Helpmekaar Kollege
Encyclopedia
Helpmekaar Kollege is a private high school in Braamfontein
, Johannesburg
, Gauteng
, South Africa
.
school in Johannesburg
. The school was started by a group of Afrikaners who wanted their children to have an alternative to English schools. The school was officially started in 1921. Construction of the school started in 1925. The slogan of the school "KOMAAN" was derived from a poem by Jan F.E Cilliers by the same title. The school badge was designed by a matric pupil of 1925, A.J. Lessing.
Literally translated 'Komaan Helpmekaar' means 'Come on Help each other'.
The school building consists of 3 parts: The old building (with the clock tower on top), the newer buildings and The terraces.
The school also has of a rugby field, clothes shop, 3 tennis courts, 2 Netball practice courts, 2 Halls, a swimming pool and a boarding house.
in Grade 11. SAT's (Standardised Aptitude Tests
) are the standardized tests written in America.
Helpmekaar's school uniform
has a style that forms part of the school's traditions and past. The basic uniform mainly consists of a brown blazer
with a khaki
jersey and white shirt, brown tie and a khaki trouser or short for boys and a khaki dress for girls. Boys always wear caps
, while girls always wear bashers
. Girls do not have to wear ties during summer (except matrics) and in winter they are allowed to wear long khaki pants or dark tights.
The school has special, striped blazers for learners who perform exceptionally well in academic, sports and cultural activities. Traditionally these blazers may only be worn by seniors (i.e grade 10 to matric).
A white blazer is the highest, most honurable blazer in the school and is given to prefects, cheerleaders and the head boy and head girl to be worn on special occasions. Matrics also have special ties that are lighter than the traditional brown school tie.
Helpie-fees and Charity projects
Every year, before the final exams start in November the school takes a day off for enrichment and charity
purposes. Because the school's name literally means: "help each other" the learners use this day to engage with the community in some way by visiting prisoners, working at soup kitchens or building parks for less fortunate children.
At the end of the Helpiefees the learners return to the school grounds to watch the hostel boys take on the daylies in a game of rugby
and participate in traditional activities such as: boeresports, watlemoenfees and braai.
Klets, Knibbel en Kykfees
This festival
, commonly known as the, KKK fees, gives learners the opportunity to express their creativity by participating in various cultural activities. With boat-building, debating, cupcake decorating, stand-up comedy, graffiti, poetry, rapping, idols and even paper-jet folding; it provides fun and enrichment for each Helpie involved.
Rugby Spirit
Winter is rugby season and at Helpmekaar rugby is more than just a game. When there is a home game the whole school arrives to stand behind their first team and when they reach the finals everyone goes along.
The First Team Jerseys are brown and gold, whereas the other teams wear white. First Team players also have special scarves, hats and shorts that they can wear with their school uniform (mentioned above).
Golden Boys
The Golden Boys are the official school mascots. Dressed up in brown cloaks, rugby-shorts and golden body paint; they perform at major events such as Inter-High Athletics meets, Rugby Games and Swimming Galas. Grade 10 boys are specially selected by previous Golden Boys to participate in this tradition.
Braamfontein
Braamfontein is a central suburb of Johannesburg, in South Africa. It is well located, straddling Jan Smuts Avenue and Empire Road. The Nelson Mandela bridge is a landmark that connects Braamfontein to the city...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
History
Helpmekaar was the first AfrikaansAfrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
school in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. The school was started by a group of Afrikaners who wanted their children to have an alternative to English schools. The school was officially started in 1921. Construction of the school started in 1925. The slogan of the school "KOMAAN" was derived from a poem by Jan F.E Cilliers by the same title. The school badge was designed by a matric pupil of 1925, A.J. Lessing.
Literally translated 'Komaan Helpmekaar' means 'Come on Help each other'.
Campus
The Helpmekaar Campus is situated on the corner of Empire and Melle Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg.The school also has of a rugby field, clothes shop, 3 tennis courts, 2 Netball practice courts, 2 Halls, a swimming pool and a boarding house.
Curriculum
Helpmekaar follows the IEB curriculum and also provides students the chance to write SAT'sSAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
in Grade 11. SAT's (Standardised Aptitude Tests
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
) are the standardized tests written in America.
Extracurricular activities
The school offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities including: Rugby, Netball, Tennis, Hockey, Rowing, Cricket, Athletics and Swimming.Traditions
School uniformHelpmekaar's school uniform
Uniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
has a style that forms part of the school's traditions and past. The basic uniform mainly consists of a brown blazer
Blazer
A blazer is a type of jacket. The term blazer occasionally is synonymous with boating jacket and sports jacket, two different garments. A blazer resembles a suit coat cut more casually — sometimes with flap-less patch pockets and metal buttons. A blazer's cloth is usually durable , because it is an...
with a khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
jersey and white shirt, brown tie and a khaki trouser or short for boys and a khaki dress for girls. Boys always wear caps
Caps
Caps is the plural of the form of headgear cap. Caps may also refer to:-Science and technology:* Caps, exploding pellets in a cap gun* CAPS , N-cyclohexyl-3-aminopropanesulfonic acid, a buffering agent in biochemistry...
, while girls always wear bashers
Boater
Boater may refer to:*Boater, a type of hat*Boater, one of the first disposable diapers*Someone involved in boating...
. Girls do not have to wear ties during summer (except matrics) and in winter they are allowed to wear long khaki pants or dark tights.
The school has special, striped blazers for learners who perform exceptionally well in academic, sports and cultural activities. Traditionally these blazers may only be worn by seniors (i.e grade 10 to matric).
A white blazer is the highest, most honurable blazer in the school and is given to prefects, cheerleaders and the head boy and head girl to be worn on special occasions. Matrics also have special ties that are lighter than the traditional brown school tie.
Helpie-fees and Charity projects
Every year, before the final exams start in November the school takes a day off for enrichment and charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
purposes. Because the school's name literally means: "help each other" the learners use this day to engage with the community in some way by visiting prisoners, working at soup kitchens or building parks for less fortunate children.
At the end of the Helpiefees the learners return to the school grounds to watch the hostel boys take on the daylies in a game of rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and participate in traditional activities such as: boeresports, watlemoenfees and braai.
Klets, Knibbel en Kykfees
This festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
, commonly known as the, KKK fees, gives learners the opportunity to express their creativity by participating in various cultural activities. With boat-building, debating, cupcake decorating, stand-up comedy, graffiti, poetry, rapping, idols and even paper-jet folding; it provides fun and enrichment for each Helpie involved.
Rugby Spirit
Winter is rugby season and at Helpmekaar rugby is more than just a game. When there is a home game the whole school arrives to stand behind their first team and when they reach the finals everyone goes along.
The First Team Jerseys are brown and gold, whereas the other teams wear white. First Team players also have special scarves, hats and shorts that they can wear with their school uniform (mentioned above).
Golden Boys
The Golden Boys are the official school mascots. Dressed up in brown cloaks, rugby-shorts and golden body paint; they perform at major events such as Inter-High Athletics meets, Rugby Games and Swimming Galas. Grade 10 boys are specially selected by previous Golden Boys to participate in this tradition.
Notable Old Helpies
- Mimi CoertseMimi CoertseMimi Coertse , is a South African soprano.-Early life:Coertse, born in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, matriculated at the Helpmekaar Girls High School in Johannesburg. She began vocal studies in South Africa in 1949. In July 1953 she married the broadcaster and composer Dawid Engela. She left South Africa...
- Deon Coetzee
- Marius KloppersMarius KloppersDr Marius Kloppers is CEO of BHP Billiton, the world's largest mining company. He is presently the group president of BHP's non ferrous metals division.- Education :...
- Gert Potgieter (tenor)Gert Potgieter (tenor)Gerhardus Petrus "Gert" Potgieter, was a South African opera tenor and actor who had a great influence on Afrikaans culture.-Early life:...
- Louise PrinslooLouise Prinsloo-Education:Louise Prinsloo was born 4 July 1946, Johannesburg and matriculated in 1964 at Helpmekaar Hoër Meisieskool. She received a Teacher’s Diploma in 1965 at the Pretoria College of Education and a licentiate in Drama in 1974 at the Drama Academy of the late Aletta Gericke.-Career:She has read...
- Dan RoodtDan RoodtDaniel Francois Roodt is a South African activist, literary critic and writer.-Early life and education:Roodt was born in the mining town of Springs, east of Johannesburg, South Africa. He completed his schooling in Johannesburg, after which he enrolled for a Bachelors degree at the University of...
- PJ Schoeman
- Andreas Van Wyk