Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom, colloquially known as Potch Volkies, is a public high school located in Potchefstroom, North West, South Africa.
Early history
The emergence of Christian National Education was closely linked with the rise of Afrikaner nationhood and resultant nationalism following the Second Anglo-Boer War (1898/9 to 1902) and a number of "Volkskool" schools were established. These schools were often funded by Afrikaners from own funds and by the protestant Reformist churches, despite the devastation of Boer resources during the Anglo-Boer War. These nascent establishments had to contend with the British government's parsimony and reluctance to allocate funding for Afrikaner education. This was due, in no small measure, to Lord Milner's antipathy to the Boer plight and his policy of anglicisation. Kitchener and Milner were at odds over the treatment of the Boers after the war. Kitchener was more lenient: he wanted to promote reconciliation between the white peoples of South Africa, while Milner wanted to exclude the Boers from future political power. Milner insisted that the Dutch language would no longer be treated on equal terms with English in government, the courts and in education. He wanted completely Anglicized colonies. In 1875, a group of Afrikaans-speakers from the Cape formed the Genootskap vir Regte Afrikaanders ("Society for Real Afrikaners"), and published a number of books in Afrikaans including grammars, dictionaries, religious materials and histories.
Until the early 20th century, Afrikaans was considered a Dutch dialect, alongside Standard Dutch, which it eventually replaced as an official language. Before the Boer wars, "and indeed for some time afterwards, Afrikaans was regarded as inappropriate for educated discourse. Rather, Afrikaans was described derogatorily as 'a kitchen language' or 'a bastard jargon,' suitable for communication mainly between the Boers and their servants." The fledgling Afrikaans language gradually displaced Dutch as the Afrikaner mother tongue and the need for schools offering tuition in the language was a foregone conclusion. Milner's attempt to forcibly anglicise the Boers had failed. The Boers had responded by establishing their own schools. Afrikaans language schools based their pedagogy on Christian National Education. Afrikaans was recognised by the South African government as a distinct language, rather than simply a slang version of Dutch in 1925. Officially, Potchefstroom Volkskool thus predates the recognition of Afrikaans although the school offered Afrikaans medium education from inception. Potchefstroom Gimnasium, however, offered Afrikaans mother tongue instruction from 1915/6
It is in this context that the establishment of Potchefstroom Volkskool, like Heidelberg Volkskool and other Volkskool schools, should be seen. On 19 April 1922 the Afrikaanse Medium Hoërskool opened inside a small church in Potchefstroom. Originally with only 38 standard six (now grade 8) students and three teachers: Mr J.D. Grundlingh and Mrs. Nellie Chessworth, the school's first acting principal was Mr. P.M. van der Lingen. It was on 11 October 1922 that Mr. J.C. Pauw became the school's first permanent principal. Mr. A.J.P. "Koos" Burger became its first permanent teacher a few months later. In early 1923, the school moved to a refurbished iron building, now with nearly 140 students ranging from standard seven to eight (now grades 9 and 10). The school's governing body decided to change the school's name to Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom on 30 October 1923. The school was built on grounds previously used as the Potchefstroom Agricultural Showground.
The cornerstone of the permanent school building, still in use to the present day, was laid on the 10th of June 1927 and it was put into use on 23 February the following year. Amongst the speakers at the official opening was then Administrator of the Transvaal, Jan H. Hofmeyr. In 1934 Mr Pauw was appointed as the Inspector of Education in the Transvaal, and Mr. C.H. Steyn took over as principal.
Head Masters Mr van der Lingen (acting) Mr Jack Pauw Mr C H Steyn Mr A J du Preez van Wyk Mr N G Hudson Mr J F Lombard Dr F B Muller Mr A van Rooijen Mr C J Britz Mr AJ van Rensburg Mr J T Swart Mr T Nicholenas Mr PW van Aswegen
Colours and motto
The eagle on the badge symbolises victory. The three links in the chain symbolise unity, loyalty and good spirit. Koos Burger designed the badge. The school's colours were decided on in 1925 and consisted of black (inspired by Mr. Pauw's beloved jacket), gold (representing Potchefstroom's rich gold reserves) and wine red (burgundy) to form a harmony between them. The school's motto, Sapientia Vis Vera, means "Wisdom is true power" and was introduced along with the current badge in 1926. It was suggested by co-founder, Mr. Van der Lingen. In modern times, during the period of mr Swart's principalship, red was introduced as a school colour though the original burgundy still features in the school pinstripe tie.
The original common school blazer was a black pinstripe jacket with the school emblem on the breast pocket. The pinstripes were gold and burgundy. The current broad pinstripe blazer is worn by members of the first team in various sports. The original honours blazer was plain black with an embroidered emblem and the award embroidered above the emblem. Neither scrolls nor cords were worn, which is the current custom. The uniform can be seen in the photo of the 1983 Rugby Director's Cup winning team below:
The school traditionally had a dress code for cultural events. This consisted of black trousers with white shirt for boys or long black skirts and white blouse for girls with the school blazer and tie. This was worn when representing the school at cultural events or when attending such events.
Sport Cricket Volkies has high quality cricket facilities, including indoor and outdoor nets and three cricket fields.
It engages in annual friendly matches against top cricketing schools including Jeppe High School for Boys, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool and Hoërskool Menlopark, as well as competing in the annual North West Super League competition. It enters a First XI and Second XI as well as an U/15A and U/15B team into these competitions. The first XI has won the Super League several times, including three times in succession since 2017, whereas the U/15A team has taken the title six consecutive times since 2014. As of 22 October 2019, the first XI is ranked 48th in the national rankings. The school's First XI was ranked at no 12 nationally in 2021 on 23 November 2021. As at 6 February 2023, the First XI is ranked 36 nationally, ending 2023 at no 26.
The school had achieved the "double" ( Administrator's Cup for rugby and cricket in the same year) thrice – in 1939,1961 and 1976. In 1983, the school won the Director's Trophy for rugby and reached the final in cricket, losing a tightly contested game against Hoërskool Randburg.
Ludwig Schuld was selected for the Cricket South Africa (CSA) squads that participated in the annual Cubs Week played in Stellenbosch from 4 to 8 January 2023 as well as the South African Under 19 cricket team in 2023.
Various members of the 2022 First XI were ranked in the Gauteng Lions Schools Cricket Season 2022/2023: D Liebenberg #70 L Mey #73 J Visser #79 C Smit #90 J Moolman #131 K Pienaar #144 D vd Merwe #150 L Schuld #177
Ludwig Schuld was reselected for the South African Schools side in 2023, following the U.19 Khaya Majola-krieketweek in Makhanda. He scored 3 centuries over the course of his successive Khaya Majola-krieketweeks, emulating AB de Villiers, Pieter Malan and. Andrea Agathangelou.
Rugby
In the early years of the establishment of the Western Transvaal Rugby Football Union (currently the Leopards) in 1958, Potch Volkies formed the nucleus of the Western Transvaal provincial schools team. Notable coaches were Nic du Plessis (Springbok lock), Johan Claassen (Springbok lock), Jack Pauw, Victor Hesse, A.W. Muller, Nico Hudson, Peet van der Walt (coach of the teams that achieved the triple between 1949–1951), Willem Kruger, Andrew Bird (Junior Springbok), Spiere van Rensburg and as mentioned below, Boet Vorster.
Jack Pauw, who represented Western Transvaal at flyhalf against the 1924 Lions and participated in the Springbok trials in 1912, was the first rugby coach at the school which embraced the game from the start. The boys' boarding house is named after Mr Pauw. Between 1964 and 2004, the school sent 188 players to Craven Week, six of whom were selected for the SA Schools team.
The first Cup win was in 1939 when the 1st XV won the Administrator's Cup. Volkies has won the Administrator's/Director's/Beeld Trophy in 1939 (vs Hoërskool Monument), 1949 (Hoër Volkskool Heidelberg), 1950 ( Hoër Volkskool Heidelberg), 1951 (Helpmekaar Hoërskool), 1961 (shared with ), 1976 () and 1983 (Hoërskool Erasmus). The school also contested the final of the Cup in 1945 (vs Heidelberg Volkskool), 1965 (Hoërskool Ben Viljoen), 1969 (Hoërskool Die Fakkel) and 1970 (Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool).
There have been four Old Boy Springboks – Nic Bierman, Daan du Plessis, Niek Bezuidenhout and Jorrie Muller. Jorrie Muller attended the school playing at scrumhalf in the 1996 First XV which won the Super 10 schools tournament, but actually matriculated from Monument Hoërskool and was selected for the 1999 South African Schools side and the victorious 2002 Junior Springbok side.. Photo.
The following pupils were selected to represent the South African Schools rugby team: Francois Botha -1980 Fanie Barnard (Kierie) – 1981 Stephan van Coller – 1981 Andries Engelbrecht – 1981 Gray Thomas – 1984 Jorrie Muller – 1999
Notable alumni
Roelof Frederik "Pik" Botha, DMS (27 April 1932 – 12 October 2018) was a South African politician who served as the country's minister of Foreign Affairs and acting President on occasion. He succeeded Mr Hilgard Muller as Minister of Foreign Affairs and served as the ambassador to the United States.Botha began his career in the South African foreign service in 1953, serving in Sweden and West Germany. From 1963 to 1966, he served on the team representing South Africa at the International Court of Justice in The Hague in the matter of Ethiopia and Liberia v. South Africa, over the South African occupation of South-West Africa (now Namibia). Hilgard Muller, DMS (4 May 1914 – 10 July 1985) was a South African politician of the National Party, Mayor of Pretoria in 1953–1955, elected an MP in 1958, appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs after the resignation of Eric Louw in 1964. Louis le Grange (16 August 1928 – 25 October 1991) was a lawyer, a South African politician, matriculated Potchefstroom Hoër Volkskool in 1946. He was a member of the National Party, Member of Parliament for the constituency of Potchefstroom (1966–1991), Deputy Minister of Information (1975–1978), Interior (1975–1978), Immigration (1978), and Public Works (1978), in the government of John Vorster. He then served as Minister of Tourism and Public Works (1978–1979), Prisons (1979–1980), Police (1979–1982) and Law and Order (1982–1986) in the cabinet of P.W. Botha, before he became the 13th Speaker of the House of Assembly of South Africa (1987–1991). Nic Bierman Lieutenant-General Jacobus Nicolas Bierman SSA SM CBE (1910–1977) was a South African military commander. He played for the Springboks in 1931.He served as Army Chief of Staff from 1958 to 1959. Ferdi Hartzenberg (Ferdinand), 8 January 1936 – 12 March 2021, South African politician and eminent Bonsmara cattle farmer. He obtained the following degrees: BSc (Agriculture), MSc (Agriculture), DSc (Agriculture) at Pretoria University.He was Minister of Education & Training, a post he held until March 1982 when he resigned to join Andries Treurnicht's breakaway Conservative Party.