Speech Day at New Kearsney. Saturday school was in vogue then, but free weekends were non-existent. The only time we had "long" weekends was when a public holiday fell on a Monday.During the Easter and Michaelmas holidays a number of boys stayed at the College because their homes were too far away-transport in those days was not as speedy as now and boys who lived in Johannes burg often went home only in July and December. PETS? The only parts of the school that were ever locked were the kitchen and the head's study,and since doors and windows were often left wide open,dogs and cats frequently wandered through the buildings at night. It was quite eerie at times to wake up and hear the patter of paws past one's bed on the balcony! HIKES.On Sundays we were allowed to gofor walks,after lunch,but during letter-writing period before morning church a book would come round in which we entered our names and the place to which we intended walking. It was a rule that we had to go to that place,so that if we did not return by supper time and a search had to be mounted,it would be known where to search. Under the tennis courts there was repured ro be an old "jam factory". Certainly there was a hollow area there, with i manhole,but nobody ever seemed ro explore it nor seemed to know a lot about it. Such places as NonotiPeak,Nonoti River,Chaka's Cliffs —(where we sometimes wentfor the choir picnic)-Isivundu-(the stately home of Miss Olive Balcomb),the Makaraan stream; Sprouston (home of one of the Huletts); the tea factory, etc., were places to which we often went, and the sound of which today fills one with nostalgic memories. MOREFRUIT.The mango grove-a plantation five or six trees wide and 400-500 yards long, stretched away in the valley below the College and was well patronized by the boys in season. There were also lines of mango trees flanking the road down to the field, and one of these trees was known as the "soap mango"tree-recommended to all newies as"the best"!! The fruit really did taste like soap. SNAKES.The orchard below the cane-train line was in bounds only in the citrus season, and one or two boys-including myself-had close shaves with snakes there. Up a tree one day in quest ofa juicy naartjie,I stretched up through the foliage and almost grabbed a boomslang! My time of 5 sees, for the hundred yards - up hill - still stands!! Snakes did come in close to the buildings at times but no-one was ever in danger. A few were shot in the tall pine trees surrounding the school - mostly mambas- and some prize specimens 7-8 feet long were killed in the district, but I cannot remember any boy actually being bitten. RAIDS.It was occasionally our daring custom,after lights out and after the teachers had had their evening tea in the common room,to slip over the balcony rail,skim down the pole to the ground floor,nip inro the masters'common room and nip out again with any cakes they may have left uneaten. We either skinned back up the pole or sneaked round to the stairs, being careful to avoid both prefect and master on duty. During my four and a half years there was never any major change either in curriculum or to the buildings, for it was realized that Kearsney would make no real advancement located where they were,and I know that for some time before I left there had been much coming and going and efforts at raising money to make a move. It was only a short time later that the pro ject really got under way,and but four years passed before the foundation stone was laid at Botha's Hill. 33
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