Diocesan School for Girls celebrates 150th anniversary
This year, The Diocesan School for Girls in Makhanda is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
To mark this milestone, the campus is abuzz with preparations to host DSG Old Girls, parents, and members of the extended community for four days of festivities from May 9-12.
This weekend, the school will pause for a moment to pay tribute to all those who have played a role in the rise of DSG.
From a big dream and the humble beginnings of one building (the Grange) and a mere 20 pupils, the school has turned into a vast campus, with 500 girls and a waiting list begging for expansion.
DSG was founded at a time when education for young women had just begun to be taken seriously by a few women (and fewer men) who could see sufficiently ahead of their times.
It was established in 1874 by
Bishop Nathaniel Merriman, as a sister school to St Andrew’s College (established in 1855).
The driving force behind this initiative was Dorothea Beale, the headmistress of Cheltenham Ladies College (1858-1906).
She was one of the greatest educationalists of her time, who broke through ceilings disseminating her forward-thinking educational philosophy throughout the English-speaking world. DSG was fortunate enough to have Cheltenham Ladies Old Girls as our first four headmistresses, with the founding headmistress being Catherine Espin. Through these early years, Beale’s educational aims and ideals were injected into the ethos of the DSG.
Beale was seen as a pioneer of her time, determined to “raise my whole sex and with it the world”. She fought for the importance of giving young girls an excellent grounding and education. To this day, DSG and Cheltenham Ladies College have a good relationship.
Education has become a challenging space in the 21st Century; the rapidly changing world and global socio-economic climate demands adaptability, innovation and a growth mindset enabling one to find the opportunity in
the challenges. Leading DSG into the next chapter of its illustrious history is Jannie de Villiers. He took on the role of head of DSG in January 2020, just a few months before the global pandemic. Fortunately for DSG, he was well-versed in facing challenges head-on, having previously been the headmaster of Oakhill in Knysna during the devastating fires of
2017. True to DSG’s DNA, the leadership team boldly and innovatively enabled the school to reach the milestone as one of Africa’s leading independent girls’ schools of choice.
Key themes in recent years are the need to amplify the holistic approach to education, the duty of care, elevating the importance of wellness, building our community, and equipping pupils with the necessary leadership skills to navigate the world beyond our walls.
DSG is not only a school but a home. It is a full immersion experience, extending beyond the confines of the classroom.
In a boarding environment, the staff get to
know the girl behind the name – what makes them tick, their fears, passions, anxieties, strengths and weaknesses and there are support systems in place to manage the wellbeing of each child to ensure they meet their full potential while at DSG.
Over the last few turbulent years, what has been made clear is the absolute necessity to prioritise wellness and safety.
This year, DSG is proud to build on an already well-established lifestyle offering by including wellness, which is now part of the curriculum for Grades 8 and 9. It is a carefully curated programme involving various disciplines and practices, enabling pupils to manage the demands and stresses of life as a teenager.
To date, it has had a tremendous impact on pupils’ mental wellbeing.
The DSG community has always been special, with the girls (past and present) often referring to their close bonds as the “sisterhood”.
DSG’s brother schools, St Andrew’s College and St Andrew’s Preparatory, form part of its extended community, and paired with the boarding experience, it fosters a sense of belonging.
The pupils that make up the Family of Schools are incredibly diverse, where pupils and parents alike form bonds that transcend cultural, language, geographical and social differences, forming connections that, for the most part, last a lifetime.
DSG’s mission is to create authentic female leaders with a global perspective.
In this regard, DSG has specific gradeappropriate leadership programmes and opportunities in place to allow girls to learn and grow.
DSG has consistently been a disruptor, adaptable and a pioneer in all spheres of education, despite the challenges it has faced, such as the Spanish Flu, World Wars, the Great Depression and Covid.
In Jannie de Villiers’ words: ”DSG will courageously lean into the future, which promises to be unpredictable and uncertain, but it will do so with the strength and support of its extended community and a well-invested leadership team at the helm.”