Paul Roos Gymnasium

Paul Roos Gymnasium is a public, dual medium (Afrikaans & English) high school for boys in the town of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape province of South Africa, which opened on 1 March 1866 as Stellenbosch Gymnasium. It is the 12th oldest school in the country.[1]

Paul Roos Gymnasium
Address
1 Suidwal Rd, Krigeville

Stellenbosch
,
Western Cape

South Africa
Coordinates33.9419°S 18.8614°E / -33.9419; 18.8614
Information
School typeAll-boys public school
MottoSemper Splendidior
(Always Brighter / Always More Splendid)
Religious affiliation(s)Christianity
Established8 January 1866 (1866-01-08)
Sister school
School districtDistrict 9
RectorMr André van Staden
Staff120 full-time
Grades8–12
GenderMale
Age14 to 18
Number of students1,300 boys
Language
Schedule07:40 - 14:20
CampusUrban Campus
Houses
  • Braid
  • Hofmeyr
  • Murray
  • Neethling
Colour(s)  Gold
  Maroon
  White
Fight songPaul Roos
Nickname
  • The Roos
  • The Maroon Machine
  • PRG.
Rivals
AccreditationWestern Cape Education Department
PublicationThe Semper
NewspaperConcipio
Websitewww.paulroos.co.za

History

In 1910, the school was renamed Stellenbosch Boys' High School. In 1946 the school moved to new buildings in Krigeville and was renamed Paul Roos Gymnasium after Paul Roos, old boy and captain of the first Springbok team, was himself a teacher at the school, and was the school's rector from 1910 to 1940, after which the school was renamed in his honour.

A notable characteristic of the school is its gees (Afrikaans for spirit) and their famous fight song "Old boys of Paul Roos" which has the melody of "Flower of Scotland" in remembrance of the first three Scottish rectors, which they sing with their old boys.[2]

Paul Roos Gymnasium has produced more Springbok rugby players than any other school (54). It is also the school with the most players in the 2019 Rugby World Cup including five Springboks: Schalk Brits, Willie le Roux, Steven Kitshoff, Herschel Jantjies, Damian Willemse and Braam Steyn who played for Italy.

Associations and facilities

Though Paul Roos Gymnasium is a school for boys from grade 8 to 12, the curriculum includes some subjects presented in conjunction with the two sister schools, Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof and Rhenish. The school is dual medium;[3] Afrikaans- and English-speaking pupils study under one roof, but classes are largely separated according to mother tongue. The school shares sport and internet facilities with Stellenbosch University.

School facilities include a library and computer labs. Sports facilities include hockey fields, the Markötter rugby fields, a swimming pool, an Olympic Waterpolo Aquatic Centre, tennis courts, and a gymnasium.

The main residential facilities are the two school hostels (dormitories) called Prima and Prima Nova. They accommodate 245 boarders, mainly from South Africa and Namibia.

Sport

Paul Roos Gymnasium participates in the following sports:

Notable attainments

Paul Roos was classified as a 'prestige' school, being among the best-performing schools.[4] In 2018 the University of Stellenbosch, which evolved out of this school, celebrated its centenary. In the first 100 years of its existence, 26 old boys received honorary doctorates from this university, more than any other school. Also, since the inception of the Chancellor's Medal in 1961, thirteen old boys were awarded this medal for the best final year student by Stellenbosch University.

Notable alumni

Springbok Rugby Players
  1. Arthur Nicholas de Kock
  2. Japie Louw
  3. Jim McKendrick
  4. Bob Shand
  5. Paul de Waal
  6. Japie Krige
  7. Bob Loubser
  8. PO Nel
  9. Paul Roos
  10. Daniël Johannes "Koei" Brink
  11. Pinkie Daneel
  12. Boy de Villiers
  13. Frederick Luyt
  14. Dick Luyt
  15. Koot Reynecke
  16. Gideon Daniël Roos
  17. Wakkie Krige
  18. John Luyt
  19. Tom van Vuuren
  20. Nic du Plessis
  21. Theuns Kruger
  22. Charlé Meyer
  23. Mannetjies Michau
  24. Phil Mostert
  25. Tokkie Scholtz
  26. Jackie Tindall
  27. Attie van Heerden
  28. PK Albertyn
  29. Nico Bosman
  30. Daunce Devine
  31. Kenny Starke
  32. George Daneel
  33. Manus de Jongh
  34. AF du Toit
  35. PK Morkel
  36. Boet Prinsloo
  37. Ferdie Bergh
  38. George van Reenen
  39. Ballie Wahl
  40. Tjol Lategan
  41. Jannie Engelbrecht
  42. Gertjie Brynard
  43. Hempies du Toit
  44. Cabous van der Westhuizen
  45. Justin Swart
  46. Cobus Visagie
  47. Andries Bekker
  48. Schalk Brits
  49. Francois Hougaard
  50. Juandré Kruger
  51. Willie le Roux
  52. Steven Kitshoff
  53. Damian Willemse
  54. Herschel Jantjies

Other notable sportsmen

Jurists

Journalists and authors

Businessmen and politicians

Artists and performing arts

Rhodes Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarship was instituted in 1903. Paul Roos Gymnasium is one of four schools in South Africa entitled to award a Rhodes Scholarship annually to an ex-pupil to study at the University of Oxford.[6]

References
  1. "This list with 200 of South Africa's oldest schools may surprise you". Parent. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  2. Freeman, F. H. (6 July 2007). "Imprints. Is anyone climbing the ladder?". Leadership in Action. 1 (3): 4. doi:10.1002/lia.4070010302. ISSN 1093-6092.
  3. Malherbe, Ernst Gideon (1946). The bilingual school: A Study of Bilingualism in South Africa. London: Longmans. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-405-11086-3.
  4. Marking Matric: Colloquium Proceedings, Vijay Reddy, 2006. HSRC Press. ISBN 0-7969-2116-4
  5. van Onselen, Charles (2003). "The Modernization of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek: F. E. T. Krause, J. C. Smuts, and the Struggle for the Johannesburg Public Prosecutor's Office, 1898-1899". Law and History Review. American Society for Legal History. 21 (3): 483–525. doi:10.2307/3595118. JSTOR 3595118.
  6. Rhodes, Cecil John. "Will and Condicils of the Rt Hon. Cecil John Rhodes" (PDF). Rhodes Trust, University Press Oxford. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
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