Closing Function (20 Sept 2003)

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October is Rugby World Cup month and even I feel I can offer practical and tactical advice to the Springbok camp. We’ve had 10 coaches since re-admission in 1992. We need to take rugby to a new level. We need some raw aggression, some creative flair, some fluent communication. We need someone to look and to sound a little better and brighter than Mr Straueli. It’s easy – we need to appoint a woman. Come on, Mrs Colleen Steenkamp, come on Mrs Harris, you can do it. Even Aston or Leriche – you can do it, too.

My Closing Function address is one of my major challenges as a principal. The challenge is to bring together the threads of a Eunice year, its substance, its spirit, its style in a manner which will interest and hopefully hold a Saturday night audience accustomed to more appealing entertainment. I’m not as good looking as Mr Gordon or Mr Swart, or as fit and dashing as Mr Mould or Mr Volsteedt, but I walk tall as the modest principal of the Top School in the Free State. I am proud of this valley of green and tonight we will share that pride with you all.

Our school is so rich in distinctive, dedicated personalities, in varied talent, in strong tradition, in dynamic opportunity and in cheerful service that it is actually a privilege and a pleasure to encapsulate for you the substance, spirit and style of Eunice in 2003.

I wonder how you feel about the first school day of the new year. I remember my first day at Eunice. I was more nervous that any Std 6 girl. But Eunice’s first school day with its opening assembly is a function at the heart of the Eunice tradition. Girls who achieve five or more distinctions earn Board Medals. Their satisfaction, our pride in them, their short stirring speeches, it’s a delight. The atmosphere is inspirational and the girls in green are energized. That’s a highlight for me. It reminds me of my own matric results which were measured in my parents home, not in symbols but on the richter scale.

Tonight we have literally hundreds of achievers. The thought of each and every one of these girls walking across the stage is daunting. I always call it their tiny taste of triumph which we all recognize and respect and which has the potential to lead them to conquer themselves, to give their lives direction and quality and meaning. I challenge you to find a school and a staff who so meticulously record and recognize each girl’s individual achievements according to set criteria.

I have such respect for girls willing to participate, to try; willing to choose the hard way; willing to commit to developing their academic, sporting or cultural or service faculties.

We only really start developing, start getting direction when we make those commitments. It is so rewarding to see girls in control, using their opportunities, determined to make their mark.

But direction doesn’t come easy. It requires us to put first things first. Our priority as teachers, as a school, is to believe in our girls and to take action to help to bring out the best in them. We need to lead them to be active, hard working, competent and caring woman dedicated to making a difference. I ask myself, as a parent, what is it parents expect of a school. Obviously the most important feature of a good school is teaching quality. Thereafter come the happiness and security of your daughters, developing their potential and confidence, school discipline, moral values and having caring teachers. Boarder parents from smaller towns look to Eunice for better opportunities. Schools are so much more than exam results. Ours certainly is. Moreover our girls learn to work together. But we can only help. Our girls need to embrace our school’s spirit, our motto, its standards and its many opportunities.

How does Stephen Covey put it: to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy. The need to live is our physical need for food, clothing, shelter, health and money. The need to love is our social need to relate to other people, to belong and to grow. And the need to leave a legacy is our spiritual need to have a sense of meaning, purpose, contribution.

Ensuring direction has so much to do with priorities with practicing Covey’s First Things First. He tells me how important it is to prevent my daily work from becoming simple urgency addiction – responding to daily school crises. He urges me not simply to react but to consider the bigger picture, the deeper issues which give meaning to our lives, or in his words “ keeping a compass context to our day”.

I speak so often from this stage about giving our lives direction. I learned direction not from Covey, but from my Dad who died nearly 40 years ago, from my wife who gives each and every day direction, from this school which moves forward fired by the vision and passion of personalities such as Pat Uys and Maureen Botha, by the innovation and creativity of Mag Marais, by the half past 6 start Dr Paine gives to each school day, by the professionalism and willingness of Karen and Danie vd Merwe and by the daily commitment of our many unsung teachers.

This is a school of staff commitment. It’s what sets us apart. Our teachers put teaching first. They teach full days and full classes. They navigate the stormy waters of curriculum change with tons of red ink and red tape. Their commitment is the critical key element in the success of the school. Inspiring, challenging and supporting them is my deeper issue. Securing and retaining the very best staff is what we need to do to give Eunice direction and elevation.

Seeing our top girls here reminds me of the parent who asked his daughter “Are you in the top half of the class?” “No”, she replied, “I’m one of the girls who makes the top half possible!”
Or the teacher eager to make use of her psychology classes. She started her class by saying “Everyone who thinks you’re stupid, stand up.” After a few seconds little Johnny stood up. The teacher said, “Do you think you’re stupid, Johnny?” “No Ma’am, he said, “but I hate to see you standing there all by yourself.”

Any of you who have been to other school prize givings will know that they are each delightfully different. They are steeped in tradition, each with their own distinctive style. Tonight I would like to highlight that distinctiveness by honoring two personalities particularly central to our tradition.

The two young ladies on the stage have Eunice green marrow in their bones. Today they epitomize and represent the commitment, quality and character of personalities, over the years, who have dedicated their lives to the name and service of the school they love. Their strength lies in their passionate interest in and understanding of the girls in green. Green tends to cloud their judgment. So does Orange. But no Eunice girl can but notice that confidence, that energy, that sparkle, that ability to inspire, to bring our the best, that experience in action, that love of Eunice which sets standards, which induces constructive criticism, which fosters such immense loyalty.

Both Trudy van Wyk and Colleen Steenkamp retire this year having matriculated together at Eunice in 1955 (when I was 3), the year of Grey College’s Centenary. Colleen Willoughby-Williams was the drum majorette leader who led the Grey band and the centenary procession down Maitland Street. She played hockey for Free State, coached the Eunice first eleven, was the kingpin of the Eunice Centenary float procession in 1975, served on the Eunice Board, lectured at the University for many years and served Eunice High and Primary swimming with unmatched distinction.

Trudy was Headgirl at Eunice that year and started her teaching career at Eunice Primary. She taught my wife, Moira, in Std 1. Now that is seriously old. She served at numerous primary schools before spending the last 26 years at Eunice Primary. She was the president of the Eunice Re-unie when I became principal. So many of our girls and old girls can testify to her vitality, her youthful energy and her sense of humour.

Colleen and Trudy both married old Greys, both had their daughters at Eunice and both have granddaughters presently at Eunice. They are best friends, a friendship which dwells besides the waters of wisdom and of life. We will lose a great chunk of Eunice character in December, but these two ladies’ influence will continue to be felt for years to come.

And so to the substance and style and spirit of 2003. One could not have asked for a better set of matric results from a determined class motivated to achieve by a Eunice standard and by a quality team of hard-working and experienced teachers. Our 124 girls rose to the occasion with a 100% pass for the 17th year, an 89% exemption rate, 31 A aggregates and 231 distinctions (40 on SG). There was at least one distinction for 106 of our 124 girls.

Winning the Top Mathematics and Physical Science School Trophy for the third time in four years is a clear confirmation of the quality of our staff, the commitment of our girls and the willingness of our parents to brave the car park on a Monday night. Competency in these subjects, in particular, is a key measure of schools. And we don’t chase the figures artificially. 98 of our 138 matrics take Mathematics, 60% of those on HG. You won’t find a higher ratio at another South African girls’ school. My own daughter has been a beneficiary of quality Maths and Science teaching these last five years. She has worked at it daily – an essential element in technical subjects – I am a satisfied Eunice parent as well as a proud principal. Mrs Emsie Bouwer, Mrs Anmare Harris, Mrs Antoinette Steenkamp and Mrs Karin Kok – you are a great team. The Eunice community salutes you.

We may appear a little arrogant as top this and top that. But we recognize our weaknesses as a school and our need to develop in critical areas. We need to tighten classroom discipline as we grow larger, we need to develop more consistency in the management of school sport, we need to promote more participation in social sports, more depth and volume and repertoire in school singing, more professionalism as an English medium school, more commitment from parents in resisting peer pressures especially in terms of school attendance and teenage smoking, drinking and clubbing; we need a more open climate conducive to better inter-cultural understanding; we need a more hands-on commitment from every girl, teacher and worker to the cleanliness and appearance of every venue and every corner of this complex; we need a renewed approach to basic manners, to simply courtesy, to general appearance.

I had the opportunity this year to spend time in Edinburgh and Nottingham with principals from around the world and I was struck by how committed the world’s best educational institutions are to school improvement.

A major development this year was the move to a state of the art venue for our innovative approach to computer literacy. We understand our limitations in terms of technology funding. Our philosophy has been to promote mass – based computer literacy by Grade 10. 100 Grade 10 girls passed the matric Computer Studies (SG) last December, 21 of them earning distinctions. I say with great satisfaction that our girls have the skills. The Department’s R150 000 grant, on the basis of our 2001 results, has been put to very practical use. Our venue and all its terminals are fully utilized from 07h30 – 17h00 five days a week. Thank you Mrs Musgrave and Mrs Grobler.

But are computers male or female? Most Eunice girls would say that computers are male – for the following reasons:

1. To get their attention you have to turn them on.
2. They store a lot of data but are really quite clueless.
3. They help solve problems but half the time they are the problem.
4. As soon as you are committed to one you wish you had waited for a better model.

Grey boys on the other hand would regard computers as female – for the following reasons:

1. No one but their creator understands how they work.
2. Their native language for conversing with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.
3. Even the smallest mistake becomes stored in their long-term memory.
4. As soon as you are committed to one you spend half your income in accessories.

The new squash court inner walls are still in suntan mode, like some of our matrics. We have waited more than two months for the plaster to dry. Painting should begin on Monday. They will soon be operational and will, I’m sure, prove to be a critical asset in our facility development programme. Our hostel renovation project was completed this year with the last of eight bathrooms redone and every room painted.

In three weeks time this hall will be transformed into a bright and innovative Christmas Market, the initiative of Mag Marais and Trudy Pieterse. This bold and successful project is indicative of our school’s approach to opportunity, creativity, style and commitment.

That life is so precious was brought home to us this year through our headgirls. Lara’s mother Dr Adelene Grobler, one of our retiring board members, fought for her life recently, after three operations in a week following a burst appendix. Ashleigh Moolman, our vice headgirl who spent five days unconscious in July after a horse riding accident. She was our dux pupil and returned to school only this week. We celebrated her health at matric crowning on Wednesday where she told us she has a whole new appreciation of life’s opportunities.

At swimming, Eunice has, in the last 5 Steenkamp years, shown that it is undoubtedly South Africa’s top school. In 2003 we hosted and won the National Invitation Gala for the fourth successive year, all the age group trophies at Inter-high and the schools’ competition at the Midmar Mile. We have top achievers like Suzaan van Biljon, Jo-Ann Bergman and Kirsty Wienand who shared the Victrix Ludorum at Inter-high. A large team of talented performers and plenty of stalwarts like Kate Honger, our new boarder Vice Headgirl who learned to swim at Eunice High and who completed her maiden Midmar Mile this year.

Our hockey girls enjoyed a dream season winning the U14/A, U16/A, U18A and First Bloemfontein leagues. Not only did we produce nine SA Schools’ girls including the captain, Lara Grobler, and our next senior Protea, Lesle-Ann George but eight Free State U18/A players were the mainstay of the provincial team that won the national tournament under Elsie Coetzer for the third year in succession. We beat Oranje twice this year – a real vintage year – won the Directors Trophy and the National Girls’ Schools’ Festival final – and in our best moment, beat St Mary’s 3 –1 in a curtain-raiser to the South Africa Vs Great Britain match in Potchefstroom.

Our Netball girls reached the semis in East London, an in their best moment, beat Clarendon on Derby Day; our squash girls are rebuilding after years as the Province’s Top School; our athletes hold their own at the top meetings; our tennis girls enjoy multiple well organized opportunities and display both talent and depth.


As always, I share with you some special memories and highlights of my year:

Miss Hamman’s wedding with 100 Eunice Grade 9s in attendance was certainly special. I’ll never forget it. Miss Hamman’s father-in-law who was also the dominee, called me “Oom!” I asked one of our girls, “Do I look like ‘n Oom?” “No Sir,” said on of our black girls, “you’re a Eunice Tannie!”.

A real highlight for me this year has been my contact with Ruchelle Cilliers, Eunice’s headgirl in 1989 and guest speaker at our 125 Assembly in our quad in 2000. Ruchelle is a doctor in the Pediatric Oncology ward at Universitas who, herself contracted cancer less than a year ago. Her sense of family, of insight, of humility, of struggle and of faith has been a source of admiration and inspiration to me and to others.

I always have special memories of Thaba Nchu mountain and Dr van Niekerk helping the lame, the lazy and the large; of the Grey Gala – there’s something so special about three schools so vocal in support and so strong in performance; of Mrs Steenkamp’s world class national gala in February;

What can be more memorable than that day in December at the Premier’s house with those three trophies tucked under my arm.

Anyone present at our stylish Matric Dance two weeks ago cannot but have admired Eunice’s lovely girls, Mrs Norval’s commitment to giving the night a touch of class and our parents’ pride at sharing in their daughters’ delight.

Meeting with 44 Eunice old girls at a Soho restaurant in London in July was night I’ll not forget for many years.

At this school every day is a highlight. Eunice girls bring vitality and actuality to each day. I am always struck by their instant friendliness, by their sense of spontaneity and sparkle, their deep sense of belonging, their loads of humour, their tears, their sense of respect and affection, their underlying confidence and their precious friendships made, broken, remade.

I can’t publically thank each and every member of the Eunice community. Our girls appreciate the love and generosity of Mrs Amal de Vries who has served Mimosa Small – our tuckshop for so many years; our boarder parents and girls enjoy the warm welcoming smile of Mr Etsebeth at Eunice House, the new, and better security provided by Mr Danie vd Merwe; the sheer quality of service provided by the staff of Eunice House especially Miss van Schalkwyk, Mrs vd Merwe, Mrs Wilson and Miss Scheepers.

I work closely each day with Mr Uys, Dr Paine and Mrs Botha and I rely heavily on their experience, expertise and their love of this school and I look forward to welcoming Mr Leon van Rensburg to our management team.
 

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