The Rep 28 October 2022

10 Tel: (045) 839-4040 / editorial: bobeloz@therep.co.za / advertising: charodinev@therep.co.za 28 October 2022 THE R E P R ES E N TAT I V E
Peter Haxton part of Queen’s history
SPECIAL TRIBUTE: Peter Haxton has passed on at age 81 Picture: SUPPLIED
Peter Haxton arrived at Queen’s
College as a young, enthusiastic
primary school pupil from the
Free State village of Springfontein and
left as one of the most well-known
names of recent memory.
Haxton proved himself talented,
hardworking and a leader among his
peers, a scholar who became a college
prefect and accomplished sportsman in
cricket who represented the Border.
He matriculated in 1959 and had
the rare honour of personally knowing
the past nine headmasters, the earliest
of whom was H Wilkinson, who retired
in 1929.
Those same characteristics that
served him well in school would help
earn his BA Honours in history while at
Rhodes University, where he also sat as
the chair of the student representative
council, thanks to his debating skills
❝
Peter Haxton proved
himself talented,
hardworking and a leader
among his peers
and insightful mind. Haxton joined the
Queen’s staff ranks in 1968 and served
as a cornerstone in education for 25
ye a r s .
He proved himself invaluable on
the Queen’s Colours Committee as its
ch a i r and was well-known as an
excellent cricket coach.
His cricketing credentials were
well-earned, playing for the First XI,
Border schools, university, club and
provincial teams.
He was responsible for selection of
SA Cricket sides at the Nuffield Week
Tournament during his tenure.
Haxton and former Queen’s teacher
Jill Haxton (nee Osbourne) were
married in 1979. Their three children
Robert, Gregg and Craig would also
school at Queen’s.
Even after his retirement, he served
the school as its historian, curating and
archiving the innumerable documents
and items that carry the history of the
school, and in 2006 he began the
revamping of the Queen’s Museum in
time for the 150th Reunion in 2008.
It was a job he would keep tending
to for many years thereafter, along with
his wife Jill.
Their tireless work was set in history
as the Queen’s College Museum, in
which he spent so much time, was
named the Haxton Museum last year.
He will be remembered with fond
memories from the older staff and the
newer generations will learn history
from the museum that bears his name.
A mission to enrich young minds
LEN’S NEWS
HAPPY FEET: Charnae Schmidt, who used to live in Komani,
re c e i v e d ‘bedsox’ from Camilla Kameel, the supervisor of
chemotherapy at the East London Oncology Centre P i c t u re :
LEN’S NEWS
Komani ‘bedsox’ p ro j e c t
warms feet, and hearts
LEN’S NEWS
A project that started some years
ago to keep the feet of new
mothers with sick premature
babies warm while they stayed
at Frontier Hospital looking after
their infants, has blossomed.
At the start of the project, 14
pairs of socks were made and
given every fortnight as the
mothers would not give them
back to the ward nurses. They
were too warm not to keep.
Over the years, more
“bedsox” have been made and
given away.
Slowly, word got out around
Komani that polar fleece
“bedsox” or foot warmers were
made locally. Many people
called for one or two pairs, and
continue to do so.
In recent years, the demand
came from people who were
going through chemotherapy
and battling with cold feet,
asking for the polar fleece
“bedsox”. They have been
lovingly made and given.
The “bedsox” creator and
sewer decided, in light of
October being Breast Cancer
Awareness Month, to make 50
pairs and donate them to the
East London oncology facility,
for those going through
chemotherapy and battling with
cold feet.
What makes them different
to knitted or crocheted ones?
They are light in weight,
comfortable, and it does not feel
like one’s ankles are being
strangled. They are also magic
in your sheepskin slippers when
the slippers become very loose
with age and wearing.
Paying for these “bedsox” is
not an option. The creator
prefers to “pay it forward”.
If someone needs something
and you are able to give it for
free, do so. When they try to pay
you, tell them instead to help
someone else when they can.
Continue to “pay it forward”.
What a huge undertaking the
50 pairs of polar fleece bedsox
has been, but they were finally
completed, packaged, and
delivered to the oncology centre
in East London, for them to
share with those in need.
Our world is full of fascinating people,
and Xolela Mbebe is one of them.
He taught English for 22 years at one of
the local high schools.
He then decided to become a subject
adviser for English for grades 10 to 12,
while studying for his master’s in English.
Like all good teachers, he knows his
pupils will go further in pursuing their
academic careers if only he can
encourage them to read more.
In June 2021, he started reading clubs
at four local high schools: Sixishe
Agricultural School in Ezibeleni, Kwa
Komani Technical School in Mlungisi,
Ekuphumleni High School in Sada and N
Motman High School in McBride.
None of these schools have libraries.
As such Mbebe, out of his own pocket,
bought books for the pupils to read, which
he transports in the boot of his car from
school to school, enabling pupils to swop
them.
He goes a step further and gives each
pupil an exercise book to use as a journal.
The journal is for them to write down
what they learnt from each book, as well
as any new words they may have
d i s c ove r e d .
There are 45 pupils in each of the
reading clubs Mbebe has established, and
there is a growing interest among other
pupils.
There was even a discussion in one
group recently as to how they could
exchange books during the long
December school holidays.
Mbebe, who suggested he meet them
at a park with his mobile library, said the
pupils were thrilled to hear they would
still be able to get their hands on books to
read during the school h o l i d ay s .
Such is their desire for books and to be
able to keep on reading.
Mbebe was very grateful to receive a
bag of books for free, donated by a local
reader who heard about his amazing
journey with these pupils
Should you have books you are happy
to pass on to Mbebe’s mobile library, call
or WhatsApp him on 084-291-0889. He
is happy to collect donations.
If you are unsure whether the books
you have are suitable, Mbebe will decide.
A ny popular mechanics magazines
will also be widely read by these pupils.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Komani local Xolela Mbebe with his mobile library, which
he transports to several local schools Picture: LEN’S NEWS