Arusha School

Chambers arrived with 17 new recruits and at a conference in November 1928 the following was recorded: "The conference recommends to the Executive committee that a European school be opened immediately at Ngare Nairobi near Moshi in Mr, Geyer's house by Mr. and Mrs. Boothe, on the condition that, the Government pays the rent of £5 per month, and makes a grant of £50 toward necessary improvements, and that an application be made for a boarding grant for each European child in residence at this school. "

This was a very unspectacular and tentative beginning, but it was a beginning. There were in 1929 19 children living in rough and temporarily converted farm buildings; the area was remote and difficult of access; there was a problem of water supply and at night lions could be heard drinking such water as there was; the Headmaster was issued with a game licence so that he could shoot the school's meat supply and Boothe and his wife were in fact the only staff.

There were other problems too. Some of the fees were not paid., the settlers were unable to finance the scheme on their own and the mission was not prepared to underwrite it from its scanty resources for African work. Boothe apparently proved to be an unsatisfactory person who was unhappy living in such isolation, discontented with his personal allowance, critical of the Bishop and involved heavily in debt, both personally and in the school's finances.

This foray into non-African work was obviously not a success and after one year, the mission withdrew altogether from the school and re-allocated Boothe to a training college for native pastors. Boothe tried to transfer to the Government teaching service in September 1929, but was not accepted. He then resigned from the mission and was employed by the West Kilimanjaro Planters Association who took over the school in. January 1930.

This scheme of management did not work either, and in September 1930 the settlers appealed to the Governor who assumed direct control of the school. Boothe was then employed by the Government on a month to month basis until August 1932 when he was given 8 days notice of retrenchment and repatriated to U.K.

This first attempt had been unsuccessful and had left both the Government and the Mission in an embarrassing position. The school struggled on with men called Stowell and Feelie as Headmasters between 1931 and 1933. It is not clear from the records just when Boothe left the school or whether the other two men had successive or joint responsibility. (See Appendix N.)

The first pupils were transferred from an earlier school opened in 1928 at Ngare Nairobi on the plains on the North-West foot of Kilimanjaro, where wild animals grazed up to the edge of the school compound and the Headmaster was expected to provide most of the school's meat by the use of his rifle.

Malham Ulyate, Early 1930.s 1935 Awarded "Victor Ladorum" for sporting achievements, Name still on the sports plaque in the dinning hall

Edward Ulyate,(Ted) Early 1930,s 1935 Awarded "Victor Ladorum" for sporting achievements. Name still on the sports plaque in the dinning hall.

Robert Walker (Christopher) 1944-49.

Nigel Borissow 1950,s

Jocelyn Borissow 1950,s

Marjorie Borissow 1950,s

Michael Borissow 1950,s

Donald Ulyate 1950,s

June Ulyate 1950,s

Brenda Ulyate 1950,s

Mrs. Kay Ulyate (Matron) 1950,s

Robin Ulyate 1950,s

Phyllis Ulyate 1950,s

Sally Ulyate 1950,s

Valarie Ulyate 1950,s

Brian Ulyate 1950,s

David Ulyate 1950,s

When I came to live at Ol Molog I had completed a full circle, for I was born on a farm twelve miles away. As there was an age gap of eight years between my nearest sister and I, and as my three sisters (my brother had died of pneumonia) all left home rather prematurely, I spent a good deal of my early childhood depending on African children for companionship. At one stage my only friend was a chimpanzee.

An European school was started in Arusha, and when the headmaster once lunched with my parents he was appalled to discover that I had only an ape as a companion, and he persuaded them to send me to his school. I went as a boarder at the tender age of four and a half; the only advantage of which that I could see was that thereafter I was always below the class average age and therefore considered rather bright!

Agreements dated 26th January 1933 and 19th November 1936 (see Appendixes A and B) were signed between the Government of Tanganyika and the Diocese of Central Tanganyika. Under the terms of the agreements, the Government agreed to build and equip the school, maintain the buildings and pay staff salaries at mission rates. The Bishop would be Warden of the school with overall responsibility for its administration and welfare, and appoint the Headmaster and staff.

Arusha [school], on the other hand, was founded in 1934 in buildings provided by the Bishop of Central Tanganyika. This was in keeping with the Government's policy of running most of the Territory's education through 'Voluntary Agencies' i.e. Missionary Societies.

A mission conference in 1929 expressed the hope that the Government of Tanganyika will adopt the same policy of cooperation with Missions with regard to European education as it does in regard to African education.

Various consultations were going on as to the need, type and best place for a now school. In 1931, there were 58 European children. in Northern Tanganyika receiving no schooling beyond private tuition at home, and the annual report stated the Government 's intention to build a new European school at Arusha in the Northern Province. In order to work this school as economically as possible, it was hoped to complete an arrangement with the Bishop of Central Tanganyika under which he would conduct the school as an agent for the Government. The staff appointed would be subject to the approval of the Government and. the working and management of the school would be under Government inspection.

It is apparent that after the abortive attempt in 1928, and with the stringency of the depression, plans were much more carefully laid. It was not until 1932 that the Governor, Sir Stewart Symes approached Bishop Chambers with a definite offer to build a “first class and modern school and equip it”, if the Bishop would find the staff and manage it .

There is no doubt that this “new era of cooperation” between church and state was partly motivated by the shortage of Government funds; the mission teachers were paid approximately one fifth of the government rate.

The Headmaster Wynn Jones saw it more positively. He wrote, “The efficiency, finance and stability of a Government school has so often lacked the personal element and spiritual contact which is so necessary a part of all true education”. The Bishop wrote in a quarterly letter, “It is essential that we should give Christian education to European children in this territory for they will be the future leaders. The white man cannot help being a leader here. The African imitates him in all he does and if we can inculcate the ideals of Christ in the lives of our white children, then Christian civilization is much more likely to come to this land”. The Greek community promised support and the Bishop continued, “I hope the school will be a little commonwealth of nations including German, Dutch, and Greek children. If the boys and girls of these various communities learn to live, work and play together in school life, they will all the better be able to inform a united community in the future, having the welfare of all at heart and the spirit of esprit d'corps a reality among them!”

The Bishop also hoped that the school would bring the church into contact with Europeans in the territory and hopefully win sympathy from them in missionary work.

So at the request of the Government, Rev. William Wynn Jones was seconded from the mission, sent on early overseas leave and, having newly married, he moved in 1933 to the Ngare Nairobi school to prepare the nucleus there for the move to Arusha. Miss Martha Vance a missionary nurse was also sent on early leave, to return as Matron.

On 22nd May 1934, with Miss Vance as matron and Wynn Jones as Headmaster, the Arusha School opened in its “palatial buildings”. It had been designed for 48 boarders, 24 girls and 24 boys, and 30 day pupils. It opened with 33 boarders, and by the end of the year the enrolment had risen to 41 plus 6 day pupils. (See Appendix F.)

We moved from the farm at Loliondo to the Lupa Goldfield in time for Christmas 1936 and upon arrival, my step-father took one look at the rags my mother and I wore and drove us straight to Mbeya to get us decently clad. After the deprivations of the past year it was overwhelming to be comfortable again, although the comfort was relative and of a primitive sort-we could now buy tea and sugar and have less than threadbare clothes. There were further aspects of our new life that we had not considered whilst at Loliondo. I was now fourteen years old, just over six feet tall, but had only completed less than a year's schooling in my life. Thus, it was decided that I should go to the new Christian Missionary Society (CMS) School at Arusha, in Northern Tanganyika, over 730 miles away along one of the most rudimentary roads in the country. I thought life was suddenly rather exciting, although I had strong reservations about the need for further education.

Agreements dated 26th January 1933 and 19th November 1936 (see Appendixes A and B) were signed between the Government of Tanganyika and the Diocese of Central Tanganyika. Under the terms of the agreements, the Government agreed to build and equip the school, maintain the buildings and pay staff salaries at mission rates. The Bishop would be Warden of the school with overall responsibility for its administration and welfare, and appoint the Headmaster and staff.

My journeys to and from school always seemed to be such adventures that I remember more of the travelling to school than I do of the term-time. Sometimes it was impossible to return home for Christmas as this holiday was at the height of the short rains and the fairly primitive mud roads would be impassable. After my first full year at school in 1937 the roads were thought to be acceptable and we embarked, as usual, on the school bus for Dodoma, with one of the teachers as escort, to spend Christmas with our families. Although the rains had not been heavy, the roads were a morass of mud and potholes and we got as far as Pienaar Heights, about 135 miles from Arusha, before our troubles started. The bus was too heavy, the road too steep, and the mud too slippery for an easy ascent. The bigger boys had to get out and cut brushwood to lay along the wheel tracks and then they had to push while the older girls had to walk. The mud was thick and slimy and clogged our shoes, which made walking and pushing very difficult whilst the road was too narrow for the bus to turn round. With no options to go back or to reverse down the hill, we had to persevere with this Sisyphean task until we reached the top of the hill, pushing in the dark and driving rain with our clothes soaked before we were even half-way on the first leg of our journey. To me the activities of the day had been fun and rewarding, and while most of the others, and the teachers, complained about their cold and soggy state, David How-Brown, Jeff Hollyer and I felt we had had a most worthwhile time. We hoped eagerly that calamities would continue to occur, so as to relieve the boredom of the long and uncomfortable trip with a little adventure. It was on that day, while we were covered in mud, pushing the big bus with all our strength, shouting instructions to the driver, falling flat on our faces in the wet, trying to avoid the spraying mud of the wheels that spun and failed to grip, that a lasting friendship between the three of us was, if you will excuse the pun, cemented.

It was four in the morning by the time we reached Dodoma, and everyone had missed their connecting trains. Those who were going east, like Jeff and David, were told that they could travel on the early morning goods train going to Morogoro, but would have to sit in the Guards van, which delighted them and those travelling to the Lakes would go on at ten the next morning. Only three rooms had been booked at the Railway Hotel for the teacher and those of us going south, and these were given to the girls and small boys, leaving the rest of us to sleep in the hotel lounge. Our companions for the night were a motley crew of sleeping drunkards who had been unable to get home. Our coming in had disturbed them and, waiting until the teacher had gone to bed, they started their party all over again, plying us youngsters with drink. We thought this was a great adventure until daylight came when we had to face our escort, Miss Read.

For some time tunnelling in the school grounds from the river bank had been carried out by a group of five senior boys. When several of these left the school, interest waned and the tunnels were neglected, but during my second year the Tunnelling Committee decided to revive the work. They invited three new members to join them and to my surprise I was amongst them. I was given a long lecture on secrecy and hard work but when I asked what the tunnels were for, no one seemed to know. They just thought it was good idea and would be first class for midnight feasts, although it is worth considering that at the time any explanation would have satisfied me such was my pride to have been included in the secret mission. When I was younger I had experienced acute claustrophobia when I first wriggled down a porcupine hole and I must admit I did not look forward to digging in a confined space but after a few days I grew accustomed to it. At the end of the first week we had cleared all the fallen debris and boxed in the soft sides.

We were ready to start on new ground and very soon came across hard, impacted soil, which was tough-going. Sweating as we worked we realised there was a shortage of fresh air, so a small chimney was opened which also let in some light but this part of the tunnel then collapsed and had to be cleared, leaving us with a large space, which we named our feasting room. At about this time we discovered there was another party tunnelling away a little above and across our front. Jeff and I had just finished our stint at the face and were in the wash-house when Charlie ran in to say we must go back to the tunnel as there had been an earth fall and two fellows were trapped inside. It alarmed us to realise that the ventilating hole was on the wrong side of the collapse and we fought down our fear as we ran for the river.

The quickest way to rescue the trapped pair would be through the rival tunnel but we could not waste time searching for the other team to seek their permission, so we clambered straight into their tunnel, Charlie leading the way with a torch. The narrow entrance led into a large cave and, in the light of our torch, eight very surprised faces caught in the middle of a feast turned to glare at us. There were two girls and six boys in the party and had there been room for manoeuvre they would have certainly have roughed us up, but as soon as they heard the reason for our invasion, their hostility was forgotten and they set about helping us. Fortunately the collapse had been from the surface, allowing some air to reach the trapped boys, but the tunnel was too narrow to turn round in and all they could hope to do was to move backwards. When they found they could go no further, they panicked and it was with great relief that we were able to clear away the small amount of earth which separated the two tunnels and get them to safety.

Shocked by this near-tragic experience, we gathered outside in the bright sunlight with ashen faces and agreed a temporary halt to our excavations. Inevitably the story leaked out and we were thoroughly cross-examined by the headmaster and the parents of the two girls, although it should be mentioned that it was established that the girls were there only for the feast and not for any scandalous reason. We were told to attend the headmaster's study the next morning before assembly and that we should be prepared to be sent home for good. However, in the event, the morning brought us three strokes of the cane from Mr. Wynne-Jones' practised hand and the girls were sent home for the rest of the term.

We arrived back at school from this trip a few days before term was to begin, just in time for preparations for the annual attempt on Mount Meru. Mount Meru is a spectacular fifteen thousand foot mountain that would be famous were it anywhere else, but is overshadowed both in height and in reputation by its more famous cousin, Kilimanjaro, across the steppe. It looms over the town ofArusha, nestled in its foothills, and is such an important part of town life, providing the water and climactic conditions that make the town so habitable, that few people who live there have not considered climbing it. This was an annual event and boys over the age of fifteen were, with their parents' consent, allowed to make the attempt. I had taken part in the previous year's climb from the west, but at 13,500 feet many of the boys had dropped back, unable to make it, and the exercise was aborted.

This year there was to be no repetition of that and the mountain would be attempted from the south. It would be heavy going through the bamboo forest, but after that there was a solid rock ridge without the volcanic ash surface which was so tiring and frustrating when approached from the west. The western flank rises in great steps, one step up and then a flat open glade, followed by another climb through thick well-watered forest, then another open glade, with more forest, up to the edge of the volcanic ash at about 12,000 feet. From that height to the top the surface consists entirely of loose ash, making the climb a slippery and exhausting business. On the northern and eastern sides is the huge crater, encircled by 2000 ft high sheer cliff walls and a primeval floor of cedar forest. Strangely-shaped, wizened trees are festooned with Old Man's Beard and the core of the volcano itself rises from the floor of the crater in a grey, grim cone. It makes for an almost primeval atmosphere that is a far cry from the arid steppe to the south.

We found the climb up the steep southern face hard going, with the first part through cedar and loliondo forest. We reached the bamboo belt at about 8,000 feet and it was so thick that the only way to walk through it was to follow the winding game tracks, which were difficult to negotiate and required constant attention to avoid meeting the rhino, elephant and buffalo that also used them. We slept that night at a point just above the bamboo in a well-protected gully near a beautiful spring of clear mountain water, where it became clear that some of the boys had found the climb very demanding and Jeff and I were quite sure that before long the expedition would be turned back. We thought the party far too large, convinced that someone would feel the altitude and become mountain sick, which would necessitate bringing the whole party back. We decided that on the following day, we would make our way to the front of the party and just keep going until we reached the top, even if the rest of them went back. We knew we would get into serious trouble when we arrived back at school, but we were determined to see our names on the "Conquered Meru" Board in the school hall.

On the second morning we left at first light and in about three hours we were well out of sight of the others, so we had a short rest before continuing, until after a breathless two hours, we reached the summit, with sweeping views across to Kilimanjaro and Kenya. We signed the book, had a quick look at this privileged perspective on Africa) before sliding and stumbling back down, catching the rest of the party, already on a return journey, an hour and a half later. Several of the boys were nursing sore stomachs as they had been eating ice for reasons best known to themselves. We thought this state of affairs completely justified our dash to the top, and when Dickie, the master in charge, asked us where we had been, we were quite honest and told him we had reached the summit. He told us he would speak to us when we got back to school, but said that as no one had witnessed our achievement, we could not be listed on the Board until one of the masters had been up and verified the book. We heard no more about it until a week later when our names were called out at Assembly and in a few days the Board shone with its new additions. We felt very pleased and proud of ourselves.

Eventually I had to return to school, but things were a little different than before. During my third (and last) year at school in 1939, when I was in the senior form, tension between the Germans and other European nationals in Tanganyika was running high. These feelings filtered down to the schools too, particularly between the German school at Oldeani and ours, which was English, at Arusha. As the inter-school sports were due at the end of the term, it was decided to organise a half-term camping safari for the twelve oldest boys in each school, in the hopes of paving the way towards a friendlier entente on Sports Day. Mr. Wynne-Jones had instigated the safari and had gone to considerable pains to make it a success but unfortunately, he did not take into account the affects of European politics and group rivalries on the minds of boys. On our arrival at Ngorongoro, it was found that the so-called "boys" from Oldeani were mostly between seventeen and nineteen years old and appeared to be fully trained soldiers. The only games they would play were military ones, which were all they knew, and they spent a great deal of their time attending politicised lectures in German, doing military exercises and parading. We were told to try and co-operate with them, but when they taunted us by saying that soon Germany would take back Tanganyika and kick us all out, we inevitably resorted to fisticuffs. It was a miserable weekend, with our having to listen to insults and pretending to fraternise with them, in the name of international harmony.

The only thing the trip did was to increase our determination to beat the Oldeani School when Sports Day came around, a victory we were to achieve very well. The Greek school also took part and, in fact, the German school earned the lowest marks, with Arusha a contented second, behind the Olympian efforts of the Greeks. A special song had been composed, honouring all three countries, and this was supposed to be sung at the end of the three-day event and initially, the Germans refused to join in, only reluctantly doing so after a lot of persuasion and a few threats. The whole affair opened the eyes of the authorities to the covert politicisation that was going on at Oldeani under the guise of education.

To what extent does a headmaster leave his mark upon a school? In the case of the first two heads of Arusha School, who served the school for over 28 years between them from 1934 - 1964, the influence was considerable and each left his own indelible impression on the structure, organisation and ethos of the place.

It must be said right at the outset that Wynn Jones did not have outstanding gifts of organisation or administration. Also in the years 1940 - 42 he had been already nominated Assistant Bishop of the Diocese, there was a chronic staff shortage in the early years of the war when enrolments increased because many children could not return to Europe, and he was part time chaplain to the forces as well as Headmaster of the school. It is little wonder then that Lace found the school not well organised, only fair academically, and sloppy in discipline. In true military fashion he introduced daily physical education and tightened up the rules.

However, those who knew Wynn Jones comment universally on his gifts of leadership, personal magnetism and outstanding empathy with people.

The original school building, with 2 internal quadrangles, enclosed under one roof quarters for all staff, boys' and girls' dormitories, classrooms, kitchen and dining room with the headmaster's home on the first floor. It was quite literally a family unit with staff having all meals with the pupils, and the school kitchen even remaining open through the holidays for the teachers.

At a time when the British community had little social intercourse with European aliens, let alone Africans, Wynn Jones' home was open to all. There was a time during the war when some British residents reported him to the Governor as being anti-British, because he gave a bed to some passing German and Greek travellers.

Many of the pupils said, “He loved us like one of his own children”, and stories abound about how he welded the school together as a family. One notable story comes from the day war was declared, He called an assembly of the school and while the children were moving in selected, apparently at random, the German children to retrieve his hat from the far side of the playing field. While they were away, he talked to the others, announced the declaration of war and said, “Here at Arusha School we have always been a family; we don't know what will happen in the future or what will become of our houses and families, but here, we are a family still and will treat each other that way”.

His role as a loving, gentle man and a reconciler may be seen in the bridge-building he attempted between the communities. For example between 1934 and 1939 he organised an annual conference of teachers from the European schools in the Northern province. The conference was informal with no official status, but teachers from Arusha School, the 2 Greek Schools, 4 Dutch schools and. 2 German schools met together to read papers and discuss their problems.

He also organised and hosted an annual athletics competition between these schools. In 1937 he led a combined camp in Ngorongoro Crater for the Arusha School Scout Troup and the Hitler Youth Movement from the Oldeani German School. He wrote in the school log. "This was a genuine effort to bring the boys of different nationalities together and to stem what was becoming a very tense position in Northern Tanganyika. The Governor was in every way enthusiastic about the move". Inter-community contacts continued during the war and included children from the Polish school for refugees newly settled near Arusha.

A new boarding block had been opened in 1939. The next building in 1949 was a lavish sanatorium with accommodation for 16 sick children, 4 isolation rooms, large outpatient treatment facilities and a nurse's flat. A temporary branch school in the former German School premises 100 miles away at Oldeani was opened in 1950 and remained open for two years; and in 1951 a new junior block came into use at the school. It included dormitories for 48, 4 staff flats, 3 classrooms, a common room, a kitchen, and a hall seating, up to 400 people. A new kitchen in the original school building was opened in 1954. Riddy and Tait described it as "exceptionally well planned", and it held in its basement a large maintenance workshop, handicraft room and stores. The graph in appendix F shows the rapid increase in enrolments in the early 19508 with a levelling out, but a gradual increase in the number of day pupils as Arusha town grew in the late 1950s.

After 1946, all staff salaries were paid from Dar es Salaam, all school accounts were paid from a Government vote by the local Revenue Office and fees were receipted with an exchequer receipt and paid into the Revenue Office.

The educational problems of the school were much the same as they had been in the 1930: and 1940s. Riddy and Tait summarized them as the lack of a clearly drawn. line of demarcation between the primary and secondary stages, a shortage of staff with specialised knowledge and experience, the dislocation caused by boarders who came without previous schooling, the wide range of ability in the command of English and the number of examinations for which students presented themselves: at best these had to be borne in mind by the teachers, and at worst they dictated the pattern of education which the school gave. On the other hand, Riddy and Tait commended a favourable staff-student ratio, the devotion of the staff, the interest which the European Education Authority and the parents;' took in the school, a full and happy boarding life and excellent facilities, with buildings and playing fields of which any preparatory school in the United Kingdom might well be proud!

I had a younger sister in school. Unfortunately she died there from malarial fever. That was a big blow and within a couple of months I was transferred to the English grade school in Arusha, some 50 miles away. That was around 1943. I did not know much English, just good morning and good night and relied on some Swahili words for a while. Then I started speaking English as best I could and of course I was made plenty of fun of by many kids. That led to several "fights" but that is how growing up in our schools was. Plenty of competition and scraps. Life in the English school became quite good and interesting. They started me off in 3rd grade but was dropped back to 2nd for a spell until I was able to communicate after a few weeks.

Most of the kids were English with a mixture of Greeks, South Africans, Germans, Italians and Polish (refugees from the war). Again, home was a long way away and we lived in dormitories for 3 months and went home for one month. We would get on the train and travel 2 days between home and school. Others lived even further and it would take them 4 to 5 days of train and bus travel. The school was about 3 miles from the train station and when we arrived, they woud line us up and walk us to the school.Our lugguage was brought up by truck.

We were assigned dormitories according to age groups. Some weekends we boarded busses (more like cattle trucks) and they would take us on what they called Picnics. That was a lot of fun. One time they announced on the public address system that they needed some volunteers for clean up duty. I and 3 others volunteered. They took us in a pickup truck to Ngorongoro Crater, some 50 miles away. This is supposed to be the largest crater in the world and is featured quite often on Television travelogs. Many animals live in the crater year round.

Another time, we were asked to get an OK from our parents for mountain climbing. I got the OK. There were about 12 boys and 3 girls in the group and we were bussed to a base camp on the slopes of Mt Meru. This is the 2nd highest moutain in Tanzania, at approximately 14,764 feet high. About 3 in the morning we took off through the forest on our way to climb the mountain. We had an "Askari" (Swahili for soldier); he was to protect us with his gun from encounters with wild animals. Fortunately both there and back we only met up with wild boar and heard lions roar in the distance. Half way up most of the climbers stopped due to fatigue and other problems. 4 boys and a teacher made it to the top. It was very cold and there were several small glaciers up there. We signed our names in a book that was inside a small stone hut and rested awhile, enjoying the vistas.When the clouds obscured the views, we started on our return trip and met the stragglers as we descended the mountain. We finally reached our base camp about 2 AM and went to sleep. When we returned to school, they entered our names on a large plaque that was in the dining area, joining some other names that had preceeded us on the Mt. Meru climbs.

Start of 1950 I left the grade school and went to the only high school in the area; it was in another country, Kenya. . . .

Very interesting site, specially as I attended the School for about 4 years (1945-1949); about the Meru mountain climbers...my name was up on a board in the dining area at the time. Do you perhaps have a photo of that board?

Amazing to read about the Giant tortoise. I remember it well.

Hello David...thanks for your informative e-mail and the interesting Tanzania site that you made. I will be surfing through it again as I am not done checking it all yet. Sure, you can use my name, etc. as you see fit. I am sending you the below address of a site that I made last year so that when I am gone, my children will have a short "history" of my life.

http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/markpa/

From January 1st 1946, by mutual agreement, Government had taken over the running of the School from the Diocese, but in recognition of his past services the Bishop was constituted Warden of the School with the right of approving appointments to the staff. He was appointed Chairman of the School Advisory Council and a Chaplain-Master was appointed to the staff, an unusual provision in a Governent School, but one which was never queried for the simple reason that the succession of men appointed proved themselves of indispensible benefit to the school.

I [Cyril Hamshere] arrived as headmaster in 1946

Managed by the Government. Fees, including tuition and board, £64 10s. Per annum. Situate in Northern Province on Tanga-Arusha Railway. Height 4,500 ft. Reduced fees for second and third children.

At the top [of the rift] there is more emptiness until one comes equally unexpectedly on the outlying wheat fields of the Oldeani settlement. The little group of European farms was originally German - most of the present farmers took over enemy property as a going concern after the latest war, and with prices high have been doing well ever since without as much effort as is normally required of the settler. Their wheat maize and barley looked fine, and on the high lip of the Ngorongoro Crater, which we only saw from a distance, they grow coffee. They are administered from Mbulu about thirty miles to the south, and it would seem that up to the present they are rather an anarchical group having achieved little or no sense of community. According to their overlord, the D.C. of Mbulu, they had little good to say of each other when he visited them; there wives were kept busy embellishing their houses with the rich proceeds of each years crop, also a clubhouse was in the process of being built, and the German school was being used by one form of the overcrowded Arusha European boarding-school.

Sorry the photos of the school are not too good. Colour has faded. Bryn Jones is the man sitting down, on mount Meru also in the fancy dress photo. Remember those! The 2 sitting at the top were one of the teachers. I will try and track down my autograph book and then I will be able to tell you some of the names of the teachers at that time. Mrs Bennett was the art teacher I think.

Sorry the photos of the school are not too good. Colour has faded. Bryn Jones is the man sitting down, on mount Meru also in the fancy dress photo. Remember those! The 2 sitting at the top were one of the teachers. I will try and track down my autograph book and then I will be able to tell you some of the names of the teachers at that time. Mrs Bennett was the art teacher I think.

Sorry the photos of the school are not too good. Colour has faded. Bryn Jones is the man sitting down, on mount Meru also in the fancy dress photo. Remember those! The 2 sitting at the top were one of the teachers. I will try and track down my autograph book and then I will be able to tell you some of the names of the teachers at that time. Mrs Bennett was the art teacher I think.

Sorry the photos of the school are not too good. Colour has faded. Bryn Jones is the man sitting down, on mount Meru also in the fancy dress photo. Remember those! The 2 sitting at the top were one of the teachers. I will try and track down my autograph book and then I will be able to tell you some of the names of the teachers at that time. Mrs Bennett was the art teacher I think.

Sorry the photos of the school are not too good. Colour has faded. Bryn Jones is the man sitting down, on mount Meru also in the fancy dress photo. Remember those! The 2 sitting at the top were one of the teachers. I wil try and track down my autograph book and then I will be able to tell you some of the names of the teachers at that time. Mrs Bennett was the art teacher I think.

In 1951 there had been criticism in the press about the standard of teaching at the school. The Headmaster answered this by explaining to the School Council that children from non English speaking homes had an undoubted effect upon the standard of education in the school, especially when the children themselves were unable to speak English when admitted. He followed this up 3 months later by repeating, “much has been done to allay ideas that the standard of education at this school is lower than it should be”, though this comment does not seem to have satisfied the members of the School Council, who complained to the Director later that year (see above.)

Hamshere was always very conscious of his school's success in external examinations and the results feature prominently in his Speech Day reports and written records; he certainly reacted strongly when told that the Mbeya School results were better than his. The school log shows the following table for passes in the Kenya Preliminary Examination for entrance into Kenya Secondary Schools.

We are the Davis Family, our father was Senior Superintendent Basil George Davis of Karanga Prisons, Moshi.

The Davis Children Joan, Joyce, Mary, Martin and Peter went to Arusha Boarding School - between 1951-1960.

On our family reunion to Tanzania in 2000 we visited Arusha Boarding School and we are happy to report that the Tortoise was an elderly gent but still going strong!! and still loved by all the children.

Martin

PREFACE

As far as our records show, there has never been an Arusha School Magazine published before. The publication of the first number is therefore an important event in the School's history and I hope it will start a tradition.

The main essential of a School Magazine is that it should be the product of the School's pupils. Primary and Preparatory Schools rarely issue magazines, so I am very pleased that the effort has been made at Arusha. I hope that future issues will contain news of old pupils, if they will kindly let us know what they are doing.

In particular I should like to record our thanks to Miss J. M. Elliott who has done most of the hard work of organisation.

C. E. Hamshere Headmaster

School Sports

Our School Sports were held on Saturday, October 23rd on the senior playing field.

The Sports started at two o'clock and it was very pleasant to see the School Houses, North and South, coming out of the buildings looking very smart. The Hellenic and Dutch Schools also came to compete.

The first events were the high and long jumps and the flat races. The long jump for the seniors was the first one to be read out and it sent a cold shiver down my back as I was a competitor.

After tea there were the relays, and we were very lucky, as His Excellency the Governor and Lady Twining came to see the various later events, such as the Tug of War, and the Mothers and Fathers race and the relays. We all found these last few events very enjoyable. The Tug of War was won by South House of Arusha School.

The best part of the whole afternoon was the presentation of the shield and cups. The shield was won by North and South with 78 points each. The athletics cup was won by South House, and the relay cup by the Hellenic School.

We all enjoyed the afternoon very much, especially as we were highly honoured by His Excellency's presence.

A.D.

M.E.

Preface

I have great pleasure in introducing the second number of the Arusha School Magazine. Once again we owe a great debt to Miss J. M. Elliott, who has acted as Editor.

The first number of the Magazine was very well received. Perhaps this number is not so fully representative of the upper forms of the School, so I hope children in Standards IV and III this year will make every effort to send in contributions for the third publication at the end of 1956.

C. E. Hamshere,

Speech Day was held on December 15. As usual it started at 4 p.m. with the House P.T. Competition, which South House won. This was followed by demonstrations of Cub activities and box horse work by a mixed group of senior children. Visitors were given the now famous School Tea at 4.30 p.m. and then everyone adjourned to the Assembly Hall for speeches and Prize Giving.

In the absence of Bishop Stanway, our Warden, Mr. A. T. Bewes, O.B.E. took the chair. By drawing comparisons with his own school days—shared for a time with Mr. J. V. Shaw, the Deputy Provincial Commissioner who was on the platform—Mr. Bewes considered that children attending Arusha School were very lucky. He referred to the Chain of Office of the Chairman of the Arusha Town Council and explained that he was wearing it because Miss Elliott of the School had been responsible for the design of its seal. He congratulated the School on attaining its 21st Birthday and reminded the children of the well-founded Christian traditions of Arusha School, which he hoped they would observe throughout their lives

In his report the Headmaster referred to the School's Twenty-first Birthday. He reminded the assembly of the farm school opened at Ngare Nairobi in 1928, and the transfer of 33 children and 4 members of the Staff to the new buildings at Arusha in May, 1934. As a contrast there were now 274 pupils and 28 members of Staff.

During the year the Headmaster said there had been a bad epidemic of chickenpox in the 2nd Term, when there had been no less than 80 cases. Good steady work had been done in the classroom. The K.P.E. results had been respectable if not spectacular with all 5 boys passing and 8 out of the 11 girls.

The Headmaster then referred to out-of-school activities. In the 1st Term there had been a successful school play called " The Charcoal Burner's Son," and a visit to Ngorongoro Crater. In the 3rd Term a party of 25 boys had been taken to Nairobi to see the Rugby match between the British Lions and an East African XV. 11 out of 12 boys and girls had successfully " conquered Meru," in the most successful expedition ever. A School Fete had brought in £128 towards the Tennis Court Fund. The Tennis Courts were half finished, and in the stables there were 3 horses on which children were learning to ride.

The Headmaster drew attention to the value of out-of-school activities and interests. He said, " Children who at school have learnt to play the piano or violin, to sing, to act, to dance, to draw and paint, to ride a horse, to swim or play a game, will never wonder what to do with themselves out of working hours when they grow up. What is more, they will have developed a valuable sense of responsibility in looking after their instruments, materials and tools, in keeping appointments and in co-operating with other people. They will be possessors of healthy bodies and healthy minds. In short they will have become the worthy citizens that every country relies upon for its prosperity."

The Headmaster acknowledged his thanks to all members of the Staff. In spite of 4 marriages within the year and one pending they had rendered first-class service. He took the opportunity of congratulating Mr. Bewes on the award of the O.B.E.

The Headmaster's Report was followed by the singing of two Carols by the Junior Choir. Mr. Hocking then spoke briefly on behalf of the Parents Association. Two Carols were rendered by the Senior Choir, after which Mrs. M. J. B. Molohan, wife of the Provincial Commissioner, presented the Prizes.

The crisp early morning air stung the faces of the twenty-eight eager children who scanned the familiar outskirts of the Arusha District.

Once off the tarmac road we met the vast expanse of thorn-bush and scrub dotted with animals which aroused great excitement amongst us.

After the interest of the first part of the journey, we reached the turning to Oldeani, which indicated that we still had sixty miles to go. Through rather monotonous scenery, the road gradually twisted its way higher and higher into a more densely forested area until we reached a view-point. Looking down on the immense plain dotted with pleasant colours of green and brown, twenty-eight pairs of eyes keenly devoured the majestic scenery around.

Arriving at Mtu-wa-Mbu, the lorry came to a halt under a shady Acacia tree, where we spent a few minutes. On and on the road twisted and turned as the lorry wound its way slowly up the slope, passing miles and miles of green, and yet greener scenery as we ascended, climbing higher up the mountainside.

At last in front of us we saw a large notice board indicating the way to the Serengeti Plains which were to our right. At the sight of this our spirits rose, and everybody craned their necks in order to get the first view of the crater. As it came in sight hardly a cough was heard, as we gazed fascinated at the wondrous sight before us. At last we were settled in our huts, which were very comfortable, containing two bunks, a fireplace, and a table and chair.

That night was very queer indeed, and I imagined I heard many wild beasts roaming outside! When I woke up in the morning I could not remember where I was and thought I was still dreaming.

The next day we went for a short outing in the lorry. We saw mainly the same game as before, zebra, ostrich and many gazelle scattered over the grassland.

On the last day of our visit we decided to walk down to the [Ngorongoro] crater, and so set off at ten o'clock, having first made all the preparations for the return journey. It was steep and rocky down the 2000 foot slope to the crater, and I slipped many times. Although we did not actually see any game on the way, some elephants and buffalo had passed through quite recently, as we saw their footprints. We saw game dotted about in the distance when we reached the bottom, and after having a short rest we started to climb the steep ascent back. I eventually reached the top exhausted and breathless, but pleased at having succeeded at my desire to reach the bottom and manage the ascent successfully.

But all good things have to come to an end, and soon afterwards we set off regretfully. On the way back, we saw much the same game as before, ostrich, zebra, gazelle and giraffe, and also a swarm of locusts, which hit the lorry with great force. But the return journey seemed to go much quicker, and we arrived back at school just before supper, full of news to tell about the Ngorongoro Crater which we had just visited.

S.F. II

Margaret Masson

Aspasia Aslanis

S.F. I

Hadley Cooper

Brian Ulyate

Ronald Coxall

STANDARD IV

Joan Brewster

Erik Kullander

Susan Phibbs

STANDARD NA

Louis van Rooyen

Tessa Zaboronek

Yvonne Escott

STANDARD III

Ann Currie

Pamela Jeffery

Penelope Leslie

STANDARD IIIA

James Hallowes

Mary Sharp

Anna Aslanis

STANDARD II

Jennifer Kennedy

Julia Leslie

Jill Townsend

STANDARD IIA

Ian Fraser

Sally Ulyate

Leslie Haigh

STANDARD I

Penny Read

Geraldine Collings

Kirsten Jorgensen

ART AND H/WORK

David Woodbridge

STANDARD IA

Rognida Mogilnicki

Jan van Emmenis

Adriaan van Schoor

ART AND H/WORK

Trevor Pienaar

KINDERGARTEN II

Peter French

Fiona Masson

Daphne Eustace

ART AND H/WORK

Jonathan Snaith

KINDERGARTEN I

Alison Gunn

Wendy Brewster

David Sutherland

ART PRIZES

S.F. I and II

Teresa Rarogiewicz

IV and IVA Svend Bayer

III and IIIA Martin Guy

II and IIA

Jimmy Snee

NEEDLEWORK

S.F. I and II

Aspasia Aslanis

IV and IVA

Cathryn Berrington

PIANO

Cathryn Berrington Mary Adendorff

MRS. BREWSTER'S PIANO

Heidi Wolter

Penny Read

HANDWORK

S.F. II — Melville Ueckermann

S.F. I -- Hume Townsend

IV — Erik Jorgensen

IVA — Samuel Kilian

III — Jeanne de la Fontaine

IIIA — James Hallowes

II — Sally Freyburg

IIA — Elena Cuirleo

SCRIPTURE

S.F.II — John Hazel

S.F. I — Charles Hallowes

IV — Martin Darling

IVA — Marina Brink

III — Penny Leslie

IIIA — Ronnie Taylor

II — Geoffrey Jones

IIA — Ian Fraser

I — Meloena Didham

IA — Merlyn Holmes

NATURE STUDY

S.F. I and II — Erika Wolter

IV and IVA — Eugenia Sharpe

GAMES

SENIOR:

Margrit von Lekow

George Afentakis

MIDDLE :

Georgina Lambert

Geoffrey Jones

JUNIOR :

Sally Ulyate

Ryszard Bursztyn

ELOCUTION

.F. II — Valerie Ulyate, Marion Cleton

S.F. I — Margaret Hubbard

IV — Susan Phibbs

IVA — William Palmarini

III — Alison Bewes

IIIA — Peter Jones

II — Catherine Howard

IIA — Massy Swynnerton

I — Victoria Burnett

IA — Rognida Mogilnicki

HEADMASTER'S PRIZES

Margaret Masson

Valerie Ulyate

RASHA RASHA SHIELD

Valerie Ulyate

Melville Ueckermann

ANNE REVINGTON CUP

Teresa Rarogiewicz

DU TOIT CUP

Melville Ueckermann

SELIAN CUP

Robin Gemmell

LOVELL SHIELD FOR GUIDES

Daffodil Patrol

CUPS AND SHIELDS

Swimming — South

Hockey — North

Net ball — South

Soccer — North

Cricket — North

P.T. — North

Rounders — North

Honour — North

Local Study is done in the thrid term of the year and only by Standards IV and Iva. Before we went out for local study we were divided into four groups with about six people to each group and we usually go out on a Thursday morning. The first time I went on a local study was September 26th, 1956, when we went on a Township Survey. Each group leader chose two people to study a road one on each side. We had to see what the name of the shop was and what it sold, and then had to write it down in our book. The next place we went to was Daresco which is owned by Mr. Bayer. Daresco supplies the electricity for the whole town.

The same day we went to Amekas Macaroni Industry, which is owned by Mr. Stylianou. We saw the macaroni going through different kinds of pipes and machines, and Mr. Stylianou gave us a box of macaroni.

The next week was very exciting because we went to Oljoro for the day in a lorry. We went to three farms and went to a cattle auction and we had a picnic by a river. Then we went to Mr. Boardman's house where we had tea and a fishing contest. The next week we went to the Police Headquarters where we met Mr. Clogger who talked about the Police, then we went up to the Boma and had our finger prints taken, and looked round the Boma. The next Thursday we went to the P.W.D. which stands for Public Works Department, and we were shown round by Mr. Patient.

The next time we went on local study we went to the Town Hall where Mr. Green, the town clerk, talked to us about government. The next week we went to the Town Hall again. Then the last week we had on local study we went to the Boma again and were shown round by Mr. Jones. I think local study is a very interesting lesson.