School spirit that has survived the ages will be on display later this year when one of the country’s oldest schools celebrates 200 years of turning boys into young gentlemen.
A week of celebrations is on the cards for Muir College, and the Kariega school is gearing up for a bumper programme worthy of its achievements.
All former pupils are invited to attend the event, scheduled for August, and the Old Muirite Union is even preparing to welcome pupils from as far back as the class of 1952.
“Last year, we even visited Bertie Cook when he turned 100 years old.
“He is oldest Old Muirite we know of and we really hope he can attend our Founders’ Week in August,” Old Muirite Union president Andrew Binning said.
The week’s programme will include, among other events, a gala dinner, special church service and a rugby tournament featuring other prominent schools from across SA.
Binning, who matriculated at Muir in 1988, said the celebrations stretched far beyond the school, which regarded the 200th anniversary as a milestone for the entire surrounding community.
“While a lot of the Founders’ Week programme is centred around the school, there will be more events open to the broader public, and we really encourage everyone to come by and be part of our celebrations.”
Muir College lays claim to the title of oldest English-speaking boys’ high school in the country, and despite having many names and occupying several premises over the past two centuries, the school’s roots date back to October 1822.
It started when James Rose Innes first welcomed 60 pupils into a house in Cuyler Street and taught them free of charge.
Over time more pupils joined, the education system changed, and more than once the school was absorbed by larger institutions.
It was, however, unique for its time because it was the only school in the region to retain Dutch as a subject, allowing for both English- and Dutch-speaking pupils to attend classes in their mother tongue.
In 1873, Muir became a boys-only school, paving the way for the opening of sister school, Riebeek College for Girls, in 1877.
In 1892, the boys’ school was renamed Muir Academy, after the then superintendent-general of education, Sir Thomas Muir, and in 1906 a new school building was opened on Park Avenue.
However, by 1907 the school was commonly known as Muir College.
The primary school moved to another premises in 1962, while the high school moved from Park Avenue to its present location in Vanes Estate in 1987.
However, the two schools amalgamated in 1994, both occupying the Vanes Estate campus.
Muir’s headmaster, Robin Stephenson, who joined the college in 2016, said he was honoured and privileged to be a part of such a momentous occasion.
“There aren’t many headmasters that have had this opportunity.
“The other day I was raising the school flag and I actually became a little emotional just thinking about how immense this moment is, and the story of fortitude and perseverance Muir represents.”
Stephenson said the school was fortunate to have such an active old boys’ union in the Old Muirites, and that it and union had worked closely in planning and arranging a series of events throughout the year, culminating in Founders’ Week.
“The way the old pupils came together is encouraging and inspirational, and it shows our school forms part of a bigger family and community.
“It speaks to the heritage of a 200-year-old school that truly has, like one of the school’s mottos says, moulded boys into gentlemen.”
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