Theme: CHARACTER & NEW BEGINNINGS
The assembly began with the traditional formal ending of the 2023 Borver Week. This was the ninth Borver Week that College has held and closes with a special ceremony, where the “Borvers” of 2023, who will eventually make up the 6th Form Class of 2027, are welcomed into the College family as “College boys” or fellow “Collegians”.
Borver Week was instituted in 2015 so that ALL new 2nd Formers together underwent a rite of passage that saw them let go of their primary school allegiances and embrace their new alma mater, Maritzburg College.
This year’s borvers have undergone an orientation of their new school, staying together with their day boy counterparts in the boarding houses, learning the College’s war-cries, as wel as the school’s system of privileges and traditions, and its hierarchical structure. Last week Tuesday they travelled to Tala for a gruelling three hour Adventure race in extreme heat and returned to College a few hours later exhausted, but ultimately triumphant.
Last week they arrived as mere “borvers” – or “low-class fellows”, to use the actual College definition from over 100 years ago – but today, finally, they are able to call themselves College boys or “Collegians” and they have earned the right to wear their 2nd Form ties.
We all appreciate that they are still juniors at the school – but, today, the College boys welcome them as the junior members of the great College brotherhood.
The “borvers” entered the hall in total silence taking up their seats on the far side of the Alan Paton Hall. Together they took the “College Credo” – the vow or pledge that all College boys took last year, to live out the values that underpin our school.
The Headmaster, Mr Chris Luman addressed the second formers of 2023 with the folowig
“Today sees the end of Borver Week, and today you can all finally call yourselves College boys and “Collegians”.
You have struggled together through Tala, orientation and rites of passage activities, and over the last five days learned more about this great school, which is one of the oldest and proudest in the country.
Now raise your right hands and together take the “College Credo”, which is a sacred pledge to live out the values of a Collegian of this old and noble school.
I ask you now, in front of the entire school:
“Do you, as a scholar at Maritzburg College, vow –
- To live out the Core Values of the school and its #CollegeCulture.
- To always remain loyal and true to your school and your “band of brothers”.
- To live out the school’s Core Traditions of –
O A College boy is loyal to his family, his friends, his school and his country.
O A College boy does not lie, steal or cheat.
O A College boy thinks of others first.
O A College boy always gives of his best and never gives up.
O A College boy is respectful to and of others.
O A College boy always owns up.
O A College boy is always immaculately turned out and displays good manners at all times.”
The second formers replied with a resounding “We do!
Welcome to the brotherhood of Maritzburg College.
Thank you once again to Messrs Tyler, Sparrow, Kajee, Smit and all the other staff, prefects and house leaders for their collective efforts over the past week.
From Scripture
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8
144th Anniversary of the Battle of Isandlwana:
Mr Marwick addressed the school on the 144th anniversary of the Battle of Isandlwana, fought during the morning and early afternoon of the 22nd of January 1879 in the Anglo-Zulu War between the invading British Forces under Lord Chelmsford and the Zulu Army of King Cetshwayo.
In the battle, a force of about 20 000 Zulu warriors attacked and then wiped out a portion of the main British invasion force, and over 1 300 soldiers of the British crown were killed, including seven colonial volunteers educated at the old Pietermaritzburg High School (later Maritzburg College). The sacrifice of our seven Old Boys was immortalised at this school when the great headmaster of College, Mr RD Clark, chose the words PRO ARIS ET FOCIS as the school’s motto – from the very war memorial in Clark’s that he had erected to honour their deaths protecting “Hearth & Home”.
Today, inspired by the school’s sacred symbolism of carbine and assegai and red-black-white, we also honour the memory of the thousands of brave Zulu warriors, who also died on that bloody day. After all, let us be mindful that these Zulu warriors died defending the sacred soil of Zululand from an invading force – they died defending their homesteads, their farms and their kraals – they too died defending their “hearths and homes”.
We salute the memory of all these men who gave their lives on that fateful day, and, on its traditional birthday, specifically chosen by Mr Clark in honour of that momentous and bloody day, we honour the 126th birthday of the Maritzburg College Old Boys’ Association.
PRO ARIS ET FOCIS
FOR HEARTH & HOME
OKWESIBAYA NOMSAMO
MESSAGE
A number of you have displayed great character over the past week – I think of the 2nd Formers going through their Borver Week programme which included a gruelling three or so hours in the sun at Tala , plus Virtus Challenge and the character shown by many of you over the past week as well as dealing with the immense heat but still fronting up . Thank you and well done!
We are all starting over again – a new year ! Hence the theme for the week is “New Beginnings” 2022 is gone! Dead and buried. It is in the past. Those things that you wanted to achieve but did not in 2022 – it is too late. Forget about them! The good news is that you have the chance to start all over again. However, no , at the start of 2023, a new start, a new beginning is possible and there is nothing going to stop you if you apply your mind and have a ‘can do‘ and positive attitude. If you think you can you will. If you think you cannot you will not! It is as simple as that.
We the staff ( teachers, mentors , coaches ,support staff) ALL want you to reach your goals and be at your best. Your parents also want the same. The important thing is do not wait to seek help, but ask so that we can help you along the journey. It is in your hands. Just do it!
For those of you possibly feeling disheartened by the years’ work ahead, there is some encouraging news. It is now thought that only a third of the difference between grades can be attributed to IQ. Once you are in the workforce, IQ will account for only 25% of the difference between your job performance and that of others. So the intelligence you were born with is important, but there are other key factors that will help you succeed no matter what your IQ. The essential ingredients appears to be determination and grit.
Mozart worked for months perfecting a symphony and a poet often can write as many as 70 drafts before deciding that one poem is good enough. Malcolm Gladwell researched that it takes 10 000 hours of practise to achieve mastery in a skill. Research study has indicated that students who are praised for their intelligence give up quickly when they experience failure, while students praised for their effort keep on trying to succeed even when they find it hard.
The winning difference appears to be a mixture of motivation, perserverance and character – a determination to succeed.
How can you show your character at College?
- Make use of the opportunities at College and attempt as many academic, sporting and cultural pursuits as possible, because that is how you will find out what you really love doing. Passion for a subject, sport or cultural activity is the greatest motivator of all.
- Give everything your best shot but accept that you cannot be good at everything. They say it takes 10 years to become successful in any one field.
- Accept constructive criticism as the way to make yourself better at what you are attempting. Become your own coach and be tough on yourself. Confucius teaches that perfection can be reached through practice and effort.
- Understand that it is effort that truly make the difference. Perserverance and hard work will guarantee success.
- Take on challenges. Everyone who succeeds puts in hours of work. The harder they work the more they succeed.
- Learn from your failures. Thomas Edison, one of the greatest inventors said,’Most of life’s failures are people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up.’ He also said success is 1% brilliance and 99% perspiration.
- Be optimistic. Set your goals and believe you will achieve them.
Finally remember the 10-year rule: At the next ten years, where are you going to be? What will you be good at? What will you have accomplished?
Borver Week Results
Results of the first two house events; New Boys’ Test and the Tug of War
New boys test
- Calder
- Lamond
- Commons
- Nicholson
- Forder
- Strachan
- Fuller
- Barns and Pape
- Snow
The Tug of War
- Forder
- Strachan
- Fuller
- Commons
- Nicholson
- Calder
- Lamond
- Pape
- Barns
- Snow
Well done to Calder and Forder who are leading the charge at this stage
VIRTUS CHALLENGE UPDATE
Thank you to everyone for their positive attitude toward the Virtus Challenge on Thursday. It was a wonderful day of team building and inter-house competition.
Current house point standings are as follows; although we await Tug -Of- War finals still to be held on Friday at the Inter-house Athletic Championships:
Well done to Commons who are leading Virtus Challenge prior to the final TOW
TUG OF WAR
ACADEMICS
NSC 2022 RESULTS
We are very proud to announce that two of our boys from 2022 viz Abramia and Essa excelled with 8 A’ s each.
Detailed results on the NSC results for the Class of 2022 can be found here
TOP 10 IN FORM
Congratulations to the boys who excelled at the end of 2022 being placed in the Top 10 in their form. There will be special Good Morning Tea on Thursday where they will receive their certificates.
Full details of these boys are here
SPORT
Well done to the 977 boys out of 1270 who have already registered for sport. This the most number ever and the most in any school in South Africa FACT! Please ensure that you stay committed right through until the end of the year . The cultural activities will be completed this week and any boys who haven’t registered as yet, need to do so.
SPORT VS WESTVILLE
Congratulations to the 22 basketball teams ; 17 cricket teams and 9 waterpolo teams who participated against Westville at the weekend as well as all the coaches and managers. Also thank you to all the boys who came out to support these teams on Saturday in the immense heat. It is sincerely appreciated and well done. True College spirit and commitment
Full sports results are here
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
- L Newlands – 3rd in KZN XCountry Championships and 2nd overall in KZN for 2022 XC Championships
- B Van Wyk – KZN Colours for BMX
BE CLOSED WEEKEND
A very big thank you to Messrs Emerson, Housemasters and staff plus prefects and 6th formers for their efforts, in making the closed weekend such an enjoyable one and to Mr Stickells and staff for the Band Camp Weekend.
I wish you all a very good week.
Pro Aris et Focis
C Luman (Headmaster)