In our centenary book, St Mary’s School, Waverley, Johannesburg 1888–1978 Mary MacPhail tells us that

In 1949 Sister Janet wrote in her Prize Giving report, “we need a Chapel that is worthy of the glory of God and of the worship that we want to offer to God in this school, a Chapel that will be a witness to all who come of what we stand for here, and a place that our children looking back on their school days will never forget.”

On 11 December 1951 the Foundation Stone of the chapel was laid by the Rt Revd Ambrose Reeves, Bishop of Johannesburg. By the middle of 1952 the chapel was built; it was dedicated by the Bishop on 12 June.

This year, 2022, the chapel turned 70 years old. When Reverend Rakgadi asked the Junior Primary in their weekly service on Monday what “old looked like”, they (mostly the Grade 0s), responded with the words “cracked”, and “wrinkled”, and made associations like, “can’t walk”, and “can’t hear”. Aside from giving us some insight into the girls’ view of aging (70 is a fantastically big number when you’re six), their responses trained our attention on the physical building, what Sister Janet referred to as the mere “shell” that encased a far-reaching purpose, which would affect the girls’ lives “right through” – “their standards, their values, their judgements”. Reverend Rakgadi’s questions prompted the girls to look around them; they examined the chapel, floor to ceiling, swivelling in their pews to scrutinize its walls, windows, and door frames for signs of aging – I am pleased to record that they returned a mostly favourable judgement of a building they inhabit regularly but seldom truly see. And there is much to see and take in about our chapel.

An inventory of its contents and features at inception includes a reference to the pews, “beautifully made of kyott [sic] wood”, curtains and carpet of “blue and gold”, altar frontals of linen made by Sister Christina, and a statue of the Madonna and Child moulded by Sister Janet. Our centenary book and the book published on the occasion of the school’s 125th birthday (Pauline Grainger St Mary’s School 1888–2013) both refer to the beautiful wrought iron gates and candlesticks (made by famous goldsmith and silversmith, Kurt Jobst), the great Crucifix for the Sanctuary with its figure carved at Oberammagau by “a Herr Zwink”, as well as the cross on which it is mounted and the Tabernacles on both Altars made by Mr Rutherford. A “free-standing altar dedicated to the memory of Miss Wamsley” and “beautiful matching stained-glass windows by Stephanie Fassler”, who designed the original Rose Window, were added later when the chapel was upgraded in the 1980s, and, in December 2018, a new set of Stations of the Cross, painted by South African artist, Joseph Capelle were installed in the chapel.

Sister Janet’s documented wish for “a place that our children looking back on their school days will never forget” and simultaneous derogation of this physical place as a mere “shell” encasing a higher purpose holds in delicate balance our School’s lifelong commitment to relationships along with its appreciation of good, serviceable buildings and facilities. As we sat in the chapel appraising a 70-year-old building with girls who will matriculate in 2034, the noise of construction at the nearby Pitt Block project site occasionally intruded on our conversation. “Old buildings,” T. E. Hulme tells us, “were scaffolding once / and workmen whistling”. His two-line poem, with its rare appreciation of the scaffolder’s art, reminds us of the human endeavour that keeps institutions like St Mary’s going.

Old Girl, Zoe Clemitson wrote of her class (1958) that they, “watched the beautiful chapel being built and dedicated. It became the centre of our school lives, and a place of peace and quiet.”

Would it surprise you, I wonder, to learn that the girls of 2034 feel the same? It shouldn’t. Behind every impressive edifice, what inhabits our chapel and our school, with the intangible presence of unself-conscious whistling, is relationships.

On the subject of relationships, the decade-long association the Junior School has enjoyed with our beloved receptionist, Carol Lethola comes to an end this year as she takes up a post at another school. Mrs Lethola’s warmth, care and sense of humour will be missed by us all and we wish her and her lovely family well.

SARAH WARNER
JUNIOR SCHOOL HEADMISTRESS