G Newby, noted that he had to send home pupils in sub-standards and Standard II and III because "the marquee was swamped by rain...continued all the week consequently was unable to use marquee at all."
During 1903 and 1904 a more suitable school building was constructed by the Transvaal Education Department. It was designed to accommodate 250 children, was a zinc and wood building, and was erected at a cost of 2071.10 pounds.
By 1909 the situation at Turffontein might be described as "critical" with over five hundred children occupying a building originally constructed for two hundred and fifty, and on the 1909 - 1910 estimates of the TED, provision was made to construct a new school building for six hundred pupils, which would be adequate for the current enrolment. The estimated cost of the building was 11,075 pounds and its completion was waited with considerable anticipation.
Finally, after several years of makeshift and inadequate accommodation, the new brick and wood building was occupied on 11 October 1910. Whether there was a special assembly to commemorate its opening is not known, for in his usual succinct manner, Newby simply noted that "School re-opened in the new building." It was obvious of importance to the TED, for on 21 October 1910 the Director of Education John Adamson, accompanied by two members of the School Board.....visited the school. This was the first of four visits which Adamson was to make to the school that would eventually bear his name.
The original building as constructed in 1909 - 1910 continues to stand in Turffontein at present. It is a solid structure, modelled on British schools which favoured a hollow square with a central quadrangle. At present there are two gigantic palm trees in the quadrangles, which one estimates are probably seventy (now ninety) years old. There is also a flagpole which was donated by Robinson Deep Goldmine in 1915, and remains in excellent condition. There have been alterations, additions and renovations to the building over the years but it remains essentially the same structure occupied by Turffontein Central, Intermediate and Sir John Adamson School until relocation to Winchester Hills in 1959.
The classrooms, situated on the east, west and north wings, were large and cold, and featured sash windows. The pupils sat in American dual desks which slid about a lot. Each desktop had two holes for the china inkwells "which were filled every Monday....from a large jar which was kept on the bottom shelf of the classroom cupboard". Each desk had a shelf underneath it on which pupils placed books and writing materials.
Over the next few years enrolment continued to mount and by December 1915, nearly one-thousand pupils attended the school, making it one of the largest in Johannesburg.
Other information regarding the very early history of the school includes the following details included in a pamphlet entitled Sir John Adamson - The Man and The School compiled by P C Jacobs and F Sack circa. 1967:
"In 1904, there were 200 children on the roll, and classes ranged from Sub A and Sub B to Standard Seven. School hours were then from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. In 1908, the Turffontein Evening Government School, at which elementary subjects were taught, was opened and a Senior Cadet Corps was started. In August 1909, the school had to be closed for three days because of a snow storm. By December 1909, the numbers had increased to 490 and a lack of accommodation was felt. A new school building was erected which was occupied in October, 1910. Later that month, instructions were received from the Medical Officer of Health that the Junior Department was to be closed for three weeks because of an outbreak of measles. On November 29 and 30, the school was closed because of the visit of the Duke of Connaught. In those days, too, children and teachers attended theatrical performances. The coronation of King George V took place on 22 June 1911, and once more the pupils had a holiday. In 1913, the upper classes of the school were addressed by the Principal, who spoke of Captain Scott's Antarctic Expedition.
There are numerous complaints in the school records, of the frequent absence of teachers. The school was overcrowded, having 880 on the roll. In 1914, school hours were from 8.30 a.m. to noon, and then from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. From 1915, it seems that the school catered for classes to Standard Six only. Snow fell again in July, 1915, and once again classes were cancelled,. About 1000 children attended the school in 1916. In some classes there were over 50 pupils, and accommodation difficulties were acute. On 30 April 1918, the school was closed because of Mr Newby's death, and Miss Lawrie took charge until 8 December 1918, when Mr John Butler took up duties as principal.
The House system - still in use at the school - was introduced in 1922. The four houses with their distinctive colours - Selborne (Red), Buxton (Green), Gladstone (Yellow) and Connaught (Blue), were named after a High Commissioner for South Africa, and the first three Governor-Generals of the Union of South Africa. In order to meet the costs of the multiplicity of activities, a composite fee of 1s. per child per term was introduced.
In 1928, the name of the school was changed to the Turffontein Intermediate Government School. It would appear that the school itself was not as excited about this change as the Education Department was. E J Butler wrote in The Principal's Letter of that year, "It is with very mixed feelings that I write my annual notes this December. The Education Department has decided in its wisdom to remove the Intermediate Department from this School. For this proposal it has its own good reasons and it little behoves a good servant of the Department to criticise its employers".
By 1931, the school budget was two hundred and twenty pounds and everybody paid a "modest subscription of six shillings per year". The largest expense noted by Butler in his report was 68 pounds, two shillings and three pence, spent "in rebinding library books, extending the junior library [and] purchasing School prizes".
In 1932, the Turffontein Intermediate School became a primary school and was re-named the Sir John Adamson School in honour of a former Director of Education for the Transvaal. In the Principal's Letter published in the school magazine of 1932, E J Butler wrote "We were somewhat afeard that after our senior Forms II and III of last year had gone and the control of the school passed to Standard Six (Form I) we should find a tremendous loss. Let us be frank and state that the loss of our seniors has been a tremendous one, but that our boys and girls of Six have responded to the call very finely...It is the Standard Six scholars now therefore that the school looks to set the ideal, to show the true character that will lead the school". In 1933 Sir John And Lady Adamson visited the school. In 1935, after many years of planning and negotiating with the Education Department, a New Library and Rest Room was opened at the school.
The library was officially open on 19 October 1935 at a special assembly held for that purpose. Mr E J Butler handed the buildings over to Mr S P Bekker, the Administrator of the Transvaal and Mr G A C Kuschke, the Director of Transvaal Education, declared the building open.
Another change of name took place in 1937, and the school became better known as the Sir John Adamson Junior High School. The change, although welcomed, was quite disturbing. Pupils who were enrolled in Standards II, III and IV at the time had to leave to attend other schools in 1938. In the case of the Standard IV group, this was particularly inconvenient as they returned to the school in their Standard VI year. In addition, the reorganisation meant that certain staff members - some of whom had had a lengthy association with the school - had to depart. On 5 November 1937, Sir John and Lady Adamson once more visited the school, now the Junior High School of the Southern Suburbs of Johannesburg, and attended by pupils of Standards VI, VII and VIII. Soon after this transition - in 1940 - Ernest "Johnny" Butler, retired from the Transvaal Education Department. He had spent twenty-two years as Principal of the school.
By 1940, the annual school subscription had risen to 1 pound. A large portion of the budget went to publishing the school magazine which was given free to every pupil whose subscription was paid in full. Education was obviously disrupted during the years of World War II when many staff members - both male and female - were involved in active service. In 1940, there were no less than eight staff members on Active Service: Pte. J R Evans, L/Cpl. J R Dick, P/N. N Valentine, 2nd Lieut. J Teare, 2ns Lieut. H R Corbett, 2nd Lieut. H Rogan and H P Tobiansky. Mr H Cartwright Robinson who was appointed Principal after the retirement of Mr Butler, spent only six months at the helm of the school before he volunteered for active service. In his absence, Mr H Holmes served as Acting Principal.
The need to conserve paper during the war years also had a severe impact on the School Magazine. In 1941, Miss V E Hanna, commented that "we have decided, that, come wind come weather, we shall continue to produce a record of Sir John Adamson School every year, even though it be much curtailed." The magazine for that year was only thirty pages long, whereas in previous years it had encompassed as many as ninety pages.
New buildings replaced the old wood and iron structures in 1945. These were officially opened by the Director of Education, Mr H H G Kreft, on 22 November. The pupils assembled for the ceremony in the playground. In the presence of members of the Witwatersrand Central School Board, Inspectors, local principals and parents, Mr Kreft opened the buildings with the gold key presented to him by Mr Spicer, the architect.
From the beginning of 1951, the school was known as Sir John Adamson High School. A Governing Body was instituted in 1952, with Mr H Schwarz as Chairman. In the same year, the Governing Body instituted the first Governing Body prizes for bilingualism. It soon became apparent that the existing school grounds were far too small to accommodate a fully fledged high school. In the 1953 magazine, Mr Whiteford expressed a need for at least twenty acres of land.
1955 saw the purchase of 10 morgen in Winchester Hills. Plans of the new school, to accommodate 750 pupils, were drawn and approved. The first Matriculation examination was written at the school in this year. The new building for the Sir John Adamson High School was removed from the provincial priority list and put on a list of schools to be built at a later date when sufficient finance was available. However, through the persistent efforts of those who had the interests of the school at heart, building started towards the end of the following year. The land on which the present school buildings are housed was secured by the first Governing Body of the school, and in particular, Councillor Harry Schwarz, Chairperson of the Governing Body. As a tribute to Councillor Schwarz, the school hall - which is still in use today - was named after him.
A ceremony at which the first sod was turned was held on 7 September 1957. His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Max Goodman, performed the ceremony. In 1957 the school's new badge was registered with the government and came into general use in 1958.
The Foundation Stone of the new building was laid on 7 June 1958, by Dr A H du Preez van Wyk, then Director of Education. It was on this occasion too that the school song, composed by Miss Weiss with words by Mr J H Whiteford, was heard for the first time. The black marble foundation stone which was originally located outside of the school's main foyer was preserved during alterations to the administrative block in the 1990s and can still be seen - in its original position - inside the new foyer.
In July 1959, moving operations began. The School Board provided a 5-ton truck and, on this, over 400 desks, tables, chairs, library books, Science, Industrial Arts, and Home Economics equipment, office furniture, piano and pictures had to be transported more than two miles.
The new school - "set on a hill above the town" - was officially opened on 31 October 1959, by the Administrator of the Transvaal, the Honourable Dr William Nicol. A new era in the history of the Sir John Adamson High School had begun.
With the move to the new building came many innovations. It was necessary to have a Scholar Patrol on duty each morning and afternoon. The School Cadet detachment changed into a Naval Unit, and the distinctive Prefects's Blazers were introduced. For the first eighteen months, sporting activities were limited as the sports fields had not yet been completed. Interschool sports had to be played at other schools.
By the end of 1961 many of the additional facilities and amenities essential to the running of a high school had been completed: the playing fields, tennis courts and hall. 1962 saw the holding of the first sports meeting at the new school and the swimming bath was completed in 1963. In 1964, a new Science Laboratory and Art Room were added to the existing building.
During the third term of 1965, a Sir John Sports Committee was established. This committee was set up to control not only sporting activities at the school, but all extramural activities. Owing to the efforts of the committee, colour scrolls for Academic achievement (Pro Meritore), Debating (Ars Oratoris) and Drama (Pro Arte) were awarded from 1966, in addition to the scrolls for achievement in sport. Also, pupils with three colour-awards and/or Provincial colours are recommended for honours blazers. Special honours ties were introduced, and the first of these were presented to Mr D J Rees in August 1967. All prefects, and pupils with honours blazers, are entitled to wear these ties.
In 1973, a five-year plan focussing on the provision of future facilities was announced. By 1974 there was a pre-cast concrete fence in front of the school, the school owned four buses, a Basketball court had been erected and a six-bay garage for the school buses had been constructed. In 1975 and 1976, the main improvements included the grassing of the hockey field, the completion of concrete netball fields, precast fencing around the swimming pool, swimming change rooms, the first stages of a concrete pavilion and a language laboratory. The completion of the pavilion was planned for 1977 when the school would celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary but was completed a year in advance. In 1981 two new laboratories and two new practical centres were opened and taken into use.
The 1980s were a very difficult period in terms of staffing. Mr Hankey, who assumed duty as Principal in 1981 remarked that the school's "greatest liability was a shortage of teachers". He went on to identify this as the "Biggest problem that our schools are facing today. The 1980's could well become known as the decade of Crisis in Education".
In 1991, as long-awaited political change swept through the country, the school opted to become a "Model B" school. Thus, in 1992, Sir John opened its doors to pupils of all races for the first time in its history. During the course of 1992, the Government changed the status of the school to that of "Model C". The entire principle of "free" education changed and, with the exception of staff salaries, the parents became responsible for the financial needs of the school.
Amidst the changes of the early 1990s, the school also took its first tentative steps into the information age. After many years of planning, a computer centre eventually became a reality. Initially 15 pupil workstations were installed and pupils were given the opportunity to use the centre once a cycle during school time. Unfortunately, the school was unable to keep abreast with the rapid advancements in technology and the centre was soon outdated. It was only in 2001 that a new state-of-the-art computer centre was opened. Computing was introduced as an examination subject at Grade 10 level and Junior pupils were given the opportunity to make use of the centre - under the guidance of Future Kids once a cycle.
In March 1996, all four Education Departments in Gauteng - products of the Apartheid Government - merged to form the Gauteng Department of Education. A new SA Schools Bill completely changed Education in South Africa. As a result of government rationalisation that accompanied the dramatic changes occurring in educational circles, many staff members opted for early retirement or voluntary severance packages. The sweeping changes included a teacher-pupil ration of 35:1. In order to maintain the standards of education that had characterised the long history of our school, it was decided to appoint additional staff on the Governing Body's payroll.
In 1998, under the guidance of the current principal - R J de Beer - extensive alterations were completed on the administrative block which completely changed the physical face of the school.
2001 saw the re-organisation of the school to fall in line with the introduction of Outcomes Based Education with its eight Learning Areas: Language, Literacy and Communication; Mathematical Literacy, Mathematics and Mathematical Studies; Natural Sciences; Human and Social Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences; Technology, Life Orientation and Arts and Culture. The emphasis within the classroom shifted to the attainment of expected outcomes and continuous assessment.
Today, the school is one of the foremost institutions in the Southern Suburbs of Johannesburg, catering to the educational needs of a diverse and multi-faceted community. The unfailing commitment of a staff of over 50 teachers and the dedication of the majority of our pupils to academic achievement has resulted in matric results which - year after year - are the envy of many of our neighbouring schools. On the sports field the school has become a force to be reckoned with and our cultural achievements over recent years have done much to enhance the school's reputation for providing an all-round education for all its pupils.
In 2004, the long awaited Utility hall was built and opened on 31 August 2004, by Mr Plessis, Chairman of the Governing Body. Ms de Beer, left the school at the end of 2004.
School Headmasters: G NEWBY 1903 - 1918 E J BUTLER 1918 - 1940 H C ROBINSON 1940 A BOVET 1946 J H WHITEFORD 1948 - 1958 D J REES 1958 - 1970 J W HOLMAN 1971 - 1973 J L ARCHER 1974 - 1978 G D KALLMAN 1979 S E HANKEY 1981 - 1991 E E BUTLER 1992 - 1997 R J DE BEER 1997 - 2004 M MEYERS 2006 –