Collegiate turns 140

ONE of South Africa's oldest girls' schools, Collegiate High, is celebrating its 140th birthday this year, with staff and pupils keeping busy as they honour the huge milestone.

In celebrating nearly a century-and-a-half of existence, the school is sticking to its motto of deeds and not words and encouraging its primary school pupils to give 140 hours of their time to the community. Part of the celebrations, which started a week into the school year, was a flag-raising ceremony on the high school's front garden, with principal Melita Bagshaw hoisting a flag with 140 emblazoned on it.

The high school's spokeswoman, Louise Erasmus, said the flag would fly in front of the school for the remainder of the year "as a symbol of the school's long-standing presence in the city of Port Elizabeth".