CAPE ARGUS -
1927, August 4
EDUCATION
Educationally,
Robertson has excellent facilities. There are two high schools, one for boys –
a large, modern and exceptionally well-equipped building in Education Street,
with two boarding establishments, McGregor House and De Waals Hostel – and one
for girls, an equally up-to-date building, with a domestic science block in
Reitz Street. The school stands in large grounds and a short distance further
up in the street is a hostel for girls, capable of accommodating some 70
boarders, and named Merwehof after Dr. Van der Merwe, the late Moderator of the
Dutch Reformed Church. Both the boys and girls’ hostels are roomy and airy, and
surrounded by recreation grounds.
Each school
has some 300 pupils and, in addition to preparing students for the usual
matriculation course, they give special facilities for instruction in music.
Students are prepared for the licentiate diplomas in piano, violin, organ and
singing. The two teachers of singing have London diplomas and pupils are sent
to Robertson from all over the country.
“MEESTER’S”
FATAL MOUTHFUL
Tales of the “good
old days,” when South African towns were in their infancy, invariably tell us
what strict disciplinarians the old “skoolmeesters” were. Who has not heard of
father’s schoolmaster whose “kweperstok” (quince stick) was never beyond reach?
Such a martinet had the school going youth of Robertson in its early days. He
was a Scot who freely employed a light, flexible cane of peculiarly searching
qualities.
A certain
grim humour attaches to the story of the occasion when the cane operated on the
schoolmaster himself. At dinner one day he swallowed too large a piece of beef,
which lodged in his throat, and all efforts to dislodge it proved unavailing.
Whether a cynical pupil who had good reason to remember the cane suggested using
the implement tradition does not say, but the fact remains that it was
hurriedly fetched from the school, and employed to ram the obstinate piece of
beef down!
First the
unfortunate teacher tried, and then his landlord, but to no purpose. A doctor
was summoned post-haste from Worcester but before he arrived that night poor “meester”
had passed away. His name may be read today on one of the few weather-beaten
tombstones that surround the Dutch Reformed Church.
FROM DERBY
WINNER STOCK
One of the
leading farmers in the Robertson district, is Mr. DJ de Wet, of Zandvliet, who specializes
in racehorses and has just added to his stable a splendid stallion from the
same stock as this year’s Derby winner. Mr. Chris de Wet, his son, is an expert
on sheep, and recently procured in Australia for their merino stud stock a ram
costing £2,000 and another costing £1,000, in addition to several stud ewes.
Some
indication of the progress of stud sheep farming in Robertson district may be
gained when it is stated that the breeders are competing successfully among
other important at the Central Show at Bloemfontein with the sheep kings of the
Midlands.
Among other important
stud farms in the district are those of Mr. Paul de Wet, Zandvliet, noted for
sheep; Mr. JS de Wet, Excelsior, for Frieslands; Mr. Gideon Malherbe, De Hoek,
for Jerseys; Mr. Adriaan van Zyl, Boesman’s River, for Frieslands and Clydedales;
Mr. Leo Visser and Mr. Dove, of Goedemoed, for sheep; and Mr. Bennie, of Bonnievale,
for Frieslands. Poultry
farming is largely carried on at Bonnievale, and cheese manufacturing is yet
another resource exploited by the Robertson farmer. It may be remarked that Robertson is not a place where farmers sit in blissful contemplation of
the shifting colours on the high mountains while nature does the job. The
farmers there are as hard worked as farmers anywhere else in the country. They
have their losses and their set-backs. They grumble about irrigation rates and
the price paid for their products by the pampered consumer. But they are
energetic and progressive, and will push their fine south-western district to
enviable heights.
In
Safeguarding public health, the Robertson Municipality sets an example which other
South African towns might follow. Robertson’s town hygiene is something to be
envied by other places – and it is due to the enterprise and strong personality
of a woman.
In securing
the services as Woman Health Visitor of Miss M. Cilliers, a holder of the Royal
Sanitary Institutes’ certificate, the Town Council took a forward step that has
today given it a town which is almost model from the health point of view. Not
that Robertson has any particularly modern and costly institutions designed
from the point of view of public health. It is much simpler than that. A
dynamic worker whom all Robertson hold in high esteem – if not a little bit in
awe! – Miss Cilliers preaches – and enforces – the doctrine of individual
effort. She sees to it that all concerned put first and foremost the ideal of
keeping the town clean and healthy. Where food is prepared or kept for public
consumption the premises are, under her watchful eye, maintained sweet and
fresh. There is constant war on flies. All butchers’ meat is gauze protected
and carried in covered wagons; the bakeries are places of fragrant cleanliness;
the dairies are kept spotless, and the streets are always a public testimonial
to Robertson’s health enterprise.
Miss Cilliers
has a free hand in promoting public welfare interests. She is armed with the
authority of a fine set of municipal regulations, and, besides that, per post
is partly a Government one. But quite apart from that she has those outstanding
personal qualifications and capabilities that spell success in work of this
character. Miss Cilliers is an indefatigable worker. A trained nurse to whom
responsibility is no novelty, she renders splendid services among the poorer
members of the community, while she is constantly watchful that the ordinary
public services come up to all health requirements.
Miss Cilliers
started her work at Robertson less than a year ago. The means the adopted were
simple but firmly moved to provide washable walls and floors for their premises
and to cover their meat stands with wire gauze. Not satisfied with that, the
Health Visitor got them doubly to protect their meat by also screening doors
and windows with gauze. She pays them pretty frequent visits to see that
everything is always in shipshape order.
Robertson’s bakeries invite a visit at any time. Gauze here, too, and,
like the butchers, the bakers have covered in delivery vans.
One
up-to-date place has appreciated the economy and healthfulness of machine-made
bread and the Municipality is now preparing to erect a properly equipped
abattoir. Here, there, and everywhere the Health Visitor speeds in her
“flivver.” Nothing escapes her vigilance. No litter is allowed to accumulate
anywhere. Yards and furrows, stables and streets, shops and general sanitation
are always under critical inspection. Where the Health Visitor thinks something
might be improved there is no gainsaying her!
It is in
Robertson’s coloured quarter that the success of her work is most apparent.
What Miss Cilliers calls her slum area is a portion of the town which has been
converted from squalor and decay into a decent, habitable place. Numerous
places which have been condemned by her have been bought in by the Town
Council, or the landlords have been compelled to make the necessary repairs.
Badly aired places have had to be supplied with ventilators, and, generally,
every effort is being made to keep the coloured people living under normal,
healthy conditions. They have a wholesome respect for “Nurse” and they keep
their yards and houses fit for her inspection at any time. They have actually
come to take a pride in this work and they even sweep the streets in front of
their houses. They usually have a smiling greeting for the Health Visitor, the
value of whose work among the sick poor they greatly appreciate.
Miss
Cilliers’ effective methods have warmly commended themselves to the Town
Council. Her work is highly valued and the Union Public Health Department’s
latest report on Robertson is a well-deserved tribute to her ability.
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