CHURCH OF THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA,

PROVINCIAL SYNOD,

Report of the Provincial Council of Education.

—PRESENTED TO SYNOD.— Provincial Council of Education

REPORT FOR PROVINCIAL SYNOD, 1909.

The Provincial Council of Education begs with Government educational insti­ to present the following report:— tutions.

The Report of the Select Committee on (c) By urging all Churchmen to Education appointed by the Provincial make full use of the opportunities Synod of 1904, while re-affirming the already given them by the constitu­ general Educational policy which has tion of school committees of influen­ been adopted by previous Synods, urged cing the religious character of the that special attention should be given to State schools. the following matters :— These recommendations will be dealt with (i) The maintenance, and where desirable, in this Report. the extension of the Church’s system of High Schools, either with or with­ out Government aid, wherever such schools can be made genuinely effi­ (1.) Church High Schools. cient in the matter of religious and secular education alike. The number of recognised Church High Schools for girls and boys throughout the (2) The securing of adequate State aid Province, with statistics will be found in for all Mission Schools; such aid to Annexure A of this Report. include practical State recognition of We regret to announce that the Diocesan the large Capital at present invested School for Boys at Pretoria, the Girls’ in school buildings, and bringing in Schools at Gala and Graaff Reinet and St. no pecuniary return. Mark’s College, George, have ceased to exist as separate institutions owing to the financial difficulty of providing for their (3) The training of teachers in whatever efficient maintenance. On the other hand, way shall be found most effective. the Church Boys’ School at Johannesburg (St. John’s College) has been considerably (4) Co-operation with the various Gov­ strengthened in buildings and equipment ernments concerned, in order to since last Synod. The Church High Schools leaven the entire system of Public for boys and girls have been, on the whole, Education with the spirit of the well maintained, though the numbers in Christian religion :— attendance in every diocese have, to some extent, suffered with the rest of the com­ (a) By making an effort, in conjunc­ munity from the prolonged financial depres­ tion if possible, with the represen­ sion throughout South Africa. tatives of other religious bodies to The published results of the University and secure the right of entry into all Departmental examinations bear ample tes­ State schools for accredited teachers timony to the continued maintenance of a of the various denominations to give high average level of educational efficiency. religious instruction during school Although the number of boys and girls in hours. Church schools of this class necessarily forms only a relatively small proportion of the (b) By establishing, wherever de­ total number of the children belonging to sirable, Church Hostels in connection the Church, it is beyond doubt for the great benefit of the community that so many of (2.) Mission Schools. those who, from their social status, are in a natural position of leadership, are going out The Government regulations with regard to into public life after having been under Mission Schools in the Cape Colony, under direct religious influences as the foundation which grants are made on the principle of £l of character during their school life. from Government to meet 10/- from local While the good work done in our High sources, now enable managers to pay better Schools is generally acknowledged, no sup­ salaries to teachers, and thus to require port is given to them from the public funds, higher qualifications in teachers than was and the Council urges strongly that the just often possible before. There has been, in claim of our schools should continue to be consequence, a decided improvement in these pressed on the Governments of the several schools as regards their general efficiency; colonies. and the burden of maintenance has been In the meantime, the Council would urge it much lightened on the side of the managers. upon the consciences of Churchmen, as their The opportunities afforded in Mission Schools obvious duty, to strengthen the existing of imparting religious teaching to large Church Schools by their loyal support, and so numbers of our own coloured and native to keep them in the front rank of educational people is of inestimable value, and the Council hopes that advantage will be taken efficiency. In view of the difficulty that has been of every opening for establishing new Mission found in the past to maintain Church schools, Schools. except where they are able to rely upon the The Council, however, is convinced that support of communities in which the Church some additional guarantee of efficiency in is strongly represented, the Council is forced regard to this, the most essential factor in to consider it as the wisest policy at the the training of the native races is urgently present time to concentrate efforts upon needed. It would call attention to the Report maintaining a relatively few representative of the Committee on Native Education Church institutions in a high state of effi­ presented to the Cape House of Assembly ciency, rather than to embark upon a policy last session on this subject, and would of extension of the Church High School welcome some form of Government recog­ system in small centres of population where nition and inspection of the religious in- ' there is no adequate guarantee by means of struction given, in order to ensure that the endowment for their permanent maintenance. requisite religious instruction, (which at In this connection your Council desires to present in many schools tends to occupy a refer with appreciation and gratitude to the somewhat uncertain and precarious position sympathy and help shewn by the Archbishop in the time-table) is as thoroughly imparted of Canterbury in organising a fund for the as the teaching in the other subjects included 1 assistance of Church secondary education in in the school curriculum. South Africa. The Council is of opinion that the time has The generous grants made by the Society arrived for providing, in suitable places, for the Propagation of the Gospel and the Church schools for coloured and native Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge people, in which better opportunities for have since been supplemented by the alloca­ teaching in the higher standards may be tion of £24,000 from the Pan-Anglican Thank afforded than is possible in ordinary Mission offering, of which £12,000 is to be reserved Schools. for European, and £12,000 for Native educa­ tion. Being convinced that the permanent St. Paul’s Hostel, Grahamstown. efficiency of Church education can only be secured by adequate endowments, your Since the last Synod, the work of the Council is strongly of opinion that part, if Provincial Theological College, of which the not all of this sum, should be reserved as the foundations were laid by the late revered nucleus of a general endowment fund, to be Chancellor Espin has shewn a steady deve­ administered by a body of trustees, which lopment ; the number of students is gradually would be empowered to make grants from increasing and the standard of admission is the interest of the fund to the different being raised. While some time must neces­ colleges and schools in the Province on a sarily elapse before the ideal can be attained proportionate scale, according to their rela­ of a fully equipped theological college for tive needs. students who have previously taken a University degree, the Council feels that remains as before, in the hands of the local there is much reason for thankfulness at the committees. In some instances facilities progress already made in spite of many have been granted; in many cases the local difficulties, and that the work deserves the committees have not seen their way to hearty support and appreciation of the whole concede them. In the Transvaal, under the Province. present Education Act, facilities which had been previously granted, and were generally (3) Training Colleges. made use of by the clergy of our Church, were absolutely withdrawn in all State St. Peter’s Training College, Grahamstown, schools. In Natal and the Orange River for women teachers, under the charge of the Colony facilities are withheld: they are Sisters of the Community of the Resurrection allowed in public schools in Rhodesia. continues to hold a foremost place amongst While the Education Act of 1905 was before Training Institutions in South Africa. the Cape Parliament, a deputation of this It possesses excellent buildings and equip­ Council had an interview with the Colonial ment, and is doing invaluable work in Secretary with reference especially to the sending forth teachers well trained both for granting of facilities for religious teaching. religious and secular teaching. In connection About the same time a large and enthusiastic with this institution, the name of Mother meeting was organised in Capetown on the Cecile will ever be held in thankful remem­ initiative of this Council for the purpose of brance. giving public expression to the views of Other Training Colleges which supply Church people with regard to education. encouraging reports of development and At the invitation of the late Archbishop progress are :— Zonnebloem College; St. of Capetown a conference of leaders of Matthew’s Training College, Keiskama Hoek; various Christian denominations was held in St. Johns’ College, Umtata; Isandhlwana; 1905 in Capetown. There was general Enhlonlweni and St. Aidans’ Sydenham (for agreement as to the importance of securing Indian students) in Natal. religious teaching as an essential part of O f these, Zonnebloem College, which has education, and the majority of those who just celebrated its Jubilee, was recently raised attended the conference appeared to be in to Provincial status by the Bishops as the favour of the desirability of the Right of only Church Institution which provides Entry being secured by regulations. facilities for education in the higher stand­ The Conference, however, led to no definite ards for native and coloured students on or concerted action. In the Bill as it passed, High School lines ; but it is stated that such the question of facilities remained as pre­ facilities have not, up to the present, met viously, in the hands of the local committees. with an adequate response on the part of the A clause was inserted requiring that public native and coloured people. schools should be opened daily with the While the number of native students saying of the Lord’s Prayer and the reading decreases annually, and will probably be of Holy Scripture. Such a provision, how­ further affected by the establishment of the ever, is obviously inadequate, and a concordat proposed Inter-State College for native between the different Christian bodies, who students, the proportion of coloured students agree in accepting the Apostles’ Creed, the is increasing annually, and at present Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments numbers three fourths of the whole insti­ (with a conscience clause for objectors) is tution. It appears likely that the College, in much co be desired as a foundation for the natural development of events, will positive religious teaching in Government become entirely a coloured Institution, and schools, where a complete scheme of religious as such it should have a great and useful instruction in Church schools is not obtain­ future. The Training College department able. has been most successful, and courses of Theological lectures for Catechists have been Church Hostels. provided since last Synod. Church Hostels in connection with un­ (4.) Oo-operation with the various Goverments for the denominational institutions have been estab­ provisions of Christian teaching in Government lished at Grahamstown, King Williamstown, Schools. George and Maritzburg, but the numbers in In the Cape Colony, the granting of attendance at most of these are inconsider­ facilities under the Education Act of 1905. able, and the hostel system cannot be regarded as providing the same security and Winnipeg is connected with the University continuity of religious influence as actual of Manitoba. In Australia, Moore College, residence in Church educational Institutions. Melbourne, is connected with the local State University. Sunday Schools. In South Africa in former years, the Church’s influence upon Higher Education The only means for providing religious was exercised through its two Colleges under instruction for the great majority of our the Higher Education Act viz :— The white children at present, is the Sunday Diocesan College, Rondebosch and St. school. The Council is of opinion that the Andrew’s College Grahamstown. Since the question of providing efficient teaching for absorption, a few years back, of the higher our children, on the one day when great classes of the latter institution into the numbers of them are ready to be taught, calls Rhodes University College, Grahamstown, for careful and immediate attention. Much the Diocesan College Rondebosch, has been gratitude is due to our Sunday School the only Institution in South Africa under teachers, whose devoted service calls for Church control which possesses the status of thankful recognition. A t the same time, the a University College. Council cannot but express its sense of the Much has been done within the last few need for supplementing the work of volun­ years to develop the college and bring its tary teachers by some more systematic organisation into line with other University organisation of trained, and possibly, of paid Colleges recognised by Government. Since teachers. last Synod, the College Council has expended The Council ventures to hope that the the sum of some £10,000 upon buildings and Synod will be able to give to this matter the equipment. The staff of Professors has been serious attention which it has not yet increased and the number of Undergraduates received. receiving instruction has grown from under thirty to eighty. The efficiency of the staff Examinations in Religious knowledge. may be inferred from the fact that various University lists for the whole of South Africa The Provincial examinations in religious have been headed on nine distinct occasions, knowledge are being made use of in several within the last ten years, by students from dioceses, and some hundreds of children are the Diocesan College in the different higher presented annually in the various grades examinations. (vide Annexure B). Your Council is strongly convinced that There is no doubt that the system is the maintenance and strengthening of this attended with useful results, as regards the Institution is a matter of the greatest im­ candidates themselves, and as helping to portance to the Province. Its future useful­ create an interest in religious teaching and ness will depend largely upon the degree in study. It is to be hoped that the syllabus which it is enabled to become more and more will be more widely adopted in the Province of a Provincial, as distinct from a merely generally, and in particular in every Church Diocesan University College. High School. It is no exaggeration to say that the claim of the Church in a United South Africa, to University Education. exercise any effective influence upon Higher Education, is very closely bound up with the Higher Education in South Africa is about efficient maintenance of the College founded to enter upon a new phase, the question of sixty years ago by Bishop Gray. Higher Education being specially reserved for the new Union Parliament. The importance to the Church of retaining its proper degree of influence upon Univer­ (Signed) WILLIAM M. CAPETOWN, sity Education is everywhere recognised Chairman. throughout the Anglican Communion. In Canada there are two autonomous Church W. L. CLEMENTSON, Universities :— Kings’ College, Windsor, Hon. Secretary. N. S. and Bishops’ College, Lennoxville, | ■ Quebec. Trinity College, Toronto, and Wycliffe College are in federation with the University of Toronto, and St. John’s College A ppendix on Divinity Degrees. St. Aidan’s College, Natal ... 30 (for Indian students) Divinity Degrees. St. John’s College, ... St. John’s ... * ft- Umtata (men) The University of the Cape has recently Augusta School ... St. John’s ... # instituted the Degrees of Bachelor of (women) Divinity and Doctor of Divinity, which are Isandhlwana College Zululand * ... 20 open to Graduates in Arts of the University, (men) and which in the opinion of the Council, Kwamagwaza College Zululand ... 30 should tend to the extension of Theological (women) study. Sherwell College, ... Pretoria ... 10 The Provincial Faculty of Divinity has Johannesburg (men) continued to direct the studies of Theological Pietersburg (men) Pretoria ... 20 students, and a considerable number have Rosettenville (girls) — ... 28 obtained the diploma of Student in Divinity, St. Christopher ... Lebombo ... 6 and some have proceeded to the further for native teachers. stage of Associates in Divinity. By a resolution of the Synod of Bishops, Total 527 March 2nd, 1907, the Bishops agree to accept the Studentship Examination of the Faculty of Divinity as sufficient literary qualification Church High Schools “A ” Boys. for Deacon’s Orders. Schedule '“A.” Diocesan College ... Capetown 177 School Cathedral Grammar Capetown 160 Provincial Council of Education. School St. Andrew’s College Grahamstown 122 ANNEXURE A. St. Andrew’s Prepara­ Grahamstown 65 tory School RETURN OF CHURCH COLLEGES & SCHOOLS. Diocesan Grammar Grahamstown 25 COLLEGES. School, East London No. of Michaelhouse, Natal .. 60 Diocese. Students. Balgowan 1. University Colleges. St. John’s College, ... Pretoria 133 Johannesburg Diocesan College, Cape Town ... 81 St. Michael’s, Bloem- — 60 Rondebosch fontein (prep.) Total 81 2. Theological Colleges. Church High Schools “B ” Girls.

St. Paul’s Hostel ... Grahamstown II Schedule “B.” St. Matthew’s, ... Keiskama Hoek 4 St. Cyprian’s, Capetown 161 (native) Diocesan School for Grahamstown 90 Zonnebloem College Capetown ... — Girls (for coloured students) Natal ... 80 Total 15 St. Ann’s, Hilton Rd. Krantz Kloof, Dundee Natal ... 60 3. Training Colleges. ------St. John’s, Maritzburg Natal ... 60 St. Michael’s, Bloemfontein 113 St. Peter’s Train. Col. Grahamstown 195 Kimberley Bloemfontein ... 60 (women) St. Margaret’s, Bloemfontein ... 55 St. Matthew’s, (men) Keiskama Hoek 56 Kimberley do do (women) 60 S. Margaret’s, Pretoria ... 68 Zonnebloem College Capetown ... 33 Johannesburg (coloured and native) Diocesan School, ... Pretoria ... 65 St. Alban’s College, Natal ... 4 „ Arcadia Pretoria ... 52 Maritzburg (men) Enhlonlwheni ... Natal ... 35 Total 1,649 (women) Church Hostels * •attached to Diocese of Zululand ...... 7° Government Colleges and Schools. Diocese of Pretoria ...... I Diocese of Lebombo...... 5 ’‘A ” attached to colleges (Rhodes University Total 484 College Grahamstown). u B ” attached to schools. Signed:—

lementson "A” W. L. C , St. Andrew’s Hostel Grahamstown ... 7 Hon. Sec. St. George’s Hostel Grahamstown ... 9 D. S. G. Hostel (girls) Grahamstown ... 4 ANNEXURE B.

« B » Provincial Examination in Religious Knowledge, 1909. St. Mark’s Hostel ... George ... 9 Dale College Hostel King Wmstn. ... 32 Candidates Candidates 1st 2nd 3rd Burger Street ... Maritzburg ... 16 entered. passed. Class. Class. Class, Frere Hostel ... Maritzburg ... 13 Section G. advanced 4 4 — 4 — Section F. 69 24 2 16 8 Total 90 Section E. 186 99 12 69 19 Section D. 210 148 35 87 26

Elementary Schools. 469 2 77 49 175 53

“A ” European. Signed :— B ” coloured or native.

"A” L ancelot W. L iddell, Diocese of Capetown ...... 1 Hon. Secretary. Diocese of Grahamstown ... 7 1st October, 1909. Total 8

* No separate returns of students in the Training College Department << T> >9 were supplied by St. John’s College, Umtata and Augusta School. The total number in these Institutions with their attached Ele­ Diocese of Capetown ...... 98 mentary Schools is given as follows :—St. John's College, 188 ; Diocese of Grahamstown ... 84 Augusta School, 176. Zonnebloem College has 157 boys in its attached High school and Elementary school departments, and 19 of Diocese of Bloemfontein ... 30 the Training College Students are attending the Theological Classes. Diocese of St. John’s ... 196 N o t e .— The Dioceses of St. Helena and Mashonaland sent no returns. CAPETOWN. T h e Co l l e g e P b e s s , Z o n n e b l o e m .

Collection Number: AB1163 Collection Name: Provincial Synod, Minute books, 1870-1999

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