User:Maggy cloete/sandbox

RUIMTE PRIMARY SCHOOL, REHOBOTH

It was a very hot summer’s day in December 1974 when I first learned about this school. My grandfather called me and informed me that we would go to Rehoboth the next day. We lived on a farm and going to Rehoboth was the event of a lifetime. I was excited at the prospect of seeing my cousins, but my grandfather told me that he had a surprise for me. Of cause I nagged him for what it was and he told me that we would visit the school that I would attend the next year. We left early the next morning. It was the last day of school and everything was a buzz; learners and teachers coming and going. The learners had their reports and my grandfather explained that the report tells whether they have passed and will go to the next standard. The headmaster at the time was Mr. De Beer. He knew my grandfather and they talked about a lot of things – the farm, the rain, the animals and then attention shifted to me.

Mr. De Beer said everybody is happy that I will be starting school with them and they showed me the classroom of my teacher. The school accommodated Sub A, Sub B and Standard 1 at the time. It was called Voorbereiding Skool, translated to English which means ‘preparatory school’. The classrooms where large with cement floors and large-low windows. In a sense it reminded me of our farmhouse. The school played a big role in education of farm children like me. The school was one of the most prominent and biggest buildings of the town at that time. It was located in close proximity to other historical buildings and was part of the ‘heart’ of the town at that time. Today it is even bigger and is a fully fledged primary school and I believe it touches even more people’s lives.

Part of the reasons that I decided on writing this blog is that I struggled to find information as to who was the architect of those buildings and who was the first headmaster.

I therefore hope that people may read this blog and contribute more information.