Pretoria High School for Girls
Pretoria High School for Girls | |
---|---|
Address | |
949 Park Street, Arcadia , South Africa | |
Coordinates | 25°45′03″S 28°13′35″E / 25.7508°S 28.2265°E |
Information | |
School type | All girls public school |
Motto | Prosit Spes Labori (We Work in Hope) |
Established | 10 October 1902 |
Founder | Edith Aitken |
Sister school | Pretoria Boys High School |
School district | District 9 |
School number | +27 (012) 430 7341 |
Headmistress | Philipa Erasmus |
Staff | 100 full-time |
Grades | 8–12 |
Gender | Female |
Age | 14 to 18 |
Number of students | 1,300 girls |
Language | English |
Schedule | 07:30 - 14:00 |
Campus | Urban Campus |
Campus type | Suburban |
Houses | Boarding houses: North Lodge School house Daygirl houses: Aitken Athlone Buxton Clarendon Connaught Duncan Gladstone McWilliam Selborne Van Zyl |
Colour(s) | Blue Green |
Sports | Hockey Netball Waterpolo Tennis Equestrian Athletes Basketball Squash Diving Soccer |
Nickname | Girls High |
Rivals | |
Accreditation | Gauteng Department of Education |
Yearbook | The Pretorian |
Feeder schools |
|
Alumni | Old Girls Association |
Website | phsg |
Pretoria High School for Girls (Simply often known as PHSG), is a
The high school was founded in 1902 by Edith Aitken.
History
Second Anglo-Boer War
In the 1880s the
Lord Milner and the "Milner Schools"
With Pretoria under British control, it became apparent to
Formation of Pretoria High School for Girls
Mr Hope left 15 months later, along with the girls, who were finally accommodated into the old building of the Staatsmeisjesschool. By October 10, 1902, the school opened as Pretoria High School for Girls. It consisted of four teachers and 126 girls under Edith Aitken, but contrary to the name, taught both primary and secondary school pupils until these two groups were separated in 1905. Girls High moved out to its current Hatfield location on 28 July 1915. The primary school continued to occupy the Staatsmeisjesskool premises and is today known as Hamilton School.[2]
World War II
During the 2nd World War, the school served the community by supplying items to the needy. This tradition has continued into the present day, with each pupil and staff member annually knitting a jersey, which is given to needy members of the community.[3]
Apartheid era
Pretoria High School for Girls was designated as a "white" school during the
It was one of the first public schools to integrate during the transition period in South Africa from a political system of apartheid to a multiparty, multi-racial democracy. The school hoped to finally, legally realise its multi-racial dimension in its charter (" earnest hope that here girls of different races and different denominations might meet") as apartheid began to be dismantled. The first black pupil was admitted to Girls High in 1990 and was the daughter of a
Headmistresses
- Edith Aitken (1902–1923)
- Jean F McWilliam
- Winifred Hawkins
- Minnie Neave (1930–1946)
- Eileen Nelson (1946–1970)
- Beryl Mullins (1971–1988)[7]
- Anne Van Zyl(1989–1995)
- Alison Kitto (1995–2002)
- Penny A McNair (2003–2014)
- Karen du Toit (2015–2017)
- Phillipa Erasmus (2018–present)
Present day
Reputation
Girls High is a state school that is supported by influential people and organizations. It includes the children of Minister of finance Pravin Gordhan's and Minister of health Aaron Motsoaledi's daughters.[8] The school has also had patronage from the diplomatic community, including diplomats from Chile, Malawi, Uruguay, and other countries. It was voted by the Pretoria News as the best high school in Pretoria.[9]
Academics
PHSG is one of the top schools in Gauteng in academic achievement.[10] They are listed in the department of education's top 100 list.[11] PHSG has a rigorous academic curriculum,from 2004–2009, they have had a 100% Matriculation pass rate.[12] PHSG also won the Most Improved Schools Awards of 2007 together with 10 other schools around the country.[11] They won a prize for Excellence in Mathematics because 138 students attained a higher grade maths pass mark.[11] It is in the top 5 public schools in the province.[13]
In 2009, the school had a 99.9 percent Matric pass rate.
Motto
The motto of the School is We work in hope, and has a Latin equivalent, Prosit Spes Labori.[15]
Coat of arms
In 1936, the school's
Hostels
- North Lodge (on campus)
- School House (on campus)
- St Alban's Hostel (off campus Farenden and Pretorious Street) - this hostel has been closed since 2008. This hostel was built in 1928 and given to PHSG by the Holy Christ Church next door. It was supported by the Vatican Emissary (embassy) in Pretoria.[17] The building is still owned by PHSG and is a protected site.[17]
Controversy
In August 2016 the school was accused of racial discrimination policies where black students were treated differently from white students. These were policies ranging from black girls being forced to straighten their hair, rules that disallowed afros to being accused of conspiring when standing in groups and speaking in their mother tongue. The black students protested at the school's annual Spring Fair, despite the presence of heavy security.
Alumnae ("Old Girls")
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (September 2023) |
Girls High alumnae are known as "Old Girls" and there are Old Girls who are chapters in South Africa, Australia, England and USA.
Notable alumnae
- Myfanwy Bekker-Balajadia – artist[23]
- Sheila Camerer – politician
- Nan Cross – anti-apartheid and anti-conscription activist
- Bridgette Hartley– sprint canoer; bronze medal K-1500m, 2012 Olympics
- Claudia Henkel – Miss South Africa 2004
- Cythna Letty – botanical artist
- Judith Mason née Menge – artist
- Zulaikha Patel – anti-racism activist
- Deanna Petherbridge – artist, writer and curator
- Margaret Roberts – herbalist and writer
- Jacqueline Roumeguere-Eberhardt – anthropologist
- Gertrud Theiler – parasitologist
- Ellaphie Ward-Hilhorst – botanical artist
- Relebogile Mabotja - Actress and radio personality
- Magda Wierzycka - CEO Sygnia
- Margaret Hunt - Tennis player[citation needed]
References
- ^ "Briefhistory". boyshigh.com.
- ^ "Index of /". Archived from the original on 2011-08-17. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
- ^ "Pretoria High School for Girls". phsg.org.za. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-09-11.
- ^ a b c d Pretoria High School for Girls Yearbook 1990, No 96 PHSG p 3
- ^ Pretoria High School for Girls Yearbook 1990, No 96 PHSG
- ^ a b "Oprah academy's new head - EducationWeb". educationweb.co.za.
- ^ HighBeam [dead link]
- ^ "Ministers show faith in public schools - Times LIVE". Archived from the original on 2010-11-24. Retrieved 2010-12-13.
- ^ "Pretoria High School for Girls". phsg.org.za. Archived from the original on 2014-06-07. Retrieved 2013-03-02.
- ^ "joburgnews.co.za". Archived from the original on 2011-10-04.
- ^ a b c "The Home Of Great South African News - SA Good News". sagoodnews.co.za. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
- ^ a b "South Africa: Jubilation, Tears At Pretoria High School for Girls". BuaNews. 1 January 2020 – via allafrica.com.
- ^ Independent Newspapers Online. "Pretoria's matrics shine brightly". Independent Online.
- ^ "Circle of Excellence Schools | Allan Gray Orbis Foundation". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-12-13.
- ^ "Pretoria High School For Girls". Schoolguide.
- ^ a b Pretoria High School for Girls Yearbook 1990, No 96 PHSG p 2
- ^ a b "ABLEWIKI:802 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria". up.ac.za. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
- ^ a b c Safdar, Anealla (August 30, 2016). "S Africa: Black students protest 'racist' hair rules". Al Jazeera. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- Twitter.com.
- ^ a b Neo Koza (August 29, 2016). "Why SA is behind the Pretoria High School for Girls protest". Eyewitness News. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- ^ "Stop Racism at Pretoria Girls High". amandla.mobi. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
- ^ "Pretoria Girls High racism protest backed by SA minister". BBC News. August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
- ^ "Past Exhibit - MYFANWY BEKKER". South African Contemporary and Fine Art Gallery. Archived from the original on 2011-08-16.