The Dunstonian Chronicle

A Message from the Rector, Editorial Mr Warwick Taylor

St Dunstan’s College recently commemorated Remembrance Day, a school tradition that dates back to our founding fathers and the reason for our existence.In the words of one of our founders, Edward Paget, “It was after my return from the East African Campaign in 1917 and before the outbreak of Spanish Flu in 1918. I can well remember sitting on up-turned petrol boxes just around the corner by St Dunstan’s Vicarage with Captain Loftus, George Hills and others, and we talked about making some ‘living memorial’ in honour of those who had given their lives for us. We wanted something practical, and we wanted something that would touch the lives of the growing children of Benoni and the district and would help to mould and fashion their character and would live with them. We decided to start with a school – a day school.” It is without dispute that our fine school was born out of a desire to give honour and a desire to serve the community.

“I Serve” being our school motto, has been woven into the fabric of our school and I am proud to be custodian of this rich heritage. After the first year of my tenure, I can say with certainty that I am well placed and ready for the investment into St Dunstan’s College that God has called me to. On numerous occasions, over the past year, I have described the school as a sleeping giant. We have so much potential, and I am ready for the growth and development that I see and look forward to.

I am particularly pleased about the eagerness of Mandy Lachenicht to take up the position of  Head of the Alumni and Foundation. Her position, with the official title of ‘Head of  dvancement’, will materialise as soon as we have appointed a Head of Marketing to replace her present role. We have come of age and have set the course for continued success through our growing population of past students. The recent reunion, which was well attended by our 2013 Matric class, speaks to this. St Dunstan’s College is ready to serve the multiple generations who are associated with our school. Many of our past students have their own children enrolled at St Dunstan’s and we have several staff members who are Alumni. This bodes well for the future.

Growth in our student numbers and high stakeholder satisfaction have marked this year. During the course of this year, we have developed a strategy for 2026 and beyond, consolidated our vision and mission statements and have tightened up on school discipline and participation in sport and cultural activities. The benefit of compulsory participation in activities is reflected in our improved results this year. We look forward to the revival of our Easter Sports Festival in 2024, which will coincide with the opening of our new sports pavilion. There is much to celebrate. We invite you, the Alumni, to join us over Easter in 2024.

We have recently experienced some movement of stalwarts of the St Dunstan’s teaching community. Fr Joe and Mrs Mandi Burger have emigrated to Guernsey and relocated to Cape Town respectively. Collectively they have invested over 45 years to our school. Although such long service at St Dunstan’s is not uncommon, it is important that we acknowledge their significant contribution into shaping who we are. We wish them every success in their new endeavors.

As the year draws to a close, I wish the entire Dunstonian community every blessing and God’s grace as we celebrate his favour upon us. We pray that 2024 would be a year of peace and growth in our lives and for those who are less fortunate and who are presently subject to the injustice of war.

Kind regards
Warwick Taylor
(Rector)

“There’s no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.”
-Abraham Lincoln