MHS DYNAMIC CULTURE : STORYTELLING HERITAGE PROJECT - 2025
An Old Teacher Remembers
“On 30 August 1913 I first saw the light of day at McGregor. Both my parents were born at McGregor, went to school there and married. The first teacher at McGregor was the late Mr Hartzenberg, under whom both my parents and two older sisters went to school. The school at that time was affiliated with the Wesleyan Church which also paid Mr Hartzenberg’s salary of £1 per month. Old Master Hartzenberg was originally from Genadendal.
When I left McGregor in 1925, I was twelve years old (we had moved to Worcester) and in standard three. Mr. Hartzenberg was my standard two teacher and he was assisted by two assistants, Mr. Wilschut and Miss Manko. Our standard two class was housed in the church. In 1924, Mr. Hartzenberg retired and Mr. D. B. van Niekerk took over.
I can proudly say that I was the first native of McGregor to qualify as a teacher. My father was a whip-burner and did not have much of it; on the other hand, they were very interested in education.
When my mother asked me one day what I wanted to be, I replied: “I don’t want to be a stick burner, but a teacher.” This was the biggest consideration why we moved to Worcester. Worcester was the closest training school, there was no money for boarding and we had to move there by force so that I could study to be a teacher.
McGregor was very close to my heart and I took every opportunity to visit there. I even became a member of the Methodist Church in 1932 – the same year I qualified as a teacher.
In 1936 I accepted a position 28km from McGregor, at Bushmans River. Every Friday afternoon after school I rode my bicycle to McGregor, played for the first rugby team on Saturday and left for Bushmans River again on bicycle on Sunday.
So, McGregor has, and will always remain an inherent part of me. My warmest congratulations on the new magnificent building and may it go from strength to strength.
Frederick Jordaan
STORYTELLERS NAME : Frederick Jordaan
DATE : April 1989
PLACE OF INTERVIEW : McGregor Primary School
NAME OF INTERVIEWER : Gareth Nolan – taken from the McGregor Primary School Opening Booklet 1989