PEPPS Polokwane museum brings history to life
A retired teacher's medicine cabinet sparked a school museum at PEPPS Polokwane, now curators seek Limpopo artefacts to help learners understand the past.
POLOKWANE – ‘Understanding our past is the gateway to a brighter future’, is the guiding theme of the museum at PEPPS Polokwane College and Preparatory, where artefacts from earlier times help teach learners how the world has evolved.
The concept of the museum started with retired PEPPS teacher Pam Smith, who owned a medicine cabinet passed down from her grandfather, a doctor.
The cabinet contained old medications and medical tools, and she wanted to place it somewhere it would have lasting value.
Smith said she had long admired that Merensky Agricultural Academy in Tzaneen, along with other established private schools, had museums.
“As I spoke to colleagues and friends, they started bringing special family items of great value and asked for them to be displayed. Enthusiasm breeds more enthusiasm, and that’s how it all started,” she said.
She was later joined by Tina Zinth-Wood, who showed strong interest in the project and took over as curator after Smith’s retirement.
Zinth-Wood said the museum plays an important role as the world continues to change rapidly with new technology making many items obsolete.
She explained that her involvement was also personal. “After my parents passed away, I found many valuable items while clearing their home. They lived through the Second World War, and although these items could be sold, I wanted them to have educational value,” she said.
The museum is gradually becoming a popular space at the school. It is open to learners during breaks, and teachers are encouraged to bring classes for educational activities.
“Learners are fascinated. Whenever the doors are open, they come in to explore. I want to broaden their minds and help them understand history,” she said.
Zinth-Wood is now calling for donations, particularly items reflecting Limpopo’s cultural heritage. She is seeking artefacts from Tsonga, Venda and Pedi communities to enrich the collection.
“I would like the museum to grow and eventually open to other schools and the public. Our children are so focused on cell phones that they are losing touch with the past. I want to open their eyes to the life that existed before them,” she said.
