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Coordinates: 29°37′02″S 30°23′18″E / 29.617217163400667°S 30.38836268927882°E / -29.617217163400667; 30.38836268927882
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'''Alexandra High School''' is a [[state school|public]] high school in [[Pietermaritzburg]], [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[South Africa]].
{{Short description|Semi-private, co-educational school in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa}}
{{for|other schools of a similar name|Alexandra School (disambiguation)}}
{{Use South African English|date=June 2024}}
{{Unreferenced|date=July 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Alexandra High School
| logo =
| image =
| image_size =
| motto = ''Summa Diligentia Laboro''
| motto_translation = "I strive to work with diligence"
| established = 1960
| type = [[state school|Semi-Private]], Co-Educational
| locale = Suburban
| grades = 8–12
| head_name = Principal
| head = A. Pillay
| head_name2 = Deputy Principal
| head2 = N.Y Xaba
| city = [[Pietermaritzburg]]
| state = [[KwaZulu-Natal]]
| country = South Africa
| coordinates = {{Coord|-29.617217163400667|30.38836268927882|display=inline,title}}
| students = Approximately 1000 pupils -
Girls: 378, Boys: 622
| ratio = 1:32
| houses = {{ubl|{{color box|red}} Allison's|{{color box|green}} Boyds|{{color box| yellow}} Downs|{{color box|Blue}} Shepstones|{{color box| black}} Trollips}}
| colors = Maroon and Blue
| sports = Rugby, Netball, Cricket, Hockey, Soccer, Athletics, Swimming
| mascot = Ellie the Elephant
| tuition = School fees: R 21 000 p.a<br />Boarding Fees: Full Time - R 70 000 p.a
Weekday - R56 000 p.a
| website = {{URL|www.alexhigh.org.za}}
}}

'''Alexandra High School''' as AHS is a semi-private [[state school|public]] high school in [[Pietermaritzburg]], KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It offers a co-educational environment.


==History==
==History==
It is named after [[Alexandra of Denmark|Queen Alexandra Caroline]], [[Queen Consort]] of [[England]], it first opened on [[23 February]], [[1960]]. Initially a whites only, all boys school, the first non-white pupil was admitted in June of 1991. Alexandra High School became co-educational at the beginning of [[1992]]. The school colours are maroon and blue.
Alexandra High School is named after [[Alexandra of Denmark|Queen Alexandra Caroline]], [[Queen Consort]] of the United Kingdom. It opened on 23 February 1960. Though it was initially a whites-only, all-boys school, the first non-white pupil was admitted in June 1991. Alexandra High School became co-educational at the beginning of 1992. The school colours are maroon and blue.


==The Badge, Houses and Motto==
==Uniform==
Mr Udal, the first headmaster, designed the school emblem, from the royal coat of arms of Queen Alexandra. Mr Udal took the Maltese Cross to incorporate in the badge. Mr Lee Boyd, M.E.C. for Education in the N.P.A. at the time of the school's inception and ex-mayor of Durban was a Knight of da Game in the Roman Catholic Church. The cross was given to Boyd's House as their symbol.
Both genders have two uniforms: winter and summer, also known as "Number one" and "Number two" uniforms respectively.
The boy's winter uniform consists of a maroon blazer, a white button up shirt (long sleeved or short sleeved), a maroon and powder blue tie and long grey pants. The shoes are shiny brown leather, and the socks are dark grey.


Then Mr Downs, Mayor of Pietermaritzburg, was approached for permission to use part of the city's coat of arms – hence the Elephant – emblem of Downs House.
The boy's summer uniform consists of a khaki safari suit, with long khaki socks and the same shiny brown leather shoes.
Girls wear nearly identical uniforms in winter and summer. The uniform consists of a blue skirt, white button up shirt and the same maroon blazer. The same maroon and blue tie is worn. Winter uniforms differ from summer uniforms in that a blazer is compulsory.


Mr Allison, three times mayor, M.P.C. and freeman of the city, a neighbour of the school who took a great interest in Alex, had Allison's House named after him, and the Stars from the city's coat of arms formed the symbol of the house.
Pupils in grade 12 - 'matrics' - are entitled to wear a completely powder blue tie as part of the winter uniform, and the boys may
wear a differently cut khaki shirt as part of the summer uniform.


Shepstone House was named after the Administrator of Natal at the time of the purchase of land for the school, and as he had attended Queen Elizabeth's coronation, the crown was to be Shepstone's symbol.
===Awards===
Special ties are awarded for academic, sporting, leadership and cultural achievements. Dark blue blazers are also awarded for even greater achievements. "Braid" - a type of striped trim - may be added to the edge of the blazer as another mark of distinction.


Succeeding Mr Shepstone as Administrator was Mr Trollip. He was approached for permission to use part of the Natal badge – hence the Wildebeest (provided they faced the correct way and had white manes and tails). The wildebeest are the symbol of Trollip's House.
==External links==
*[http://www.alexhigh.org.za/ Alexandra High School official site]


For the motto, Mr Udal's signet ring bore the words, Tant Que je Puis – archaic French, meaning "I do my best". Mr Lamond of Maritzburg College translated this into the Latin, Summa diligentia laboro. Then Mr Udal and his wife chose the colours of sky blue and maroon, and with the help of a local outfitter, devised blazers, badges, colours, rugby jerseys and all the other needs of a school.
⚫
[[Category:Pietermaritzburg]]

===The mural on the hall===
The plaque was designed and built by the late Miss Syliva Baxter. It took months of work to mould, colour and bake the clay. It was fired in forty six pieces of ceramic clay, measuring 4 metres by 2 metres and its mass is over a ton. Metallic oxides were used to give it colour.

The plaque was unveiled by the late Senator A E Trollip, then Administrator of Natal, when the school was officially opened on 25 September 1964.

==Notable Old Alexandrians (by year of matriculation)==

{{alumni|date=January 2018}}

* {{Timeline-event|date=1966|event=[[Graeme Pope-Ellis]], canoeist, fifteen-time [[Dusi Canoe Marathon]] winner}}
* {{Timeline-event|date=1969|event=[[Kork Ballington]], South African former professional motorcycle racer, four-time FIM road racing world champion}}
* {{Timeline-event|date=1974|event=Michael James, South African national soccer player}}
* {{Timeline-event|date=1980|event=Michael Laing, South African national basketball player}}
* {{Timeline-event|date=1983|event=Allan Laing, South African national basketball player}}
* {{Timeline-event|date=1984|event=Russell Laing, South African national basketball player}}
* {{Timeline-event|date=1997|event=Thabiso Sithole, Sports journalist & SABC reporter}}
* {{Timeline-event|date=2015|event=Charmaine Mncwabe, Actress (Queendom & [[House of Zwide]])}}

{{KZNSchools}}

⚫
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Pietermaritzburg]]
[[Category:Schools in KwaZulu-Natal]]
[[Category:Schools in KwaZulu-Natal]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1960]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1960]]
[[Category:1960 establishments in South Africa]]

[[Category:High schools in South Africa]]
{{school-stub}}
{{SouthAfrica-stub}}

Latest revision as of 20:52, 6 October 2024

For other schools of a similar name, see Alexandra School (disambiguation).

Alexandra High School
Location
Map
Pietermaritzburg
,
KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa
Coordinates29°37′02″S 30°23′18″E / 29.617217163400667°S 30.38836268927882°E / -29.617217163400667; 30.38836268927882
Information
TypeSemi-Private, Co-Educational
MottoSumma Diligentia Laboro
("I strive to work with diligence")
Established1960
LocaleSuburban
PrincipalA. Pillay
Deputy PrincipalN.Y Xaba
Grades8–12
Number of studentsApproximately 1000 pupils - Girls: 378, Boys: 622
Student to teacher ratio1:32
Houses
  •   Allison's
  •   Boyds
  •   Downs
  •   Shepstones
  •   Trollips
Color(s)Maroon and Blue
SportsRugby, Netball, Cricket, Hockey, Soccer, Athletics, Swimming
MascotEllie the Elephant
TuitionSchool fees: R 21 000 p.a
Boarding Fees: Full Time - R 70 000 p.a Weekday - R56 000 p.a
Websitewww.alexhigh.org.za

Alexandra High School as AHS is a semi-private public high school in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It offers a co-educational environment.

History

[edit]

Alexandra High School is named after Queen Alexandra Caroline, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom. It opened on 23 February 1960. Though it was initially a whites-only, all-boys school, the first non-white pupil was admitted in June 1991. Alexandra High School became co-educational at the beginning of 1992. The school colours are maroon and blue.

The Badge, Houses and Motto

[edit]

Mr Udal, the first headmaster, designed the school emblem, from the royal coat of arms of Queen Alexandra. Mr Udal took the Maltese Cross to incorporate in the badge. Mr Lee Boyd, M.E.C. for Education in the N.P.A. at the time of the school's inception and ex-mayor of Durban was a Knight of da Game in the Roman Catholic Church. The cross was given to Boyd's House as their symbol.

Then Mr Downs, Mayor of Pietermaritzburg, was approached for permission to use part of the city's coat of arms – hence the Elephant – emblem of Downs House.

Mr Allison, three times mayor, M.P.C. and freeman of the city, a neighbour of the school who took a great interest in Alex, had Allison's House named after him, and the Stars from the city's coat of arms formed the symbol of the house.

Shepstone House was named after the Administrator of Natal at the time of the purchase of land for the school, and as he had attended Queen Elizabeth's coronation, the crown was to be Shepstone's symbol.

Succeeding Mr Shepstone as Administrator was Mr Trollip. He was approached for permission to use part of the Natal badge – hence the Wildebeest (provided they faced the correct way and had white manes and tails). The wildebeest are the symbol of Trollip's House.

For the motto, Mr Udal's signet ring bore the words, Tant Que je Puis – archaic French, meaning "I do my best". Mr Lamond of Maritzburg College translated this into the Latin, Summa diligentia laboro. Then Mr Udal and his wife chose the colours of sky blue and maroon, and with the help of a local outfitter, devised blazers, badges, colours, rugby jerseys and all the other needs of a school.

The mural on the hall

[edit]

The plaque was designed and built by the late Miss Syliva Baxter. It took months of work to mould, colour and bake the clay. It was fired in forty six pieces of ceramic clay, measuring 4 metres by 2 metres and its mass is over a ton. Metallic oxides were used to give it colour.

The plaque was unveiled by the late Senator A E Trollip, then Administrator of Natal, when the school was officially opened on 25 September 1964.

Notable Old Alexandrians (by year of matriculation)

[edit]
  • 1966: Graeme Pope-Ellis, canoeist, fifteen-time Dusi Canoe Marathon winner
  • 1969: Kork Ballington, South African former professional motorcycle racer, four-time FIM road racing world champion
  • 1974: Michael James, South African national soccer player
  • 1980: Michael Laing, South African national basketball player
  • 1983: Allan Laing, South African national basketball player
  • 1984: Russell Laing, South African national basketball player
  • 1997: Thabiso Sithole, Sports journalist & SABC reporter
  • 2015: Charmaine Mncwabe, Actress (Queendom & House of Zwide)
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