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The Komga Junior School is
committed to creating opportunities for every pupil to
develop to the full: mentally, physically and spiritually.
In an atmosphere of common purpose we strive to foster
initiative, individuality and integrity and to cultivate a
creative approach to life’s challenge, so that our pupils
will make a meaningful contribution to the community.
More about
the
School
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An abridged history of Komga Junior
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School Badge
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School Song
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An abridged
history of Komga Junior
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Mr Campbell, a lawyer from
Scotland and Rev McCormick, the Anglican minister in Komga,
set about forming our school. It started as the Victoria
Public School which was built in 1883, on the corner of
Fountain and O’Connell Streets. (Prior to this, Rev
McCormick taught children in his house from as early as
1869.) It consisted of one large room with an entrance porch
and a room on each side. These were the principal’s office
and a store room. This building is now the Roman Catholic
Church.
When Rev McCormick was
transferred to Johannesburg in 1896, Mr Davidson was
appointed principal with one assistant teacher. By 1903
there were 62 children on the roll. Mr Davidson served the
school to the end of 1904 and Mr Rankin was then appointed
to the post. At this stage there were 65 pupils, two
teachers and three student teachers.
In 1907 Mr Williamson was the
appointed principal and there were 93 children at the
school. At this time the sub-standards (Sub A and B) were
left to student teachers.
When the school premises
became too small, the present site was donated by the local
municipality. Komga Public School was opened in 1911. It
consisted of a U-shaped building, the front forming the
centre of the U. The new school made provision for all
classes up to and including Std. 7 and also trained student
teachers. The old Victoria School building was used for
woodwork classes and as a school hall for concerts. Later it
served as a dormitory for country boys, who boarded with the
principal and his wife.
In 1918 the Komga Public
School was used as a hospital during the influenza epidemic.
After World War One the school hall was built as a war
memorial from funds raised by the children and donations
from the people of Komga. It was completed in 1925.
Mr Cook was principal of the
school from 1934 to 1949. The number of pupils had grown and
the children were divided into three houses, named after the
previous principals - McCormick, Davidson and Williamson.
Pupils wrote the Junior Certificate Examination on
completion of Std. 8.
Mr Pretorius succeeded Mr Cook
in 1950. During his time a kitchen was built adjacent to the
hall, which was later converted into a music room. Plans
were drawn up and submitted for a school hostel. The hostel
was opened in 1961 and named after Mr Joppie Pretorius.
At the beginning of 1962
extensions were added to the school namely: a woodwork room,
music room, staff room, toilets, strong room, office and two
classrooms. These were built on the north side of the
school.
Mr Rossouw became headmaster
in 1963. Music and typing were introduced.
Mr Dugmore succeeded Mr
Rossouw in 1964. He started a school magazine and introduced
a school song. The netball field and two tennis courts were
built between the hostel and the school building. Merit
badges were introduced.
Mr Heath became headmaster in
1969. There were 240 pupils on the roll at that stage. A new
school badge was designed. During the year 1971 the
athletics track was levelled.
Mr Algie commenced duty as
headmaster in 1973. At the end of that year the Std 8 level
was abolished. In 1974 the headmaster moved into the new
school house in Fountain Street.
In 1977 Mr Barrowman took up
duty as headmaster. A plain bottle green blazer replaced the
old striped blazers. In 1978 additions to the school were
completed. They included four prefab classrooms and a store,
principal’s office, sick room, apparatus room, improved
staff room and a new library.
The merit system was adapted
in 1987 with the introduction of the Ad Astra badge. Only 10
of these badges are awarded each year to the best all-round
pupil from
Std. 2 to Std. 7. The land
above the hostel was levelled for a rugby field. Komga Round
Table built two change rooms at the field. In 1990 there
were 212 pupils at the school.
1991 was the end of an era in
the history of the school. In December the school ceased to
be a Secondary school and it was given the name Komga Junior
School. Mr de Beer was appointed headmaster. The school
became a Model C school. Pupils from all races could now be
admitted to the school. There were now approximately 235
pupils in the school.
Mr Noble was appointed
principal in 2002. The long awaited the swimming pool was
completed in 2004.During Mr Noble’s time, the school was
re-arranged: the entrance of the school was changed to the
front, the car park was tarred and a pre-fab building was
erected for a Grade R and Gr. 3 class.
In 2013 Mr Pike was appointed
as Headmaster. There were 256 pupils at the school. Two new
pre-fab buildings were erected for an extra grade 2 class
and for a Grade RR class; a new ablution facility was
erected to cater for the Foundation Phase and attached to
this were two storerooms. The stands next to the swimming
pool were built in 2016.
History was made in 2018, when
Mrs Malherbe was appointed as the first female principal of
Komga Junior School. Under her guidance, five new classrooms
are replacing the pre-fabs for the Foundation Phase. We hope
to have them completed before the end of the year. At
present the total number of pupils is 278.
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School
Badge
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The swords represent the
battles fought during our past, these include incidents such
as Moordenaar’s Kop and the Battle of Draaibosch. The
embattled line symbolizes the forts of this area, each of
the four blocks standing for a fort. The forts were Fort
Warden, Fort Warrick, Fort Linsingen and the Anglican
Church. The aloe is recognised as the floral emblem of the
border area. The green of the lower part is one of the
school colours reminds us of the beautiful countryside
around Komga. The stars symbolise perfection and highest
good. The laurel wreath and the quill represents position,
suggesting that the pen is mightier than the sword.
The motto ‘Sic itur ad astra’ means this is the way to the
stars.
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School
Song
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The words of the school song
were written by Mr Dugmore and his mother, Iris Dugmore. The
music was composed by Tom Marnitz, a family friend of Mr
Dugmore’s parents. Mrs de Villiers translated the words into
Afrikaans. Mrs Gudzman wrote the words for the chorus. Mrs
Rensburg was the music teacher at Komga and she introduced
the pupils to the new song.
Sing loud
and clear to the school we hold dear
And the many who’ve been here before us.
Of Komga we are proud and we’ll shout it aloud
To make sure that others can hear us.
Bilingual we are, yet you’d have to go far
To find friendship so firmly cemented.
To do what is right together we we’ll fight
To keep our name and defend it!
Chorus
Gaudeamus,
Gaudeamus! Let us rejoice.
Let us sing to our school with one voice.
May solid foundations so faithfully laid.
In days yet ahead never perish or fade.
Sing helder en luid en dan bulder dit uit
Ons is lief vir ons skool in die ooste.
Vir Komga se eer en lof sal ons leer
Ideale te hou van die hoogste
Ons bande van vriendskap word hegter gesmee
Op ons tweetaligheid se aambeelde.
So saam sal ons staan om ons goeie ou naam
Te versier met skolastiese weelde.
Chorus
Gaudeamus!
Gaudeamus! Laat ons ons verheug
Laat ons sing vir ons skool in ons jeug.
Mag grondslag met trou en geloof nou gebou
En toekoms nooit omkom, verbleek or verflou!
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