This page is under construction. Have you any contributions to make?
Contact us: reunions@vphs.ecape.school.za.
A short history of the school
The school was established in January 1940. The first day saw an enrolment of 38 grade 9 pupils, one assistant woman teacher and Mr. H.W. Arnott, the Headmaster. In 1941, a grade 10 class was added, along with an extra teacher. In 1945, when Mr Arnott returned from the war, the school took on a more permanant character.
“Our badge bears the laurel, the cross and the crown.”
|
The badge bears three distinct symbols: the laurel wreath, the Victoria Cross and a crown. The laurel wreath is a classical symbol that comes to us from the time of Roman Empire, symbolising victory and power. The Victoria Cross is a somewhat religious symbol, as well as a token of symbol of bravery and courage.
It was given to war heroes as a sign of their commitment to the crown, itself a symbol of the majesty and pride of the monarch and devotion and service of the people who were governed thereby. The fact that our school was founded at the wake of World War II somewhat inspired the choice of a motto which supported courage in the face of adversity. Simply translated, Vivite Fortes means “Live courageously.” This ties in with the themes of victory, bravery and success. It is a quotation from a classic of antiquity, Horace’s Satires. The courage of the Victorian is a classical virtue: as relevant for the ancients and the warring soldiers as it is for our Victorians today.
|
 |
