Three prominent Grahamstown principals are leaving three top Grahamstown schools at the end of this year. Nolubabalo Yantolo and Annemarie Henson spoke to them about their memories and regrets.
Three prominent Grahamstown principals are leaving three top Grahamstown schools at the end of this year. Nolubabalo Yantolo and Annemarie Henson spoke to them about their memories and regrets.
Lindsay Abrahams of Victoria Primary School and Peter Reed of Graeme College are retiring, while Paul Edey of St Andrew’s College is moving to another school.
“Some of my proudest moments are when the Grade 1s come in here to read to me or violinists come in and play," Abrahams told Grocott's Mail last week.
"They bring me their books and I stamp them and put a sticker. And of course they get sweets from the sweetie jar," she said, pointing to a jar of sweets.
Abrahams said she was also proud when the school received the school and national flags from the Department of Arts and Culture.
Abrahams said she is sad to leave VP, but she has reached the mandatory retirement age of 65. She has been with the school for 23 years as a teacher; with the last three and a half as principal.
Reed, who is retiring as headmaster after 22 years, said his experiences at Graeme College have been varied because of the changes that have taken place in the South African educational system in recent years.
"It’s been a variety and a number of things taking place and I can say no day is the same,” Reed said, adding that his overall experience has been positive.
“Every day at the school is a proud moment, because it is such a pleasure being here,” he said. The future of the school is looking positive in terms of the quality of staff, boys and education, he added.
“I’m very comfortable to leave the school in terms of where it is going and what is happening right now."
SAC's Edey has been appointed headmaster of St John’s College in Johannesburg.
“I have loved it, especially the spirit, tradition and atmosphere that goes with a boys' boarding school of the age and character of St Andrew's College,” Edey, who was out of town, said via email.
There have been numerous proud moments during his six years as headmaster, on both the sports field and on the academic side. Some of the momentous occasions included the opening of The Andrean Resource Centre, the 75th anniversary of the Pipe Band, the Centenary of the Chapel and the Graham House 50th anniversary, he said.
He believes the school will continue to prosper after he leaves.
"We have an excellent staff and we have exciting developments in the academic infrastructure to look forward to," he said.
"I also believe that despite its infrastructural problems Grahamstown remains unsurpassed as an educational destination in South Africa.” What will these principals miss most?
“My two cups of tea that are brought to me in the mornings,” Abrahams added jokingly – that's apart from her staff and the pupils, of course.
Edey said, "Definitely the staff that I work with and schoolboys."
Reed said he'd miss his staff and the pupils.
