Item 202000764 - Interview with Doug Wickins 1962

Interview with Doug Wickins 1962
Doug started at St David’s in Std 3 in 1955. He originally went to St Peter’s in Merrivale and
moved to Parkhurst where he spent 1 year in Std 2 at the local primary school. His mother was
a devout Catholic with 3 sons, Doug being the eldest. He and Anthony started in 1955 and Barry
a year or two later. Doug was happy at Parkhurst and didn’t want to leave and his introduction to
the school was delayed, as he and his brothers contracted scarlet fever, and were quarantined
for 3 weeks. Br Edmond, the principal introduced him to Alf Smith and Michael Fine (“Savage”)
and took him to Mrs Batten – standard 3. Mrs Batten was a real toughie, told him to sit where
she could see him. She sat on the teaching platform, teachers had a leather strap and he can
remember her whacking all the boys in her class. In spite of this introduction he thoroughly
enjoyed his schooling. At the end of standard 6 his father died, his uncle came to stay in the
house; accommodation was limited so in standard 7 arrangements were made for him to go into
boarding. This he regards as the best thing that ever happened to him. He spent 4 years
boarding and really enjoyed it.
There were 16 brothers then, all quite young, many in their twenties and Br Anthony was about

34. They played sport together. There were 60 pupils in a class but by matric the number had
    reduced to 17 with other pupils either failing or being expelled. One of the problems was that Br
    John was Spanish and Br Charles, French-Canadian and understanding them was rather
    difficult. The language was an issue and there was insufficient opportunity to interface with the
    brothers individually.
    Doug loved boarding and enjoyed school even more because of it and regards the school as his
    Alma Mater rather than university.
    Doug was in a very spirited class with 8 boarders, the remainder being day boys. Among them
    were Darko Vidas, Alex Quail, Alec Smith, John Dayley. Br Edwin (Jack Bones) was principal
    until 1956 and then Br Benedict (The Beak) until 1959 followed by Br Anthony in 1960. He was
    terrified of Br Edwin who was related to the MCGurk family, but revered and respected him, he
    had arthritis but in spite of this he trained boys in rugby. He was eventually promoted to Brother
    Provincial. Br Benedict loved rugby and cricket. Br Anthony was, in his opinion, the best
    principal the school ever had.
    Br Anthony’s nickname was Aungess – Oranges which he could never pronounce properly. His
    favourite sayings were”nothing without work” and “he who plays hard, works hard”. Initially he
    appeared arrogant because of his demeanour but once everyone got to know him, his popularity
    soared. He had a great sense of Christianity hence Slough, and was a teaching principal,
    teaching Science and Maths. There were 450 boys in the school at the time and, although there
    was a bursar, he ran the entire school.
    Mrs Kempster taught under Br Edwin Standard 4, she used the stick and became the first
    headmistress of the junior school succeeded by Mr Manolios, then Mrs Schaafsma. Mrs
    Janusch, a scot married to a Hungarian was an absolute tyrant. He remembers boys such as
    Congo Brian Roberts who came from the Belgian Congo, Doc Livingstone – Rhodesia, Chicken
    Venter, Brian Emerick. The school’s reputation was well established with 180 boarders with 4
    dormitories.
    Doug once lead a boycott of sausages in the dining room, Br Dennis was on duty that particular
    evening and Br Michael wanted to kick him out but Br Anthony saved him. Four boys were
    expelled. Two brothers Peter and Jeremy Forder, Warrington and Hartman decided to run away.
    They got out and went to Sandton, however they were rounded up and expelled.
    A barber used to come to cut the boys hair, The boarders had lunch 12.45 to 1.15, then again
    out of class 2.45 for tea followed by sports practice, shower, study, 6.30 – 7.15 supper, study
    until 8.15 and lights and radios off by 9.15.
    Doug participated in all sport, played cricket but he preferred swimming, played rugby, hockey,
    and athletics and joined in debating. There was tremendous competition between St David’s
    and Observatory. The cinder track, now prep playing fields was regarded as the best in the
    country for the Catholic inter-high athletics. Doug was also made a prefect. Doug recalled an
    incident during an athletics event when Br Charles was measuring the distance that a javelin
    had been thrown when another landed immediately behind him fortunately just missing him.
    People often used to stop at the side of the road to watch the cricket. A sad incident occurred
    when Paul Barrenbrook was killed, in a freak accident whilst he was standing on the bicycle
    wheel of the ice cream cart which was hit by a passing car.
    The school had a good relationship with Parktown Convent rather than Rosebank and often had
    joint functions.
    He helped build a stage and got the wood. The stage was very, very heavy. Technical drawing
    was a subject and because of this they were allowed to use the workroom. There was very
    nearly a nasty accident when Darko got his tie caught up in the planing machine. It took all, his
    strength to keep his head away until someone could switch the machine off.
    Doug recalled President Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962 and listening to
    a radio that Darko had, as they all waited to find out if the world was going to be plunged into
    the first nuclear war.
    He remembers his last day at St David’s, it was in December and there were 4 or 5 boys left
    writing their last matric exam. His 17th birthday was on 29 November and he wrote his first
    matric paper, English 1. He felt that he never left the school and attended many rugby matches,
    swimming galas and athletics meetings. A number of them went to Wits and kept in touch. They
    always had the idea of forming MOBS. Tonetti, Mike von Guilleaume, Steve Muller, Trevor Blow
    (first chairman MOBS, a lawyer).
    He recalls the appointment of Murphy who was welcomed with open arms and was given a lot
    of support by the old boys. That was until he appeared on TV as a wrestler and then it was
    revealed that his credentials were not based on fact as they were presented. Steve Muller, Br
    Jude and Br Timothy originally interviewed him.
    He remembers Darryl Boswell as a good head and Gary Norton as deputy. He was also fond of
    Br Edwin, Quinas and Tometti.
    He studied for a Bachelor of Commerce at Wits and went into marketing and advertising. He
    was interested in investments and on retirement became more involved and now thoroughly
    enjoys it,
    Both Doug’s sons, Gregory and Michael, were pupils at St David’s and in class with Mike von
    Gulleaume’s children. His grandson Thomas Weedon has just joined the school. Greg’s
    youngest son is registered to come here. Vito Rugani founder member of MOBS had three sons
    here.
    Forming MOBS there was tremendous argument between them over what was then known as a
    federation of Marist old boys. St David’s was seen to be better, with young upstarts and elitist.
    Initially they set up the old boys for St David’s only and refused old boys from other
    Johannesburg Marist schools. Now anyone can join if they have been to a Marist school. There
    was a special badge for the federation emanating from St Charles Durban. A group of them
    went down to a number of conferences.
    Doug was chairman of the old boys, chairman of the PTA and vice-chairman of the board of
    governors. Steve Muller was the first chairman of the board of governors and MOBS was
    formed in 1965.He worked together with Kevin Brewer fighting to get subsidies from the
    government. St David’s was the first independent school to admit blacks.
    He remembers Darryl Boswell as a good head and Gary Norton as deputy.
    JE June 2011