At the age of 89, David Quail, the 13th headmaster of Jeppe High School for Boys, passed away on January 6, following a long illness.

He came to Jeppe as a boy in 1950 and matriculated in 1954 as head boy of the school and head of Tsessebe House.

While at the school, Quail honed his passion for sport, and in his final year at Jeppe, Quail played for the first rugby and cricket teams.

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After completing his degree at Wits and his teaching diploma at the Johannesburg College of Education (JCE), Quail was appointed to teach Latin at King Edward VII School, where he continued his passion for sports and threw himself into the sports programme.

After several happy years at KES, Quail moved to his alma mater in 1966.

He taught Latin and was an assistant coach on the 1967 first rugby team, which had an outstanding season, losing only to Dale College in its final fixture.

While teaching, Quail completed a BEd (Hons) at Wits and was appointed as a lecturer at JCE in 1969.

Quail enjoyed JCE, not least because a more flexible timetable enabled him to devote more time to playing squash.

He played top-level squash from 1965, which included competing in the World Amateur Championships.

Quail made provincial teams and was selected to represent South Africa in 1971 on a tour to the UK.

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He was later appointed coach of the South African teams that played in the World Championships in 1976 and in 1993.

He was the national team manager for SA teams at World Championships and international matches, and vice chairman of the South African Squash Association.

Quail was at JCE until 1978 when he was appointed headmaster of Jeppe High School for Boys.

As Headmaster, Quail’s leadership qualities were tested and not found wanting in the “Dalton Affair” in 1990.

Always a controversial character, James Dalton (later a Springbok) was at the centre of a heated dispute that induced the boys of Jeppe to go on an unprecedented strike after he was suspended for the second match against KES in that centenary year.

Quail refused on principle to cancel the suspension or allow a midweek game, which would have seen him play on the Saturday.

The big match went ahead and was won 16-3 by KES.

There was some consolation in the return fixture at KES: with Dalton back in the side, Jeppe won 12-9.

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In August 1990, the National Party government allowed state schools to admit pupils of all races for the first time in the country’s history.

The transition from all-white to multiracial admission took parents, governing bodies and principals into uncharted territory.

The great South African boys’ schools like Jeppe, KES, Pretoria Boys and Parktown were among those who showed the way, and they not only survived but thrived in the new environment.

Quail was one of the last of the boys’ school headmaster titans who bridged the old and new eras.

They drew on their collegial networks and vast experience and led their often-nervous school communities with cool nerve and courage, embracing change while preserving what was valuable in their schools’ traditions.

This was by no means an inevitable achievement: it depended on men like David Quail.

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After retiring in 1997, Quail was not ready to stop work.

Almost immediately, he went into politics.

His wife Claire had long been a stalwart of the Progressive Party, later the Democratic Alliance (DA).
She served for many years as a Johannesburg city councillor.

Quail was elected to the provincial legislature and served from 1999 to 2009 as the DA’s Shadow MEC for Education.

Backed by his considerable experience, he was a formidable and respected legislator.

There were many notable improvements at the school in the 19 years that Quail was headmaster.

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Among the physical developments he oversaw were the purchase of the Sable and Roan/Droste properties and their incorporation as boarding houses; the erection of the four Squash courts; the acquisition of Centenary House and the closure of Robinson Street.

Most notably, the school’s enrolment grew from 750 boys to over 1 000 during Quail’s tenure.

His life and legacy are inseparable from Jeppe High School for Boys.

He is synonymous with much of what has shaped the school into what it is today.

His contribution to the school was profound and enduring.

Quail influenced generations of boys, staff, and families, and his impact continues to be felt across the school’s community.