Today this row of Edwardian buildings show their backyards to Molen Street and the grandeur of the combined facades of the four stately buildings are hidden from view. This is the Theological School complex standing on the eastern side of Molen Street between Esselen and Rissik Streets. In 1980 the Molen Street complex, comprising of four buildings being the men’s residence, the Theological School, the rector’s residence (now Totius Museum) and the preparatory school, was declared a National Monument. It is currently a Grade 2 Provincial Heritage Site.
An early panorama of the four buildings of the complex. This photo was taken in the 1910s before the two classrooms on either side of the preparatory school (right) were added. Photo: NWU Records, Archives and Museum.
Out of these first buildings of the Theological School of the Reformed Church in Potchefstroom grew the North-West University.
Problems with psalm book
The Theological School of the Reformed Church has its roots in the early 1800s, long before the actual founding of the church. The new “psalm book” which the Dutch Reformed Church started using then did not sit well with some of the members of the church. They were of the opinion that some of the new hymns in this book, which were added to the Psalms, contradicted the creeds of the church such as the Heidelberg Catechism.
Moreover, they felt that the government had increasingly more say in the way the church was governed, which was also not acceptable to them. In 1859, during a meeting of 15 church members under a syringa tree in Rustenburg, it was decided to part ways with the Nederduitsche Hervormde Church, the largest church in the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and to found their own church.
Shortly after this founding of the Reformed Church the need for a training facility for new ministers was identified and discussed in depth during the first general synod of the Church in 1862. Lack of funds prevented the immediate founding of such an institution.
Through the efforts of Rev Dirk Postma and the Burgersdorp congregation the synod, on 20 May 1869, held in Potchefstroom, decided to open a theological school.
In the first church of the Reformed Church Potchefstroom, left in this picture, the decision was made to found a Theological School. This photo was taken after the third church building of the congregation (left back with tower) was completed 1959 and before the second church building (front) was demolished. Photo: Potchefstroom Museum
The arrival of the delegates to the synod prompted the boys of Potchefstroom to run down the street, yelling: “Die Doppers is op ons!” The nickname “doppers” was given to the members of this new church. This is according to Prof Piet van der Schyff In Sages en Legendes 1.
The origin of this nickname, according to Dr B Spoelstra in his book Die ‘doppers’ in Suid-Afrika – 1760-1899, is not very clear. He wrote that it hails from the Dutch word “dorper” (a person who resides in a town) as opposed to an uncouth person who resides outside a town.
The Theological School opened its doors on 29 November 1869 in Burgersdorp with two lecturers, the Reverends Dirk Postma and Jan Lion-Cachet, and five students. The synod who decided on the founding also foresaw the training of teachers. This did not realise until 1876 when the Literary Department of the Theological School came into being.
A possible move to another town was already discussed during the synod of 1891. Reasons given were that the school should be more centrally located and that the current facilities were not sufficient. Towns considered were Middelburg, Steynsburg and Pretoria.
By 1897 the synod had to deal with this matter again. Prof Piet van der Schyff in Wonderdaad…! wrote: A cloud of uncertainty started to move over this ailing, understaffed institution which suffered from a dearth of facilities and a lack of identity.
The Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) closed down the school and five of its students lost their lives during the War. They were Japie Maré, Jan Kruger, Calman Cachet, Karel Coetzee and Johannes Venter. Calman Cachet was the son of Prof Jan Lion-Cachet, who apart from this, was also interned during the War.
Totius promoted Potchefstroom
After the War the matter of the relocation of the Theological School again became prominent. In September 1903 a former student of the Theological School, Rev JD (Japie) du Toit, better known as the poet Totius (see my article: https://lenniegouws.co.za/street-names-reflect-history-13-t/ ), became the minister of the Reformed Church of Potchefstroom. Some months before he made a plea that Potchefstroom be the new locality for the Theological School in an article in Het Kerkblad, the official publication of the Reformed Church:
There is so much that makes living in this city pleasant: the soft climate; the crystal clear water of the Mooi River, that flows next to the wide streets, irrigating the fruitful earth of the spacious plots; the beautiful houses, the lovely flower and vegetable gardens.
He spoke of the park with its nursery, sports grounds, cycling stadium and stands; the wide-spread grounds of the Agricultural Society, criss-crossed with avenues of pine trees. (See my articles on the park: https://lenniegouws.co.za/alexandra-park-the-lost-green-heart-of-potchefstroom/ and https://lenniegouws.co.za/first-sporting-hub-of-potchefstroom/ )
He also sang the praises of the main street with shop next to shop, outfitted in the most modern way.
It is indeed a city of the future, whose founding did not have to do with the speculation of gold shares, but because of the fertile soil and a beautiful river. The fact that the railway line would soon be extended to Kroonstad, would make it an important transport hub.
He added that at the time £800 had already been promised towards the building of the new Theological School.
It is interesting that he envisioned the new Theological School to be built on the church square of the Reformed Church on the corner of Church (Walter Sisulu) and Retief Streets. At the time the ornamental second church building of this congregation stood on the square.
In this city, on the spacious church square of the Reformed Church, next to the main street, next to the beautiful church building, we would very much like to see another beautiful building for the Theological School be built.
The photo above of the three churches of the Reformed Church, Potchefstroom shows the “beautiful church building” Du Toit spoke of. It also shows the open space of the church square where he envisioned the Theological School should stand.
This rose-coloured picture of Potchefstroom, written by Rev JD du Toit (later known as the poet Totius), was published on 1 July 1903 in Het Kerkblad. Photo: NWU Records, Archives and Museum
Five congregations pledged an amount of £3 010 towards the building fund and costs of the relocation. Potchefstroom, pledged £1 150, Pretoria £1 000, Rustenburg £600, Heidelberg £190 and Wolmaransstad £70.
On Saturday 16 April 1904 during a session of the synod, gathered at Middelburg, the move to Potchefstroom was decided upon.
Lion-Cachet wanted a duplicate house
The rector, Prof Cachet, was 65 years old at the time. He was initially agreeable that the School be moved, but later baulked at the idea. He agreed to the move to Potchefstroom but requested that his residence in Potchefstroom should have the same floorplan as the one he occupied in Burgersdorp.
Jan Lion-Cachet (1838-1912) was born in Amsterdam. His parents were of Jewish-Portuguese decent and converted to Christianity. He came to South Africa in 1861 to answer a call for teachers and Sunday school teachers. He initially taught at a school In Cape Town and then went to Ladysmith, where he joined the Reformed Church. In 1865 he decided to become a minister and studied under Rev Dirk Postma, the first minister of the Reformed Church. In 1868 he became minister to the Rustenburg congregation and in 1869 to the Burgersdorp congregation. On 29 November 1868 – on his birthday – the Theological School opened its doors, with him and Rev Dirk Postma as the first lecturers. From 1875 to 1891 he returned to the ministry, but re-joined the Theological School after Postma passed away. Prof Lion-Cachet was permanently appointed as rector in 1894 and served in this position until his retirement in 1911.
Luitingh and Meischke
Shortly after the synod, in June 1904, the curators of the Reformed Church, gathered in Potchefstroom. Four morgen (just short of 3,5 hectares) were bought from the city council of Potchefstroom for the equivalent of R1360. It bordered on the main road to the north (then known as Noordbrug Way, later Van der Hoff Road and now Thabo Mbeki Drive) and stood across from the former residence of President MW Pretorius.
A double-storeyed hostel was planned with a hall with seating for 150 on the ground floor. This did not realise, probably due to financial constraints.
Arie Kuijers, in his text for the book Potchefstroom 1838-1988, illustrated by Philip Bawcombe, wrote:
In minutes of the Church, it is stated that the Pretoria firm, Kraan & Wijers, as well as the local architect Herman Luitingh, were willing to draw up plans and submit tenders; it is not known to whom the final contract was awarded.
Plans for an impressive double-storeyed building have been found in archives which were never realised. The suspicion is that Luitingh, who was also responsible for the second Reformed Church building, built in 1896 and demolished in 1959, was responsible for in one way or the other the design and/or supervision of the building.
(See my article on Luitingh: https://lenniegouws.co.za/street-names-reflect-history-7-k-l/ )
The contractor was a “Mr Meischke from Johannesburg” who first built the Theological School building and the residence of the rector.
Mattheus Carl August Meischke (1859-1935) was no stranger to Potchefstroom, since shortly before the Anglo-Boer War he constructed the first Potchefstroom railway station building. (See my article on the Potchefstroom station: https://lenniegouws.co.za/potchefstroom-railway-station-destroyed-by-fire/ ) He was persuaded by his brother-in-law, the architect, JE Vixseboxse, to immigrate to the Transvaal from the Netherlands and arrived here in 1889.
The buildings were placed on the western side of the plot facing east. Later, when Mooirivier Primary School developed on the eastern part of this piece of land, the façade became obscured.
The school building and residence were finished according to schedule and on Monday, 13 February 1905, at the official opening of the school year, the buildings were inaugurated.
The official inauguration of the Theological School took place on 13 February 1905. It was noted that: “Voor het Schoolgebouw stond een zwarte drom van menschen” (in front of the school building stood a black mass of people). Photo: NWU Records, Archives and Museums
Architectural aspects
The Theological School building is described by Arie Kuijers as of typical early 20th century classical design. “It forms the core of the group of buildings and is of special architectural merit, due to the tight composition, the severe lines, the symmetry of the design and the classical portico with its triangular pediment and the unembellished gable above. The repetition of the arched windows, not only on the front, but around the building, enhances the strong unity of the building.”
The arched windows on the side of the Theological School can be seen in this photo taken on the day it was officially opened. The buildings of the School were the first in the area. Apart from the house built by Pres MW Pretorius, the mills (https://lenniegouws.co.za/a-fresh-look-at-the-historic-mills-of-potchefstroom/), a few houses near the North Bridge, some shops and houses at Groenpunt (where Spar and the Bult Garage are now), the Bult was mostly wide-open grassland. Students remembered walking there from town, where they initially resided, and that their pant legs became soaked by the dew on the grass. Photo: NWU Records, Archives and Museums
Kuijers further noted that the design of the Theological School is offset by the buildings next to it, especially the rector’s residence with its veranda, asymmetrical façade and Arts and Crafts embellished gable. On the other side stands the men’s residence, described by Kuijers as the building in the group with the simplest design.
The rector’s residence in Potchefstroom (left), now known as the Totius Museum, with the former residence of Prof Jan Lion-Cachet in Burgersdorp (right). Cachet requested that the floorplan be the same. It appears that architect Luitingh and/or master builder Meischke added their own embellishments to the Potchefstroom building, giving it a singularly Edwardian appearance.
Visitors and dignitaries who attended the inauguration of the buildings on the veranda of the rector’s residence. Photo: NWU Records, Archives and Museum
The Western Chronicle, a local newspaper, reported on 15 February 1905 on the inauguration and gave a description of the grounds and buildings:
The grounds have been enclosed in a substantial manner, and on it are erected two buildings which are an ornament to the town. One of which is the Theological School, and the other a large and well-finished house for the professor. Both of the buildings are well built, and constructed on a design to meet the requirements of the institution.
The buildings were erected, namely school building and the professor’s dwelling house, at a cost of £3 500. A boarding house for about 20 students will be erected.
The report noted that the school had about twenty students and that numerous dignitaries attended, including Rev CW du Toit (Hervormde Church) and Rev ML Fick (Dutch Reformed Church).
The men’s residence, later named after Prof Lion-Cachet, was completed during 1905. Today it is the oldest hostel in Potchefstroom that has continuously housed students since it was built and still provides housing to theological students.
The men’s residence shortly after completion. Photo: NWU Records, Archives and Museum
From Preparatory School to Potchefstroom Gimnasium
The fourth building in the complex was the Preparatory School.
This school had its roots in the “Vrye Christelike Skool” (Free Christian School) which came into being in Burgersdorp in 1886. This was a preparatory school to enable students to enter into tertiary education. It was founded by the church council of the Reformed Church of Burgersdorp. Lecturers of the Theological School also taught at this school and they used the same building.
In 1907 the Reformed Church decided to revive this “Vrye Christelike Skool” in Potchefstroom. Classes were initially held in the building of the Theological School, but that same year a new building rose north of the rector’s residence. It was colloquially known as “die rooi waenhuis” (the red coach house). Until 1914 it only comprised of one class room, but other rooms were later added.
In 1915 it became a government school with the name Potchefstroom Gimnasium. Its first buildings were built in 1917. It had a smallish hall and two classrooms and is now part of the Mooirivier Primary School.
By 1916 it became the first school in South Africa that used Afrikaans as its medium of teaching.
The Preparatory School after the two wings were added. Photo: NWU Records, Archives and Museum
PUC founded
By 1915 it was apparent that the Reformed Church was unable to fully support the Theological School and its Literary Department. In 1919 the Literary Department became the government-funded Potchefstroom University College for Christian Higher Education (PUC for CHE). Furthermore, lecturers in the Theological School were simultaneously in the employ of the PUC as members of its Faculty of Theology.
In 1921 the PUC became one of the constituent colleges of the University of South Africa, but without the “for Christian Higher Education” as part of its name. Much effort went into the passing of a private Act in 1932 to re-install this part of the name.
In 1951 the PUC became the independent Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (PU fro CHE), the last constituent college of UNISA to receive its independence.
In 2004 the PU was amalgamated with the University of North West to create the North-West University. In 2023 it was announced that this collaboration between the NWU and the Reformed Church will come to an end in three years’ time when the Reformed Church would continue with an independent theological training facility.
Later uses
The first Theological School building soon became too small and less than 20 years after it had opened a new Theological School was built in Borcherds Street. It was inaugurated on 7 April 1922. This is currently the hall of the Reformed Church Die Bult. The current building of the Theological School, designed by the well-known architect, Gerhard Moerdyk, was completed in 1952. (See my article: https://lenniegouws.co.za/horlosie-met-n-storie/ )
The Molen Street Complex was sold to the Transvaal Provincial Administration in 1926 for £7 500. Two other buildings were also included in the sale. In 1956 the Reformed Church bought the complex back for the nominal sum of £600. During the time it was owned by the TPA, the Theological School building was used by the Potchefstroom Gimnasium as a domestic science lab.
By the time the restoration project on the School started in 1984, a stove used for this purpose was still in the building.
Later the Theological School was, amongst other purposes, used as part of the Conservatory of the PU for CHE, until its building was completed in 1960.
Restoration of the School began in 1984 and the building was officially opened on 10 January 1985. After being envisioned since the restoration, on 2 October 1996 the Museum of the Reformed Churches opened in the building. The museum can be visited by appointed. Kindly phone Carmie Huisman at 062 003 1963 or send an email to 21149895@nwu.ac.za.
The largest exhibit in the Museum of the Reformed Churches is this pulpit. It was saved when the second church building of the Reformed Church Potchefstroom was demolished in 1959 (see aerial picture of the three churches above). It was preserved in the Potchefstroom Museum before being transferred here.
Prof JD du Toit, Totius, became the second rector to use the rector’s residence. He and his family lived there from 1911 to 1924 and at least four of his volumes of poetry were created in this house. He also started his work on translation of the Bible into Afrikaans here.
With a view to the celebrations of the centenary of the birth Totius in 1977, the residence of the rector was fully restored and opened as the Totius Museum, furnished mostly with furniture and household items that belonged to Totius and his wife, Marie.
The façade of the men’s residence was restored in 1990 and converted into flats for married theological students. It still serves as housing for theological students.
The boarding house as it looks now. It currently houses theological students.
The Preparatory School was restored in the 1980s and was then used as the offices of the staff of the Totius Museum. It currently houses the aftercare centre of Mooirivier Primary School.
These four buildings carry a heavy load in historical significance:
- It was the first Theological School north of the Vaal River.
- It was the birthing place of the PUC, which later became part of the NWU.
- The Free Christian School, later Potchefstroom Gimnasium, were the first school in the country to use Afrikaans as medium of teaching.
- The connection with Totius, not only as poet, but as translator of the Bible in Afrikaans and author of the first rhymed Psalms is significant.
The theme that Prof Jan Lion-Cachet used in his farewell message on 14 April 1911 comes to mind: “For who has despised the day of small beginnings?” is a quote from Zachariah 4:10. The “small beginnings” birthed in these buildings, grew into giants in the South African society and the world.
Sources:
Anon, Geanker in geloof – Potchefstroom Gimnasium, (Potchefstroom 2007).
Anon, Meischke, Mattheus Carl August, https://artefacts.co.za/main/Buildings/archframes_mob.php?archid=4468, date of entry 1 June 2024.
A Kuijers , Historiese geboue in Potchefstroom, (Potchefstroom, 1987), p. 18-21.
A Kuijers, Potchefstroom 1838-1988, (Potchefstroom, 1988), p. 24, 25.
B Spoelstra, Die “doppers” in Suid-Afrika 1760-1899, (Kaapstad, 1963), p. 16.
GCP van der Vyver, My Erfenis is vir my mooi, (Potchefstroom, 1969), p. 174.
L Lombaard, Ou Teologiese Skool word gerestoureer, Potchefstroom Herald, 29 Junie 1984.
PF van der Schyff, Wonderdaad…! (Potchefstroom, 2003), p. 81, 89-90.
PF Van der Schyff, Sages en Legendes 1, (Potchefstroom, 2003), p. 3.
S Hoogenboezem (red), Potchefstroom Gimnasium 1907-1982, (Potchefstroom, 1982).
