A mere twelve years younger than Johannesburg, St John’s has grown from humble beginnings – 11 boys and two desks – to a school community that spans continents but with its heart set firmly in the City of Gold.
Stuart West, the 16th Executive Headmaster at St John’s College, hopes that the exhibition will inspire the St John’s community to continue the school’s Venture of Faith, as reflected in the 125-year story of the school.
He says: “The story of St John’s College is an inspiring one, for it is a story of generations of leaders, students, parents, staff and Old Johannians drawing on the light, life and love of God in a remarkable Venture of Faith that has stood for 125 years. The past 125 years have seen St John’s shaped by the good times but, more importantly, by having to rise and then rise again in fiercely challenging times. This Venture of Faith proudly and confidently continues into the future.”
St John’s College recently unveiled an exhibition in the Rene England Auditorium to mark its 125th anniversary. The exhibition is themed around the school’s motto Lux, Vita Caritas and showcases the history of St John’s, from its founding in 1898 to the present day. Lux, Vita Caritas means light, life, and love. Lux is the Light of Christ, as described in the Gospel of St John: “In him was life; and that life was the Light for all people” (John 1:4).
Featuring photographs, documents, and artefacts from the College archives, as well as personal stories from past and present students, staff, and Old Johannians, the exhibition tells the story of the school’s history, allowing viewers to see and reflect on the school’s world, and engage with it in the past, present, and future.
In describing the motivation behind the exhibition and how St John’s rich heritage informs its future, St John’s Pre-Preparatory Headmistress and Chair of the Heritage Committee, Jane Lane, explains: “By storytelling and restructuring place narratives … and understanding what is already there, finding connections, and from there envisioning the future, we promote integrity and diversity, allowing participants to disconnect from dominant narratives and to express a vision for alternative futures.
Change and innovation have been at the heart of the College experience. I have been lucky to witness and experience a school constantly adapting to the times while holding fast to the values and ideals that shaped the College, then and now.”
