FLIPPING BOOK CHRONICLE 2024

HISTORY

Head of Department: Mr Brandon Venter Staff: Mr Bradley McManus, Mr William Koopman, Mrs Lucy Ivins, Mrs Leigh Kotze, Mrs Linda Filmer (second quarter) n the back of another strong set of matric results in 2023, with 14% of boys achieving a distinction and the school an average of 72.95%, the History Department at Michaelhouse continues to grow and flourish. With an increasing number of boys choosing to take History, the depth of interest and engagement in the discipline has been remarkable. Beyond the rigorous academic content, the subject continues to equip our boys with the crucial skills of critical and creative thinking. In a world inundated with misinformation, these young men are developing the ability to distinguish between fact and fiction, to analyse sources with discernment and, most importantly, to ask the question: why? As Albert Einstein is reported to have said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I knew the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.” Encouraging our boys to question, challenge and engage with the past enables them to shape a more informed and just future. Michaelhouse, with its rich history and traditions, provides an ideal foundation for historical inquiry. Our E Blockers begin their journey by learning the history of the school, aiding them not only with the famous cack test but also in understanding their new environment. Their syllabus further explores South Africa’s path from Union to apartheid, complemented by an enriching excursion to the Mandela Capture Site, which deepened their understanding of the country’s past. In D Block, boys delve into the world wars and the rise of totalitarian regimes, exploring the impact of genocide from the South African war to Rwanda. Their visit to the Durban Holocaust and Genocide Centre offers them a sobering and invaluable perspective on the consequences of extremism and intolerance. For our senior boys, we have continued to integrate aspects of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum alongside the IEB syllabus. This provides a broad and nuanced understanding O

of history from the 19th to the 21st centuries. In C Block, with 45 boys choosing History – the largest cohort in recent years – studies covered the political spectrum, German and Italian unification, and the foundations of American history. B Block explored the ideological struggles of the Cold War and global civil-resistance movements, and A Block focused on South Africa’s transition to democracy, the end of the Cold War and challenges faced by independent African nations. Throughout, an emphasis on source-based analysis and extended writing ensured that boys were well prepared for the demands of their final examinations. The department has also undergone changes in staffing. Mr Bradley McManus, who has been an invaluable member for the past eight years, leaves us for Scotland, and we thank him for his dedication and commitment to our boys. In his place, we welcomed Mrs Linda Filmer as a substitute teacher for the second quarter. Other new arrivals were Mrs Lucy Ivins as a junior History teacher and Mr William Koopman as the new senior History teacher. Their expertise and passion for the subject will undoubtedly strengthen the department and continue to inspire our boys. A fundamental aspect of studying history is fostering a sense of intellectual curiosity and an appreciation for the complexities of human experience. As Carl Becker once said, “The value of history is, indeed, not scientific but moral: by liberalizing the mind, by deepening the sympathies, by fortifying the will, it enables us to control, not society, but ourselves – a much more important thing; it prepares us to live more humanely in the present and to meet rather than to foretell the future.” We are immensely proud of the dedication shown by our History boys, and we look forward to another year of inquiry, debate and discovery. A heartfelt thank you to all the History staff who have guided and mentored the boys on this journey of learning. Their commitment to developing the next generation of critical thinkers is invaluable, and we are excited for what lies ahead in 2025.

AFRIKAANS

Head of Department: Mr Chris van der Berg Staff: Ms Marcel Cornelius, Ms Emsoné Fourie, Mr J-P Olivier Part-time Staff: Mrs Ilne Visagie

less at Michaelhouse).

On 3 February Mr J-P Olivier and I attended the IEB National Conference in Johannesburg to keep abreast of exam requirements and catch up on new trends in teaching our subject. We reported back to the other members of the department when we returned to Michaelhouse. Pit Productions visited Michaelhouse on 24 May. As a result of copyright issues they changed their approach from performing extracts from Donkerweb (the matric set book) and the Touloper anthology (the matric prescribed poems) to a workshop on the 68

T

he 2023 matric results were of a very high standard again: 10% of our boys achieved an A, and 62% scored 60% or higher. I want to congratulate the boys and staff on these results and thank them for their hard work. Afrikaans remains a very challenging subject for most pupils in our province, as it is seldom spoken or heard in KZN (and even