Last year a rooster from nowhere arrived on the school premises of Newcastle Senior Primary School.
He inspected the surroundings and decided it was a suitable place with enough food, water, children for company and attention to make it his permanent home.
Seeing our beloved rooster walking amongst our children, who loved him to bits and fed him at break times, became a familiar sight.
Hearing our rooster crowing was usually a highlight of the school day.
One of our educators, Mrs Chantel Nagel, adopted him and always made sure he was on a healthy diet of mealies and clean water – especially over the school holidays!
In the mornings he would be waiting for her to park her car, knowing he was going to get his mealie breakfast.
Mrs A. Spies, our principal’s wife who grew up on a farm, unfortunately noticed that our beloved rooster, Cyril, was nearing retirement age.
Another one of our educators who is very special and dearly loved by our learners, Mrs Marti van Zyl, offered to take him to her brother’s farm.
A few staff members agreed to help catch our beloved Cyril, the rooster, so that he could be taken to the farm where he would enjoy the company of other chickens – especially hens!!!
One of our super- fit educators, Mrs A. de Swardt, managed to catch him. It was not as easy as we anticipated, but a lot of fun.
We will miss the familiar sight of our rooster, having the time of his life with the NSPS learners and enjoying their company, but we also want him to enjoy his “ retirement.”
Tribute submitted by Mrs R. Schoeman
