Interview with Norman Lazarus 1944 - 1952
Norman’s parents lived in the Free State so he was sent as a boarder to St David’s in 1944 in
grade 2. Mrs Litson was his first teacher.The boarders had very little to do with the day scholars
except when they were given sandwiches which supplemented the boarding school food. When
Norman started at St David’s the war was still on and he can remember listening to the
announcement of the death of general Pienaar on the wireless with his family.
When he arrived at the school in 1944, the school was still in its infancy. The bus ran as far as
Rosebank and the school was in the ‘country’ surrounded by small holdings. The Polliack Estate
was situated to the West. South of the school the field was in two tiers and at the Northern
boundary was a farm and the rumor went around the that the lady who owned the farm would
bequeath it to the school (this was partly true as the school bought the farm at a good price in
the 1960’s).
Norman did not enjoy his school days as he likened the school to an aloe – the nearer you got
the more you were pricked. The school was run by brothers – that word usually means loving
and within a family- the brothers showed no love for the boys and were punitive in the
punishment. There were 4 dormitories- A to D. There were very strict rules – talking after lights
out and untidy lockers- were very serious offences. Prefects were in charge and they were very
cruel. They had to write home every Sunday and were allowed to listen to LM radio, to the hit
parade – he can remember Frankie Laine being at the top of the charts.
The boarders showered in the evening.There were only 2 baths.They were woken at 6am and
the Catholics went to mass. While he was at St David’s there were mostly Catholics with 2 or 3
Jewish children of which he was one. While the Catholics went to mass the non Catholics had
study period. Breakfast after mass was in the present college library where they sat at round
tables of 6. There was no shortage of food but the helpings were small and the meals were
rotated so you knew what you were having each week. Sago pudding was often served.
There were 2 breaks in the school day where they played hopscotch, marbles and bok-bok.
There was an infirmary and he enjoyed his time there when he had chicken pox as it was a very
caring place. Sport was compulsory and he played hockey, soccer, cricket and rugby – at this
stage there were no tennis courts. He played for the 1st fifteen in rugby and the team travelled
down to Durban by train to play against St Henry’s. The train journey was eventful and the boys
suffered defeat the next day after a sleepless night!
Punishment was metered out before dinner in front of the whole school. You had the whole day
to think about the impending punishment and the caning took place in front of everyone.
Norman’s experience was that the longer one was at school the less you were punished
because you became more adept. Boys were expelled for talking to girls over the fence and for
stealing fruit from the nearby orchards.
The brothers decided that the boys should learn how to dance and a dancing instructor from
Arthur Murray Studios came to school. They were taught without partners so, when in the end
girls from Parktown Convent (accompanied by the nuns) were selected to be their partners it
proved to be very unsuccessful as the boys just weren’t used to the girls and they didn’t know
what to say to each other!
The brothers took the boys to the nearest cinema on the corner of Tyrwhitt Ave and Jan Smuts.
The boys walked in a crocodile.This, however, did not last long as shopkeepers, who had fruit
displayed on the pavements, complained that there was no fruit left once the boys had walked
past!
Norman was a day scholar in his matric year (1952). He got into trouble because the bus route
ended in Dunkeld and he and another boy accepted a lift from a motorist. The brothers got to
hear of this and it was said that they had brought the school into disrepute for ‘hitch hiking’. His
merit badge was taken away but this was reinstated after the brothers asked his fellow pupils to
vote on whether his badge should be handed back to him.
Norman did not find the teachers to be caring but in some cases quite eccentric. Mr Hoare
taught the non Catholics Scripture and he was always teaching them about George Elliott. He
also made them learn the psalms off by heart. The cleverest boys were always made to sit in
the front and the less bright ones at the back.
On obtaining a first class matric, Norman studied medicine at the University of the
Witwatersrand where he joined up with his school friend Peter Leigh, son of the school doctor.
Norman left South Africa for America after Sharpville and Peter emigrated to Australia.
Interview: Monday 1 February 2010

Interview with Steve Muller 1953
Steve came to St David’s in 1941 even though there was no grade 0 in those days, and was
effectively in grade 0 until 1943. His mother said he talked too much and obviously thought
school would do him good, especially as his older brother was there too. He thinks he is the only
old boy to attend St David’s from 1941 until 1952 – check photo taken on steps by what is now
Malcolm William’s office. All three of his sons attended St David’s and his youngest son, Gavin
(87) was the first to complete 13 years, the other sons Graham and Brian completed matric in
1982 and 1980 respectively. His wife was the granddaughter of the first Marist pupil – Peter
Busschau.
The Brothers lived in a farm cottage, the land was all originally part of a Portuguese vegetable
farm. Steve can still remember the brothers walking across the veldt to school.
He was a boarder from standard 5. The senior school and boarding opened at the same time
(1948?)
The teachers, Mrs Kempster ran standard 4 and taught the boys how to write. Mrs Lidstone
owned the ‘Hudson Terror plane’ and used to pick up boys in Rosebank, corner Tyrwhitt and
Oxford where there was a Greek shop. The boys would travel with her along the then sand
roads at a rate of knots. A number of boys used to hang onto the strap at the back.
Brophy and Stirton taught the grades, Hoare standard 3, Kempster standard 4 and the Brothers
taught from standard 5 up. Brother Paul was blind.
He remembers Darko Vidas – a naughty boy. Mike von Guillieaume matriculated the same year
as Steve, Vito used to call him ‘Baron’ as his family originally German and had a castle.
Steve was not a great sportsman but participated in 1st team rugby. He was a good swimmer
and joined in the field events for athletics but never got colours for sport however he achieved
academic studies (60% in standard 9) and was a prefect. He was good at Mathematics and
received the Br Paul medal for Maths which he still has. Steve questions the high number of
distinctions pupils now achieve and remarked that a particularly bright boy, Anthony Radziwill
only achieved 5 distinctions in the JMB matric.
St David’s was always a big part of his life and still is. He enjoyed boarding, thinks it was the
best part of his life and feels very passionately about the school. He remembers his father
saying it was cheaper to send the boys to boarding school than keeping them at home, where
they would have eaten them out of house and home!
When he left St David’s he studied optometry at Wits University. He was an optometrist in
Rosebank for 40 years and in town for 10 years before that and worked until he was 70. He had
3 sons and a daughter. The daughter went to Rosebank convent.
Steve was chairman of the board of governors when, in 1981 Steve’s son was elected head
boy, although Steve knew this he kept it as a secret from his son at the time as he wanted it to
be a surprise. The board at the time was run by Vito, a farmer and Steve and optometrist. Steve
was still chairman 1982 when Br Timothy left and the first lay teacher became headmaster. It
was a difficult time, with both the parent body and many of the staff not being accepting of this
change. Tim Marnewick was vice-chairman and kept in touch with Mr Murphy, who was
originally interviewed by Br Timothy and Br Jude together with Steve. It was a tough time for the
school and many pupils left. A combined staff room for the prep and the high school was
introduced by Murphy, which proved to be an unpopular move with some of the staff.
Mr Manolios, the then prep headmaster was fired, without consultation, by Murphy for
inappropriate behaviour with mothers and a female member of staff. Murphy was also fired
when he appeared as a wrestler on TV. Br Anthony went off to Cape Town to investigate. It also
came to light later that Murphy was not as qualified as he had claimed.
At the end of 1986 when things were more settled, Steve handed over to Kevin Brewer who was
really good and has done a lot for the college.
JE June 2011