GB Farewell Function for Mr Erasmus
On Saturday 26 November a farewell tea was held to pay homage to Mr Erasmus. The function was attended by members of the Governing Body, Moms’ Committee, DHS Management, Head Prefects and Heads of various neighbouring schools, all of whom gathered to say thank you and good-bye to Mr Erasmus.
Mr Winston Owen, Chairman of the GB, Mr Justin Paul, former Chairman of the GB, Mr Mike Fennell, CEO of the DHS Foundation and Liam Whitfield, Head Prefect of 2015 all addressed Mr Erasmus and thanked him for his contribution and paid tribute to him for all he had managed to achieve at Durban High School over the past 3½ year.
Mr Erasmus replied, thanking them all for their kind words and thanking all those who supported and assisted him during his tenure. He said he learnt a great deal from his experiences at Durban High School and would dearly miss the School.
Mr Erasmus and his wife were presented with gifts from the School and the Foundation as tokens of appreciation.
A portrait of Mr Erasmus, which had just been completed, was unveiled. This portrait will join the other portraits of the past 13 Head Masters in the Head Masters’ Walkway alongside the Media Centre. A framed smaller copy of the portrait was also presented to Mr Erasmus as a further gift.
Staff Farewell for Mr Erasmus
A final farewell function was held for the Staff of Durban High School to bid farewell to Mr Erasmus. Mr Norton, who is to take up the reins as Acting Head Master at DHS in the New Year, thanked Mr Erasmus on behalf of the Staff and presented him with a gift voucher from the Staff.
Mr Erasmus was also presented with a bell as a keepsake to take with him to Cape Town. The Bell used to hang at Bradshaw’s and Mr Norton has kept it in his office for the past few years. A bell has special significance for Mr Erasmus for a number of reasons: he was welcomed to the School on his first day at a special Assembly at which he rang the bell in the hall, as do all the Grade 8s when they enter DHS; the Matric Boys ring the bell as a signal of the end of their watch at their Final Assembly; and Mr Erasmus would ring the bell in the staffroom every morning at 7.30 for staff briefing to begin. The Bell has been engraved with the words, “As he is, so is his School.” We hope that Mr Erasmus will hang it in his office or the Staffroom at his new school to serve as a reminder of his time with us and that DHS will continue to hold a place in his heart.
Mr Erasmus and his wife were presented with gifts from the School and the Foundation as tokens of appreciation.
A portrait of Mr Erasmus, which had just been completed, was unveiled. This portrait will join the other portraits of the past 13 Head Masters in the Head Masters’ Walkway alongside the Media Centre. A framed smaller copy of the portrait was also presented to Mr Erasmus as a further gift.
Staff Farewell for Mr Erasmus
A final farewell function was held for the Staff of Durban High School to bid farewell to Mr Erasmus. Mr Norton, who is to take up the reins as Acting Head Master at DHS in the New Year, thanked Mr Erasmus on behalf of the Staff and presented him with a gift voucher from the Staff.
Mr Erasmus was also presented with a bell as a keepsake to take with him to Cape Town. The Bell used to hang at Bradshaw’s and Mr Norton has kept it in his office for the past few years. A bell has special significance for Mr Erasmus for a number of reasons: he was welcomed to the School on his first day at a special Assembly at which he rang the bell in the hall, as do all the Grade 8s when they enter DHS; the Matric Boys ring the bell as a signal of the end of their watch at their Final Assembly; and Mr Erasmus would ring the bell in the staffroom every morning at 7.30 for staff briefing to begin. The Bell has been engraved with the words, “As he is, so is his School.” We hope that Mr Erasmus will hang it in his office or the Staffroom at his new school to serve as a reminder of his time with us and that DHS will continue to hold a place in his heart.
Farewell, Mr Erasmus … and thank you … we will miss you!