Falcon College
Encyclopedia
Falcon College is a private institution of higher learning (high school) for boys aged 12–18 in the southern Matabeleland
Matabeleland
Modern day Matabeleland is a region in Zimbabwe divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people...

 region of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...

. It was founded in 1954 near Esigodini
Esigodini
Esigodini is a village in Zimbabwe in Matabeleland South province. It is situated 43 km from Bulawayo by road and 47 km by rail on the Bulawayo-Beitbridge line. According to the 1982 Population Census, the village had a population of 1,492. Esigodini is the administrative centre for Umzingwane...

 (formerly Essexvale, Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...

), 55 km southeast of Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...

 on the remains of the Bushtick Mine
Bushtick Mine
Bushtick Mine was a gold mining operation established in the 1920s and operative through early 1950s in Matabeleland in Southern Rhodesia . It was established by the British South Africa Company....

. The college has graduated a British member of parliament, surgeons and doctors, leaders of industry and commerce, soldiers and educators.

The college has 40 km² of Matabeleland bush, 10 km² approximately is game fenced and houses Quiet Waters game park. The park contains examples of most of Zimbabwe’s plains game species, including zebra, giraffe, kudu, impala, tssessebe, bushbuck and warthog. The campus is surrounded by an electric fence (a reminder of the bush war
Rhodesian Bush War
The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia...

 of pre-1980) and is a small oasis of green in amongst the dry semi-desert Matabeleland conditions. An air strip is nearby.

The school's motto is Sic itur ad astra and the school badge is a representation of a Lanner Falcon designed by the wife of a former Headmaster.

Historical background

Originally Bushtick Mine
Bushtick Mine
Bushtick Mine was a gold mining operation established in the 1920s and operative through early 1950s in Matabeleland in Southern Rhodesia . It was established by the British South Africa Company....

, and with 36 boys and a handful of staff, the college was founded on Wednesday 3 February 1954. It was opened by the Governor General of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...

, Lord Llewellin
John Jestyn Llewellin, 1st Baron Llewellin
Colonel John Jestyn Llewellin, 1st Baron Llewellin GBE, PC, MC, TD was a British army officer, Conservative Party politician and minister in Winston Churchill's war government.-Background:...

, on Saturday 10 April 1954. Much has changed since then but the college has some remains of its founding days.

The old mine and its buildings and facilities were adapted to the needs of the school, and, over the years, a great deal was added. The boys were first accommodated in small groups, in old mine houses which were given the names Kestrel, Augur, Shrike, Bateleur, Hawk, Harrier and Kite and their living conditions were primitive. Most had indoor toilets, unlike the staff who also lived in old mine houses but with 'snake infested outside P.K.'s.' Classes were held in the old mine offices (now the present Arts Block) and to make it easier and quicker to move around, the boys were allowed to have bicycles.

The original motto was Arduus ad Solem. The newer Motto is: Sic Itur Ad Astra
The school motto comes from the words of Publius Vergilius Marote (70-19BC) a classical Roman poet who wrote: “nova virtute, puer; sic itur ad astra” which translates: Look to your new-found courage, young man, for that is the way to the stars.

In the beginning the boys were divided into three colour groups for sport, Whites, Blues and Khakis. Later, the houses were named A,B,C and D and in April 1956, Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold
Robert Clarkson Tredgold
Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold was a British barrister and judge who held a number of political posts in Rhodesia....

, Chairman of the Board of Governors, announced that the houses were to be renamed Hervey, Oates, Tredgold and Founders. Founders was so named to commemorate the Founders of the School; Tredgold after Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold
Robert Clarkson Tredgold
Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold was a British barrister and judge who held a number of political posts in Rhodesia....

, who was also Chief Justice of Southern Rhodesia; Oates after Frank Oates
Frank Oates
Frank Oates was a British naturalist, explorer and uncle to Antarctic explorer Lawrence Oates. He was one of the first Europeans to see the Victoria Falls.-Early life:...

, explorer and naturalist who travelled extensively in southern central Africa in the 19th century; and Hervey after Hubert Hervey, adventurer, gentleman and soldier, who was killed in the 2nd Matabele war, and who was buried in the Matopos.

Student body

The college admittance is based on strength of prior education and character of the applicant. Although the vast majority of students are Zimbabwean, others attend from neighboring countries (Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....

, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...

). Some scholarships are available to deserving students whose particular financial circumstances do not allow for the payment of school fees.

The house system

The school is based on a house system
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...

that is divided into six Houses
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...

; Founders, Hervey, Oates, Tredgold, George Grey
George Grey
George Grey may refer to:*Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet , British politician*George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent *Sir George Grey , Governor of Cape Colony, South Australia and New Zealand...

 and Chubb, each comprising the full range of year groups. Each house has a housemaster
Housemaster
In British education, a housemaster is a member of staff in charge of a boarding house, normally at a boarding school . The housemaster is responsible for the supervision and care of boarders in the house and typically lives on the premises...

 in charge who lives nearby. Each housemaster has a house Tutor and two assistant tutors, as well as other members of staff, who assist in duties.

There is also a system of prefects with six pupils being appointed the Head of House (one for each house). Under the Head of House, there are five or six house prefects, each of whom is in charge of a year group. Senior boys in the house are also required to take over various responsibilities. Each Head of House is automatically a College Prefect and, therefore, also has a role to play supporting the pupil that is appointed as the Head of School.

The Form One to Form Four year groups live in dormitories, overseen by a prefect whose study/bedroom is attached to the dormitory. Boys in the Upper and Lower Sixth live in their own individual study/bedrooms. Forms One to Four are responsible for cleaning their dormitories, making their beds, taking their clothes to the laundry and helping to keep the house and its surrounds clean. The Lower Sixth clean their own studies while the Upper Sixth have fags
Fagging
Fagging was a traditional educational practice in British boarding private schools and also many other boarding schools, whereby younger pupils were required to act as personal servants to the most senior boys...

 drawn from Form 2 to assist them.

The house system has a competitive side since houses compete with each other in activities such as singing, drama and sports. The Lower Sixth boys are involved in the organisation of these inter-house competitions, thus assisting the Upper Sixth. This also gives them training in organisation, assuming responsibility and being leaders. All these skills are needed when they become members of the Upper Sixth.

Boys can either go home, or (with parental permission) to friends or relatives on two Fixture Frees which last from break time on a Friday to dinner time on the following Monday. There is a Mid term Exeat
Exeat
The Latin word exeat is most commonly used to describe a period of absence from a centre of learning. Exeat is used in Britain to describe weekend leave from a boarding school...

 which is a day longer. In addition, there are three floating exeats but these must be spent with parents.

(During the bush war
Bush War
The Bush War may refer to:*The Rhodesian Bush War, a conflict in Rhodesia between the white minority government of Ian Smith and the black nationalists of the ZANU and ZAPU movements...

, a girls house was included as a security measure during that period for girls of teachers and from the local area.)

Academics

The College provides secondary education from Form I through Upper Sixth. Typically boys look to take their "O" levels at the end of Form IV and their "A" levels in their second Form VI year (Upper Sixth). Results are consistently in the top quartile of all schools in Zimbabwe.

The teaching staff is grouped by academic speciality (science, language, arts etc.). Staff/student ratio is approximately 1:10.

Sports

The major sports include cricket (providing many Zimbabwe test level players), rugby, field hockey, football (soccer), basketball, tennis and field athletics. Other sports include water polo, squash and golf (the old Bushtick Mine having the first golf course in then Southern Rhodesia with grass greens).

Other extra-curricular activities

There are clubs and societies ranging from falconeering to debating forums to theater and the arts.

Head Masters

  • Frank Cary (1954–55)
  • Ashley Gordon Brooker (1955–59)
  • Hugh Cole (1959–1960)
  • Dougal Turner (1960–1984). Deceased October, 2009.
  • Neil Todd (1984–2000)
  • Gordon Macdonald (2000–2001)
  • Reginald W Querl (2001 to date)

Quiet Waters Conservation Scheme

The project began in 1986 and was officially opened in 1988. It consists of a Nature Reserve and Wilderness Area which cover 8.1 km². Quiet Waters
Quiet Waters
Quiet Waters is a conservation project run by Falcon College. The founding committee of Quiet Waters met for the first time on 24 October 1985. It was at this meeting that the initial ideas of the development of Quiet Waters were born.-History:...

 conserves indigenous fauna and flora, furthers the educational pursuits of the college and serves as a base for conservation education in other schools. It is also used for scientific research and provides recreational facilities for the College community and visitors.

Picnic sites are available for the use of day visitors within the Nature Reserve area, with four chalets which can be rented for overnight stays in the Wilderness area. These facilities are all popular with staff, boys, parents and friends of the College.

Animals which can be seen are kudu
Kudu
The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus Tragelaphus:*Lesser Kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis*Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros- Etymology :...

, zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...

, giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...

, reedbuck
Reedbuck
Reedbuck is a common name for African antelopes from the genus Redunca. These species are:* Southern Reedbuck, Redunca arundinum* Mountain Reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula* Bohor Reedbuck, Redunca redunca...

, bushbuck
Bushbuck
The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics and bush savannaforest and woodland. Recently, genetic studies have shown that the bushbuck, is in fact a complex of two geographically and phenotypically...

, steenbok
Steenbok
The Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris, is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the Steinbuck or Steinbok.- Description :...

, tsessebe, impala
Impala
An impala is a medium-sized African antelope. The name impala comes from the Zulu language meaning "gazelle"...

, klipspringer
Klipspringer
The Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...

, bushpig
Bushpig
The bushpig, Potamochoerus larvatus, is a member of the pig family and lives in forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and reedbeds in East and Southern Africa. Probably introduced populations are also present in Madagascar and the Comoros archipelago. Bushpigs are mainly nocturnal. There are...

 and warthog
Warthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...

 and the two species of jackal
Jackal
Although the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...

, while there are many smaller mammals which are not so easily seen, such as four species of mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...

.

The educational value of Quiet Waters is enormous, since it is regularly used for practical work in the subjects of geography, environmental science, and biology. Project work is undertaken by members of the Natural History Society and naturalists, while the area is used by educational institutions for fieldwork and outings.

Notable alumni

  • Glen Bruk-Jackson
    Glen Bruk-Jackson
    Glen Keith Bruk-Jackson is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who played in 2 Tests and one ODI in 1993....

    , cricketer.
  • David Curtis
    David Curtis
    David Michael Curtis is a former Irish rugby union international. He also played some first-class cricket while at Oxford University....

    , rugby player.
  • Dion Ebrahim
    Dion Ebrahim
    Dion Digby Ebrahim is a Zimbabwean cricketer.Ebrahim is a defensive batsmen who prefers to score cautiously in order to build an innings...

    , cricketer.
  • Craig Evans
    Craig Evans
    Craig Neil Evans is a Zimbabwean cricketer and rugby union footballer.-Cricket:He played in two Tests, against Sri Lanka and Australia, but is considered a specialist at the one-day game...

    , cricketer and rugby player.
  • Neil Ferreira
    Neil Ferreira
    Neil Robert Ferreira is a Zimbabwean cricketer.Having also tried his hand at sports including tennis, squash, and hockey, he made his name as a left-handed opening batsman for the academy and for Manicaland. He is also a wicket keeper...

    , cricketer.
  • A. C. Grayling
    A. C. Grayling
    Anthony Clifford Grayling is a British philosopher. In 2011 he founded and became the first Master of New College of the Humanities, a private undergraduate college in London. Until June 2011, he was Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London, where he taught from 1991...

    , philosopher.
  • Adam Huckle
    Adam Huckle
    Adam George Huckle is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who played in 8 Tests and 19 ODIs from 1997 to 1999.In his second Test in 1997, against New Zealand, he took 11-255 in the match . As of 27 April 2006, this remains the only occasion when a Zimbabwean bowler has taken 11 wickets in a Test...

    , cricketer.
  • Robert V. Jackson
    Robert V. Jackson
    Robert Victor Jackson is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was a Member of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1984 and Member of Parliament for Wantage from 1983 to 2005, having been elected as a Conservative; however, he joined the Labour Party in 2005.-Early life:He was raised in...

    , politician, United Kingdom.
  • Gail Kelly
    Gail Kelly
    Gail Kelly is an Australian business person of South African descent. She is the current chief executive officer of Westpac, one of Australia's big four banks. In 2002, she became the first female CEO of a major Australian bank or top 15 company and, as of 2005, was the highest paid woman in an...

    , business person and banker (ex Staff).
  • Charlie Knaggs
    Charlie Knaggs
    Charles Peter Huntley Knaggs OBE, is a Colonel in the British Army.As commander of the First Battalion, Irish Guards, he was Field Officer in Waiting during the Trooping the Colour ceremony in 2005...

    , OBE, Colonel, British Army.
  • Graham Lord
    Graham Lord
    Graham Lord is a British biographer and novelist. His biographies include those of Jeffrey Bernard, James Herriot, Dick Francis, Arthur Lowe, David Niven, John Mortimer and Joan Collins...

    , author, journalist and biographer.
  • Trevor Madondo
    Trevor Madondo
    Trevor Nyasha Madondo was a Zimbabwean cricketer who played in 3 Tests and 13 ODIs from 1998 to 2001....

    , cricketer.
  • Patrick Mavros, artist and sculptor.
  • Mluleki Nkala
    Mluleki Nkala
    Mluleki Luke Nkala commonly known as Syke, is a Zimbabwean cricketer. He took the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar with his second ball in senior international cricket, in a one-dayer against India at Bulawayo in 1999...

    , cricketer.
  • Stephen Peall
    Stephen Peall
    Stephen Guy Peall is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who played in 4 Tests and 21 ODIs from 1992 to 1996....

    , cricketer.
  • Greg Rasmussen
    Greg Rasmussen
    Greg Rasmussen is a British Wildlife conservation biologist who has studied the African Wild Dog for over twenty years, working in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe...

    , naturalist and survivor featured in Jaws of Death.
  • Neill Stansbury, working to reduce corruption in construction and infrastructure projects around the world.
  • Peter Steyn, naturalist, falconeer and wild-life photographer (ex-Staff).External link: http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/safaris/guide/our_people_detail.jsp?people_id=2348
  • Bryan Strang
    Bryan Strang
    Bryan Colin Strang is a Zimbabwean cricketer who played in 26 Tests and 49 ODIs from 1995 to 2001. Cricket is his passion...

    , cricketer.
  • Paul Strang
    Paul Strang
    Paul Andrew Strang is a Zimbabwean cricket coach and former international player. A leg-spinning all-rounder, he played in 24 Tests and 95 ODIs for Zimbabwe between 1994 and 2001...

    , cricketer.
  • Heath Streak
    Heath Streak
    Heath Hilton Streak is a former Zimbabwean cricketer. He made his Test debut in Zimbabwe's tour of Pakistan 1993/1994 making his mark by taking 8 wickets in the 2nd Test at Rawalpindi...

    , cricketer.
  • Andrew Waller
    Andrew Waller
    Andrew Christopher "Bundu" Waller is a former Zimbabwean cricket player who played two matches of Test cricket and 39 matches of One Day International cricket for Zimbabwe's national cricket team. After retiring from the game he took up the post of coach for the Namibia national cricket team...

    , cricketer.
  • Brighton Watambwa
    Brighton Watambwa
    Brighton Tonderai Watambwa is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who played in 6 Tests from 2001 to 2002. Now living in Belgium....

    , cricketer.
  • Andy Whittall, cricketer.
  • Guy Whittall
    Guy Whittall
    Guy James Whittall is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who played 46 Tests and 147 ODIs and captained Zimbabwe in four One Day Internationals. An all-rounder, he was a right-handed aggressive middle-order batsman and an effective right arm medium pace bowler.-Early days:Whittall was selected for the...

    , cricketer.
  • Sean Williams
    Sean Williams (cricketer)
    Sean Colin Williams is a Zimbabwean cricketer who captained his country at the 2006 Under–19 World Cup. Williams, a left-handed batsman and occasional slow left arm bowler, has a highest score of 70 not out against the West Indies in the match played between the nations at the 2007 World Cup, and...

    , cricketer.
  • Craig Wishart
    Craig Wishart
    Craig Brian Wishart is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who retired in 2005 .During his career he played for several Mashonaland districts as well as the Zimbabwean national team. He made his Test debut in 1995 in Harare...

    , cricketer.

External links

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