1970-1978: Dr Barbara Silberbauer and the Golden Jubilee Celebration

1972 was a particularly eventful year for Herschel as not only was it the 50^th anniversary, celebrated with a Golden Jubilee Pageant, but it was also the first year as headmistress for Dr Silberbauer, along with several other achievements and improvements throughout Herschel.

In 1972, Mrs Helen Brownell retired as substitute headmistress, giving way to Dr Silberbauer, a Natal university graduate and previous member of staff at Herschel. Dr Silberbauer lectured at Cedara Agricultural College while completing her Master’s degree, before becoming a junior lecturer and demonstrator at the University of Cape Town’s zoology department. She then joined Herschel as a biology teacher in 1958, and was warmly invited by some of the council members to apply for Head of Herschel in 1970.  

Photograph of Dr Barbara Silberbauer

 (Source: 1972 The Herschelian Magazine)

Various changes took place during Dr Silberbauer’s time as headmistress such as constructions of new facilities and buildings as well as alterations in the girls’ curriculum.

In March 1972, Dr Silberbauer initiated the construction of "The Hill”, a nursery school that would act as a feeder school to Western Province Boys' and Herschel Preparatory School.  Starting off with 84 children who were supervised and cared for by Bridget Sholto, the children enjoyed not only their schooling, but also fun times with climbing frames, Trestel Planks and wooden ‘wendy houses’.

Another new initiation by Dr Silberbauer were the six new classrooms above the assembly hall at the junior school as well as an intricate walkway linking all classes, providing shelter from the harsh weather in winter.  The staffroom was moved from the current chapel to the old kindergarten rooms where it still resides today and a tunnel was also built underneath the dining room providing a link to various classrooms.

At the senior school, the boarding house renovations were underway. Separate cubicles for each senior student were built, which in return demolished the sleeping balconies. The "maid’s quarters" were refurbished as well as all the bathrooms, sitting room and dining room, and in 1974 the Edna Withers Kitchen, a fully furbished Home Economics classroom, was completed.

Many changes also took place concerning the girls’ subjects and what they were involved in at school. In 1974, there was an important change in the educational policy. Girls had to make subject choices in Standard 7 which would define and limit their future options. They also would have to choose Higher or Standard Grade, but this could be changed up to the middle of their matriculation year. The girls’ subject combination had to be carefully considered, as this too would determine whether they received Matriculation Exemption or a School-Leaving Certificate.

The school had thriving arts and culture. The Drama students were doing so well that Drama became a Matriculation subject. The Art department was flourishing under Mary Muller, Heather Montgomery and Caroline D’Unienville’s management. Pottery was started as a craft, plays were produced, and musical evenings and the first Art exhibition were held. Domestic Science became Home Economics in a modernised classroom.

Dr Silberbauer's love for the arts fueled the construction of a new cultural block, in 1976, which would provide specialized areas for each art form. New music rooms were built on the ground floor, equipped with all necessary items needed and above, art rooms were established.  A new drama room was built acknowledging the new subject choices provided by the school.

The new arts block, completed in 1977

(Source: The Herschelian)

The clubs: the Sociological Club, the Historical Society, the Music Club, the Music, Art and Drama Society, MIX, the Debating Society, the Gym and the Mountain clubs, each in their own way, offered extra-mural activities of interest to all. Dr Silberbauer’s impression was that the interest shown in those societies by girls gives creative drive and impetus to studies as well as sport.

1972 was also a particularly busy year for the Herschel choir. They took part in two Sunday services at St Saviour’s which were directly recorded over the SABC, as well as singing at weddings of many old girls, the Ascension Day Service and at Music and Drama Club meetings.

They also appeared regularly throughout the school’s 50^th year anniversary which was celebrated by a ‘Son et Lumiere’ production in 1972, written and produced by one of Herschel’s early pupils, Marian Robertson.

To mark this Golden Jubilee, Herschel presented a pageant on the evenings of the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th of April. It was a reflection of the history of Herschel, performed by present pupils and staff as well as contributions from old Herschelians.

Old Herschelians at the Golden Jubilee Pageant

(Source: 1972 The Herschelian Magazine)

Herschel’s past was brought back to life with a magnificent façade of the main school building while the girls performed various activities such as sewing and knitting while accompanied by a guitarist who wonderfully executed the pageant’s theme song, ‘The Stars Looked Down’. In the second half of the program, various Old Herschelians supplied a narration with a personal appearance or a voice recording before several excerpts from previous plays were once again enacted. The choir also sang, as was done on all significant occasions.

The narration group at the Pageant 

(Source: The Herschelian)

The Golden Jubilee pageant was a superb event and will be remembered by all of those who took part in the celebration for years to come.