Grey College, Bloemfontein
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Grey College is a public school for boys located in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa. Grey College is not be confused with Grey High School in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape.
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[edit] History
Grey College was founded in 1855 by Sir George Grey, then Governor of the Cape Colony. The first headmaster was the Reverend Andrew Murray. It is one of the oldest schools in South Africa and the oldest north of the Orange River.[citation needed]
Afrikaans- and English-speaking pupils study under one roof, but each language group is educated in separate classrooms and in his own mother tongue.
The University of the Free State originated from the school.
[edit] Grey College today
The schoolgrounds consist of a number of historic buildings of which five have been declared national monuments. Extensive sport facilities includes a recently upgraded Olympic-sized swimming pool, a field hockey astro, a shooting range, a new squash court and several hockey, soccer, cricket and rugby fields. The school also has 16 all-weather tennis courts.
The school celebrated its 150th jubilee during October 2005, when numerous alumni visited their alma mater. The current headmaster is Johan Volsteedt. A Museum which houses memorable artifacts, such as old rugby jerseys, and paintings, was unveiled in 2005. Each year on 13 October many old-boys hold a reunion.
In 2001 the school won the Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament.
A trademark of the school is the unique handshake, widely recognized and used by students, old boys and members of staff.
Old Greys donate funds to the Jock Meyring Trust, a fund used for the administration of schoolgrounds and granting scholarships.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Hansie Cronje, former South African cricket captain
- General Dennis Earp, former chief of the South African Air Force
- Bram Fischer, anti-apartheid activist and advocate for Nelson Mandela in the Rivonia Trial
- Ryk Neethling, Olympic gold medalist swimmer
- Francois Steyn, current Sharks and Springbok rugby player
- Martinus Theunis Steyn, president of the Orange Free State
- Laurens van der Post, famous Afrikaner
- Bert Wessels, executive chairman of Toyota South Africa
- Kepler Wessels, former South African cricket captain
- Steve Hofmeyr, South African singer, songwriter and actor
- Blen Franklin, leading QC (Mandela's counsel in his striking off application), Supreme Court Judge and Sports Administrator.
