This year marks another milestone for Robert Carruthers School.

They are celebrating their 120th birthday. On Saturday, September 16 they hosted a carnival in celebration of the special occasion.

Robert Carruthers School pic.twitter.com/yA6sqbWnId

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Let’s take a stroll back with RCS and look at their history. 

Classes were held in a corrugated iron structure in the veldt on the site of the Sheins Building on the corner of Eadie and Lewis Streets. It was erected by the Anglican community.

The idea was that the ‘building’ would serve as a school during the week and a place of worship on Sundays – catering for children and adults from the surrounding farms. Mr Holland was appointed as the first school principal in 1906, but died not long thereafter.

He was succeeded by Mr Urie who stood in as principal until Mr Robert Carruthers was appointed into the post in 1908.

At that time children of all ages arrived at school (when they weren’t needed on the farm) by train, donkey cart, and on foot.

“Back then Witbank was just a mining camp with a dusty road flanked by wood and iron shop buildings all facing the railway. Behind these and a street’s width away from the mine single quarters stood the Carlton Hotel. Between the shops and the hotel there was a narrow lane leading to a room known as the boardroom where meetings and small functions were held,” the history read.

Behind the mine houses was a long wood and iron shed. This was the school.

It was through Mr Carruthers’ efforts that a permanent brick school was erected on the site of the present Post Office. It was still very much in the veld, and the mine sports ground was used for games and sports.

Soon, two extra classrooms and a woodwork room were added to the building.

Children came by train from Uitkyk, Kendal, and Balmoral. Streetlights were switched on in 1926. In 1930 the school was raised to junior certificate and later to matriculation standard, and it was named Witbank Intermediate School.

In 1929 a law was passed saying children must be taught in their home language, so dual medium primary schools were scrapped, and the children separated into English and Afrikaans schools. In 1930 the Afrikaans medium school, Kragbron, was built opposite the swimming bath in Hofmeyer Street.

Mr Carruthers remained principal of the Intermediate School until 1935.

Thereafter, the name changed to Witbank English Medium School; an English medium, co-ed primary school. In December 1963 the present building was ready for occupation and named Robert Carruthers School in 1964.

Do you have a story or fond memory to share about the school?

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