Jeppe High School for Boys is a public English medium high school for boys in Kensington, a suburb of Johannesburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa. It is one of the 23 Milner Schools, and its sister school is Jeppe High School for Girls.

The school's motto is the Latin Forti nihil difficilius, meaning "Nothing is too difficult for the brave". Jeppe High School for Boys is the oldest known school in Johannesburg.

History

St. Michael's College was the predecessor of all the Jeppe Schools. This was an Anglican private school on the corner of Commissioner and Crowns Street in Fairview. There were 25 students when the school first opened in 1890. The headmaster of the school was Rev. H B Sidwell. His successor was Rev. George Perry, in 1891.

The buildings of the college and the site on which its grounds lay were bought by the Witwatersrand Council for education, in 1896, as the school was struggling to function. The school was re-opened, in April 1897, by the council as Jeppestown Grammar School.

By 1912 the new school's grounds were insufficient for the growing number of pupils at the school. Owing to the boys out-numbering the girls, and pressure from the Governing Body of the school, who were against the co-educational system of the school, it was decided that the girls would be moved to other premises. The split would occur in 1919.

When Johannesburg celebrated its centenary, in 1986, the main building of Jeppe High School for Boys, as well as the First World War Memorial, were declared national monuments.

thumb|right

Buildings and facilities

Hostel

In 1912, Oribi House, the oldest hostel, was built. In 1916, Tsessebe House now called Sable House occupied Friedenheim, Sir Julius Jeppe's home. During the Anglo-Boer War, Friedenheim was used as British Headquarters and was owned by Sir Abe Bailey. In the early 1960s, Friedenheim was declared unsafe to occupy and was demolished.

Academics

Jeppe Boys write the Gauteng Department of Education preliminarily examinations and the Department of Education, South Africa final examination via the FET (Further Education Training) board. They are also offered the opportunity to partake in Advanced Programme mathematics, which is written separately under the IEB.

Scholarships

Jake White Scholarship Fund - The Jake White Scholarship, named after Jake White who was a pupil at the school from Grade 8 to Grade 12, aims to brand all sports scholarships at the school under this fund.

White, who is a former Springbok and IRB World Cup Winning Coach, and Jeppe old boy, was a prominent figure in the Springboks' victory in 2007 during the Rugby World Cup.

100 Club - The 100 Club, formed in 2004, aims to improve sports, academics, facilities and infrastructure at Jeppe Boys through donations from Jeppe old Boys.

Extramural activities

thumb|302x302px|Swimming at Jeppe High School for Boys.

Listed alphabetically according to season

{| class="wikitable" border="1"

|-

! Summer

! Winter

! Both

|-

| Aquatics (Rowing, Swimming, Water Polo)

| Athletics

| Chess

|-

| Basketball

| Cross-Country

| Choir

|-

|Cricket

|Hockey

|Comic and Cards Club

|-

|Golf

|Rugby

|Creative Writing Society

|-

| Orienteering

| Football (soccer)

| Debating

|-

| Rowing

| Mountain Biking

| Emergency Medical Care

|-

| Squash

|

| JAM (Jesus and Me)

|-

| Table Tennis

|

| JJC (Jo'burg Junior Council)

|-

| Tennis

|

| Pipe Band

|-

|

|

| eSports

|-

|

|

| Performing Arts

|-

|

|

| Public Speaking

|-

|

|

|Photography Club

|-

|

|

|Wildlife Club

|}

Academics

Jeppe Boys write the Gauteng Department of Education preliminarily examinations and the Department of Education, South Africa final examination via the FET (Further Education Training) board.

Subjects

In line with the requirements of the Education Department, Jeppe High School for Boys offers the following subjects in the Junior and Senior Phase:

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!

! Junior Phase (Grades 8 & 9)

! Senior Phase (Grades 10 -12)

|-

| English

| X

| X

|-

| Afrikaans

| X

| X

|-

| IsiZulu

| X

| X

|-

| Mathematics

| X

| X

|-

| Mathematical Literacy

|

| X

|-

| Advanced Programme Mathematics

|

| X

|-

| Natural Science

| X

|

|-

| Life Science

|

| X

|-

| Physical Science

|

| X

|-

| HSS (Human and Social Sciences – History and Geography)

| X

|

|-

| History

|

| X

|-

| Geography

|

| X

|-

| Technology

| X

|

|-

| Engineering Graphics & Design

|

| X

|

|-

| Life Orientation

| X

| X

|-

| Accounting

|

| X

|-

| Business Studies

|

| X

|-

| Physical Education

| X

| X

|-

| Information Technology

|

| X

|-

| Art and Culture

| X

|

|-

| Visual Art

|

| X

|-

| Dramatic Arts

|

|

|-

|}

School buildings

thumb|right Jeppe Boys has stone buildings with a prominent facade. The Payne Hall, a stone building with a largely wooden interior, has been declared a national monument. Within the school is another national monument; a war memorial dedicated to those who died in the First World War.

Prominent Old Boys

  • Herman Charles Bosman (1905–1951), writer and journalist
  • Bob Hepple (1934–2015), legal adviser to Nelson Mandela in his trial for incitement in 1962
  • Samuel Kinkead (1897–1928), air ace and Schneider Trophy pilot
  • Joel Mandelstam (1919–2008), British microbiologist
  • Henry John May (1903–1995), author, noted South African constitutional lawyer, and Queen's Counsel
  • Lebogang Naves (DJ Naves) (born 1984), DJ & radio presenter
  • Cecil Pugh, GC (1898–1941), clergyman and George Cross recipient
  • Marius Schoon (1937–1999), anti-apartheid activist
  • Harry Schwarz (1924–2010), lawyer, politician, South African Ambassador to the United States and anti-apartheid leader
  • Garth Shelton (1956), Author and Professor of International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand.
  • Otsile Nkadimeng (born 2004), climate activist and entrepreneur

Sportsmen

  • Jaydon Brooker (born 2005), South African field hockey and cricket player
  • Jock Cameron (1905–1935), South African international wicket-keeper
  • Bob Catterall (1900–1961), South African Test cricketer
  • Jim Christy (1904–1971), South African international opening batsman
  • Laurence Stegmann (born 1958) Springbok swimmer
  • James Dalton (born 1972), Springbok hooker
  • Hacjivah Dayimani (born 1997), Lions Flanker
  • Norman Gordon (1911–2014) South African cricketer who participated in the famous "timeless test"
  • Morgan Gould (born 1983), soccer player
  • Tyrone Green (born 1998), former Junior Springbok. Lions Utility back
  • Daryl Impey (born 1984), South African professional road cyclist
  • Alan Kourie (born 1951), played cricket for South Africa in 16 unofficial Tests
  • Brian Mitchell (born 1961), World Junior Lightweight Champion Boxer
  • S'busiso Romeo Nkosi (born 1996), Springbok winger
  • Fhatuwani 'Rasta' Rasivhenge (born 1986), International Rugby Board referee
  • Wilf Rosenberg (1934–2019), Springbok outside centre
  • Wandisile Simelane (born 1998), former Junior Springbok. Lions centre
  • Des Sinclair (1927–1996), Springbok inside centre
  • Jake White (born 1963), World Cup (2007) winning Springbok coach, who also taught at the school

References

  • Jeppe High School for Boys
  • Jeppe High School for Girls