Long Serving Teacher's Last Day - Mrs Van Schoor!

Michael Alexander · January 30, 2009, 12:50:08 PM

Well another end of an era, after 30 years of teaching at OPS, Mrs Van Schoor (nee' Groenewald) Retired today.

An emotional final assembly, whereby she entered the school hall from the back to a slow clap from the pupils, with the clapping pace picking up as she headed to the stage....

Wish her and Stokkies a great retirement down in the Cape!

DUNJA WRBKA · January 31, 2009, 06:31:20 AM

Mike, could you kindly post a pick of Mrs van Schoor? Trying to remember but my memory is tooo foggy...

Michael Alexander · January 31, 2009, 07:22:31 AM

I will try and find one.... Remember in our day, she was Mrs.Groenewald...(I think)

SandyB · February 01, 2009, 11:43:04 AM

I remeber Annelie , taking me under her wing when i was going through a rough time at about age 19 ... even loaning me her yellow VW beetle to drive to Windhoek to sort out a mess caused by an unmentionable in my life ...

Susan Kintscher (Lineker) · February 08, 2009, 02:52:28 PM

Dunja, here is a photo of OPS staff members 2006.
Mrs van Schoor is sitting in front with the blue tracksuit on,Mrs JAmes is on the end, Mrs Brand is the 3rd one in the front row and Mrs Watt (we know her as either Ms Strang or Mrs Josephs). Just above Mrs James is Mrs Muller and just above her is Mrs Lintveldt. Mrs Frylinck is at the beginning of the 3rd row. Mrs Holland is right at the back on the end. I dont think there is anyone else from way back when, oh by the way, I'm the 2nd one in the 2nd row (orange top). I hope that you could follow.....

DUNJA WRBKA · February 08, 2009, 05:40:09 PM

Thanks Susan, unfortunately she does not look familiar but did recognise a few faces.

Patricia Lotte · February 09, 2009, 03:48:28 AM

Gosh, I remember Miss Strang. She was my teacher in Standard 1. I remember how she would pinch our ears when she felt that we'd done something wrong. But she didn't just pinch them, she would dig her names into the flesh ...!

DUNJA WRBKA · February 09, 2009, 05:05:34 AM

Sheeesh when I think back what teachers did to us.... Does this still happen today? Are the teachers of today still doing this type of thing?

Cannot say I would be happy if my son came home from school telling me a teacher pulls or pinches his ears!

Patricia Lotte · February 09, 2009, 05:49:44 AM

My parents weren't happy to see the mark I still had on my ear and my mom rushed to school to face her about it. I agree that there should be a limit to how teachers discipline kids. But then again, kids need discipline and the wackings we got by Mr Bergh (he had a ruler named tranedraal or something like that) and Mr Koch (a leather strap) never killed us and we respected our elders. Nowadays, even a parent has no right to spank their child.

Michael Alexander · February 09, 2009, 10:28:47 AM

Mr Bergh, knew how to Klap.... he had it down to a fine art, smack bang between your shoulder blades...when you least expected it.......

Diana Rudd (Boehme) · February 09, 2009, 01:27:39 PM

Mr Steyn was our "Ruler" teacher, used to smack us over the top of our legs.

SandyB · February 09, 2009, 06:05:54 PM

Mr Dickinson ... taught woodwork as well ,, so his favourite was a nice smoothly planed piece of wood ..
I laugh thinking back to an incident with Mrs O'Brien .. she would sometimes tell us to just take a few minutes out if we were looking inattentive .. ie we were to put our heads down on the desk and just be silent ( I think a welcome break for her as well as she would sit sedately eyes closed yes we peeked ) anyhow Dianne Young was seated behind me and she mischieviously gave a kick on the rear , totally unexpected I yelped ,, well peace and quiet broken .. Mrs O'B headed for me peed off at me breaking the silence , grabbed one of those triangular rulers and wacked me on the top of the hand with disastrous consequences ( sharp edge ) cos a vein on the hand obviously ruptured and almost immediately popped up into a lump .. the sigth of that was enough to make me feel sick went pale as sheet ,, she too at this oversight of moment of anger .. I then capitalised on this .. " look .. see what you did to me now you in trouble !! " really played it out .. she apologised put a cold compress on it and bandaged it tight ... apology accepted .. no further word mentioned and yes the lump subsided pretty soon ,, but yes the hand was eina for a few days ..

Susan Kintscher (Lineker) · February 09, 2009, 07:09:57 PM

Mrs Williams (Afr) use to pinch in your shoulder, painful... there were also a few other teachers who would throw board dusters at you, not nice.....

Michael Alexander · June 19, 2009, 03:09:17 PM

A topical Poll has been added to the top of this post!

SandyB · June 19, 2009, 09:42:02 PM

I still believe that a controlled corporal punishment works .. not at times the uncontrolled shyt of some of the damaged souls that we had as teachers ,, I mention one at Hugenote High .. Mr Lamprecht ... he had issues and a tendency toward paedophilia ... I stood up to him and yes had a price to pay ... but yes good intent works .. consider the anarchy in schools at present .. FOLKS ITS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD .. so difficult to say whats right or wrong ,, all I have to say is I was not damaged by anything that transpired .. It only made me stronger .. and who i am today ...