Staff

I have compiled a report giving an account of the staff of Herschel Girls High School from 1922 - the start of the school up until the current year, 2012. Unfortunately, for many of the years there were few staff members and not much thought was given to the staff. The names, numbers and subjects they taught were not recorded well until 1982 and consequently, historically speaking, much information has been lost.

1922
Miss Morley A. Ralph (1922 – 1933)

In 1922 when the school first opened, there were only four members of staff.
Miss Ralph, the head of the school; Miss van Heyst – English; Miss Seabridge – Music; and the trained nurse and house mistress, Miss Statford.

1932
Miss Morley A. Ralph (1922 – 1933)

Miss Harriet Robinson (1933 – 1944) was the new head in this decade as Miss Ralph left in 1933.
In this year, one person had left and no more staff had joined. The school now also accepted staff members that were married.

1942
Miss Harriet Robinson (1933 – 1944)

Miss Barbara Elcome (1945 – 1947), successor to Miss Robinson was only head for a short two years. Miss Elcome married in 1947 on the 31^st July, in England. After her Miss Caroline McLean (1947 – 1962) served as head. That year, two more women joined the staff. On the 5^th of June that year, there was a staff play reading by the name of “Tons of Money”. £23 was raised for war funds.

1952
Miss Caroline McLean (1947 – 1962)

Miss McLean was the head for the whole of this decade and under her leadership, just in 1952, there came 13 staff members. Not a single person left that year either.

1962
Mrs Mavis Kittow (1962 – 1970)

Another 13 staff joined in 1962, but 5 left. Dr Barbara Silberbauer (1970 – 1978) became the new head in 1970 and also served for eight years like Mrs Kittow. Dr Silberbauer is to this day the only head with a doctorate.

1972
Dr Barbara Silberbauer (1970 – 1978)

In 1972 Miss Montgomery who had taught at Herschel for over thirty years and Miss Winifred Mulliner who had taught since 1949, tragically passed away. There were no changes to staff. Miss Pamela Geldard (1979 – 1985) was also head in this decade.

1982
Miss Pamela Geldard (1979 – 1985)

Between 1972 and 1982 a major change had occurred in staff numbers, positions, and structures. There were now thirty eight Senior School teaching staff, eight administrative staff, thirteen kitchen staff, seven ground staff and eleven part time staff. A position as vice principal had opened and Mrs S. Gillham had filled this position. Another Pamela, Mrs Pamela Duff (1986 – 1997) became head after Miss Pamela Geldard in this decade.

1992
Mrs Pamela Duff (1986 – 1997)

Not many things changed in the next decade. There were thirty two Senior School teaching staff, nine administrative staff, fourteen Music staff, four boarding staff and seven part time staff. The numbers for ground and kitchen staff stayed the same and there were now sixteen people on the Council. Senior teachers were P.L. Allen and Mrs C. M. Brathwaite and deputy head, Mrs M. Robinson. Mrs Diana van Zyl (1997 – 2007) would be the next headmistress of Herschel.

2002
Diana van Zyl (1997 – 2007)

This decade saw through further changes. Ground staff branched off into estate (six) and maintenance (two) staff. Kitchen staff remained as thirteen. Administrative staff increased to an unbelievable twenty people and part time staff increased to ten. Senior teachers included Ms D.M. Baws, Mr A.P. Scott, Mrs M. van Schalkwyk and the chaplain, Revd. J. Tyres. The Council consisted of fourteen people. Deputy, Mrs L.C. Clarke. Mr Bruce Probyn (2008 – 2012) would be the next headmaster for five years.

2012
Mr Bruce Probyn (2008 – 2012)

A major change occurred for the first time ever in Herschel history; the first male principal ever – Mr Probyn. Mrs L.C. Clarke is still the deputy head and senior teachers Ms D.M. Baws, Mr A.P. Scott, Mrs M. van Schalkwyk remained as well, but with the addition of Mrs S. Grové and the Revd. B. Commin. The Council remained constant at fourteen. There are now fifty two Senior School teaching staff; six part time; eleven kitchen staff; eleven estate staff; six maintenance staff and twenty two administrative staff.

It has been ninety years of hardworking, dedicated staff and ten different principals. From four unmarried female educators, to over one hundred and twenty two staff members, male and female; married and single, in the Senior School alone. In 2013, we will welcome Mr Stuart West as the new headmaster of Herschel Girls High School.

References:

Authored by Shinoa Foflonker

The Council

Herschel, apart from being actively controlled and run by a body of teachers, prefects, students and other staff, is an institution that has been propelled forward to success by a more “invisible force”: The school’s Trust and Council.

It is this constantly altering yet unwaveringly steadfast collection of individuals that are responsible for every major decision and undertaking that Herschel, as a school, does or does not undertake (For example, the development of “The Field” in 2011).



There has been a prosperous line of council heads. The first being Desmond Loch-Davis followed by Lynn Reid who was succeeded by Susan Stelzner and lastly our current Chairwoman, Professor Alexander Watson. 

The Herschel council consists of fourteen members, all of which are volunteers constituting from a diversity of expertise and backgrounds -thus giving ,what could be labelled as the figurative “backbone” of the school the all-round awareness and knowledge that it needs in order to function as efficiently and effectively as is possible. These individuals- a range of lawyers, architects and/or educationalists- are not paid for the work and time they offer the school but instead, exercise their many roles as council members out of a loyalty to and a love for Herschel Girls’ School. However, in order to ensure that the school is always run by an ‘un-tainted’, fresh perspective, after each council member has exceeded their limited period of service a new member is selected to replace them.

The Herschel Council 2012

                                                   

 It is thus true to recognise that the council, and ultimately the school in the wake of its decision making, is only as strong as its weakest link, which, up until the present day, has been a negligible hindrance of success within Herschel School.

The Herschel council consists of different subsections that are each responsible for the extension and development of the various aspects of which the school consists. These subsections are, namely; Outreach, Human Resources, Marketing, Bursaries, Planning, ICT, Spiritual, Educom, Old Herschelians and Finance.

All the planning and setting of ‘long term’ goals that is done by the council is essentially derived at the ‘Strategic Planning Meeting’ held once every two years. During this meeting all the staff, management and council assemble to critically discuss how and where to improve upon the school as an institution by re-addressing Herschel’s various aims- in co-operation with feedback received from old girls, parents, universities and educationalists. For example, Herschel’s ethos of striving to give its pupils a well-rounded education that prepares them for life is an aim executed in congruency with the discussions of the Strategic Planning Meetings.

The next stage that is necessary in order for the aims of the council to be strategically achieved is that the conclusions made at the meeting are put forward to the quarter-annual council meetings in which the decision making body of the school finalises and officialises execution plans.

One of the major changes in Herschel regarding the council and budgeting was the change to a non-profit company under the Companies Act. Luckily there did not have to be a major change in the structure to adhere to the new requirements as Herschel had already been following a similar format. This means that all the money made is fed directly back in to the running, sustaining of and regenerating the facilities of Herschel.

The Council is also accountable for the budgeting of Herschel which has operated so far without the aid of outside borrowings as well as no state subsidies since 2000. Over the years Herschel has depended exclusively on their own income for funding costs and expenses.

Budgeting procedures have to be based on many changing social factors as well as the continually fluctuating economy. The school fees are the main source of income and other funds come in the form of donations and administration fees. The fee increase or decrease is calculated by the expected number of pupils. Efficient monitoring of costs, almost full classes and professional and judicious financial management enable the school to improve facilities and attract the best staff. The money allocated towards salaries is decided on by reviewing current payrolls and market-related increases. The Council has to budget carefully in order to meet anticipated costs and to capitalize on the funds obtained in the year. 

It has been under the guidance and decision making of the Council that has transformed the school as seen in these two contrasting photographs.





 

Reference List:

·         Herschel Girls School (1972). The Stars Looked Down. Cape Town: Margaret Saffery.

·         Interview with Mr Ramsbottom on 12/11/2012.

·         Madeleen Welman (Editor) (2011). The Herschilian . Cape Town: Ramsaymedia 
           for  Herschel   (Neal Farrell).

·         Herschel Girls School (1991). The Herschilian . Cape Town: Associates of Herschel Girls  
           School

 Authored by: Julia Hampton and Julia Unite.