Circum term 1 2018

WORCESTER GIMNASI UM

WORCESTER GYMNASI UM

2018 KWARTAAL 1

Matric Hunks How to treat a lady

MR & MS WG Behind the scenes

Ook Ingesluit Meet the new teachers Pseudo science: The best Month in the year Photo competition ‘n Dag in die lewe van ‘n onderwyser

MATRIC GLOW UPS T HEY

GLOW UP SO FAST !

En vele meer!

HOW OLD IS WG REALLY?

Redaksie JOERNALISTE

Redaktrise Emily Voigt Sub-redaktrise Simone Botha Be-Arthur Davids Bianca du Plessis Ian Steyn Karla de Bod Kyle Duvenhage Leandri du Toit Lona Sukani Mikyall Harris

FOTOGRAWE Abygail Drake ChanĂŠ Pienaar

Matric G

Ka

So, how old

Mr & Behind the

Leand

Gaby Jacobs Jana Matthee Kayla van Greunen Liam Waters

New

Lize Joubert

Emily Voig

Index Page 6

Page 14

Page 21

Glow Ups

Matric Hunks on treating a lady

Photo Competition

Lona Sukani

Page 22

arla de Bod

Cooking with Bee

Page 8

d are we really?

Peudo Science

Ian Steyn

Simone Botha

Page 16

Be-Arthur Davids Page 24

New Circum Page 10

Page 18

& Ms WG: curtains

A Day in the Life of a Teacher

drie du Toit

Kyle Duvenhage

Page 12

Page 20

Teachers

Welkom Baba Bosvarke

gt & Mikyall Harris

Bianca du Plessis

Applications

Cover photo by Carla Wolstenholme

EDITOR’S Letter

N

ew beginnings can be terrifying, won’t you agree?

There are those beginnings that you are forced into;

look at the grade eights, for example. They’re not in their old school anymore. They are pushed into a world of new classes, new teachers, new children towering over them and new places to navigate.

As they move along through the year, though, they’ll make new friends, get used to their teachers and start feeling okay again.

Then you get those new beginnings that you actually want for yourself.

The reason you want it is because you’ve

dreamt about it for so long and want to make it happen, but what if you fail or things don’t work out the way you imagined it would? What then? What if people do it better

than you ever will?

See, human beings are creatures of comfort. They tend to go with the flow. (Excuse me, there’s a bit of science ahead) Humans have a subconscious impulse or tendency to mimic others. This is called automatic imitation and it’s in all human beings. It’s what we do without knowing that allows us to blend in. Going out of your comfort zone is going against your natural tendency. It sets you apart and

this is what most of us are afraid of. And this is what holds us back and what makes beginnings seem terrifying, but truth be told, they are not always terrifying.

Beginnings are exhilarating too. Maybe only daredevils can relate to this, but I’ll try to put it into perspective: It’s like bungee jumping. You’re scared for your dear life until your

feet leave the solid foundation you’re standing upon and you surrender to gravity. The wind hits your face and it’s in that terrifying moment that all your senses are awakened and you can’t control the smile that spreads across your face. The buzz of excitement bubbles up in your stomach and that buzzing excitement is what should drive you, Dear Readers, to follow your dreams and to do what you want.

All you have to do is start. Ignite that flame. The rest will

take care of itself and the fire will continue to burn bright in front of your eyes. That’s why my word for this year is action.

That pile of dreams and wishes I have? I’m going to set them into motion. I encourage you to do the same.

If you haven’t woken up yet - it’s 2018. Let that sink in. Hi, yes, and welcome. It’s another year full of opportunities as well as challenges. We’ll have inter-schools, eisteddfods, festivals, a musical – Aladdin – and all the fun stuff. On the

other hand, we’ll have tests, projects, exams, university applications and a lot to carry on our shoulders, but I tell you, Dear Readers, you can conquer this year. Look at what you’ve been doing so far.

Remember to enjoy the ride and make many memories, especially the Matrics who’ll experience a lot of lasts this year.

Here’s to new beginnings!

Glow up. Noun. To go from the bottom to the top to the point of disbelief. An incredible transformation.

Example: Wow, she really did glow up! From ugly duckling to gorgeous swan!

If you haven’t heard the term “glow up”, well then I’m sorry to say that it’s about time you update your social life. This term has been used by people all around the world, or rather people all around Instagram. People liked the idea of comparing someone’s appearance over a period of time, whether it was to give the person credit or to just straight up make fun of them. The idea of glowing up has everyone wanting to be a lightbulb.

We, the Circum, put our sunglasses on and started stalking some of our potential Matric Gimmie glow ups (the sunglasses of course used so that these Gimmies won’t know that we’re watching them).

We had many options. All of them went from ugly duckling to gorgeous swan; from not to hot; from eww to phew *inlove emoji*, but only a few of them really caught our eye. These are the Matric Gimmies that really did glow up.

By Karla de Bod

We all know that awkward, nerdy and funny guy from the movies that everyone secretly has a crush on.

Harry Hewitt is a character very similar to that guy, but how did he do it?

According to Harry, he started to notice his glow up at the end of grade 10, when he realised how tall he got and how he got better-looking hair. He started to go to the gym and started using quality hair products such as Organics. His face however is “naturally flawless” he says.

“A glow up comes with time, exercise helps and don’t worry too much about the now, because everything will be cool in the future,” Harry says.

Die saggea “girl next door” waaroor almal wond lag op almal se gesigte sit, is een van triek, maar hoe het sy dit gedoen?

Nelia Grobbelaar speel hokkie en

deur produkte soos om Environ clean en deur om elke dag sonskerm op ha

Nelia het teen die einde van Graad swaan gegroei het, toe mense begi gee, iets wat sy nie elke dag ontvang

“Embrace your own beauty” is wyse dame daar buite sê.

Die sportiewe en goed-gemanierde boerseun van Fraserburg word definitief as een van die grootste matriek Gimmie glow ups. beskou Coert van den Berg het sy glow up agtergekom aan die begin van Graad 10, toe hy meer aandag van die meisies begin kry het.

Volgens Coert het hy vir hom mikpunte gestel, soos byvoorbeeld om 150 sit-ups ‘n dag te doen, asook om meer te draf. Die boerseun speel ook tans rugby vir ons skool se eerstespan.

“Wees jouself en moenie bang wees om kanse te vat nie” is die raad wat Coert aan sy mede Gimmies gee.

The funny, energetic and outgoing girl who everybody wants to be friends with.

Tarryn Felix has the ability to wrap anyone around her pinky, but she also has the ability to switch on that shine, seeing that Tarryn is also one of our matric Gimmie glow ups. Tarryn does tug-of-war to stay active and enjoys it tremendously. She recommends that Aquafresh is a toothpaste of quality, thus the reason for her pearly white smile.

Tarryn realised her glow up when she went to the 2017 matric ball and saw how beautiful she looked. Even though she hadn’t realised her glow up until recently, we’ve noticed it since the beginning of time.

Tarryn Felix’s advice, “Start looking after yourself,” is simple, yet full of truth.

aarde, gawe en simpatieke der. Die stil meisie wat ‘n glimn die grootste glow ups in ma-

n sorg baie mooi na haar vel, nsing milk-gesigwas te gebruik aar gesig te smeer.

10 besef hoe sy in ‘n pragtige in om vir haar komplimente te g het nie.

e woorde wat Nelia aan elke

Die grootste matriek gimmie glow up gaan aan die hiperaktiewe, Jean Niemand. Nie net is hy ‘n goeie danser nie, maar hy speel ook hokkie vir ons skool se eerstespan, hy speel tennis en hy doen perdry op nasionale vlak. Jean Niemand het begin om beter te eet (deur om suiker uit sy dieet te sny) en as gevolg hiervan het hy sy glow up by sy Graad 9 Semdans besef, toe al die meisies met hóm ‘n foto wou neem.

Sy raad aan die Gimmies daar buite:”Moenie te veel chocolates eet nie.” Dis dalk ‘n moeilike taak, emosioneel en fisies, maar dis dalk die taak wat jou lewe kan verander.

“They change their names; their location; their function; their language of tuition; their curriculum. Some survive; some don’t. We believe these schools have a right to reclaim their past.”

T

hese are the words of Ms Sigi Howes, a school principal, in a paper entitled ‘Determining the date of establishment of a School’. It was written especially for schools in the Western Cape where there has been uncertainty around their origins. Worcester Gymnasium is one such a school.

So what if I told you Worcester Gymnasium is the oldest school in Worcester? You’d probably shake your head and inform me that it is only 26 years old. Others say we can trace our beginnings back to 1873, with the founding of the Undenominational Boys’ Public School. So, who’s right? To find out, let’s have a quick look at our history and just what it means to be a school.

E

ducation in the Cape finds its roots in the travelling schoolmasters of the late eighteenth century (previously it was left up to parents to instruct their children). These wanderers were usually church men without a fixed job. They used their knowledge of reading and writing to make a little money by tutoring for the families they met as they went on their way.

This system was disorganised, however, and when the Dutch regained the Cape Colony from Britain in 1802, commissionaires Janssens and De Mist resolved to initiate organised schooling in major towns. Before their plans could fully go into motion, however, the British took over the Cape Colony again in 1806. Luckily, in 1809, Count Caledon advised the establishment of a public school at each town with a drostdy (a magisterial centre for major towns). The man who established Worcester in 1820, Lord Charles Somerset, was also the governor of the Cape Colony and planned to have all the Colony’s schools “conducted by English masters”.

In 1822 the first six “proper English gentlemen” schoolmasters arrived in Cape Town, to be sent to major towns to teach. Worcester, however, remained without a school until a J Curran wrote to Somerset in April 1824, asking for a set of books with which he could start a school in Worcester. Later that year a ‘Government Free School’ was established in Worcester. Schools like these were 100% government subsidised and taught both boys and girls. The following year Worcester got its first school committee, but unfortunately many Dutch parents were against the English schooling.

Boys’ Public School, 1894 (almost 125 years back!)

In 1856, A N Rowan took over as headmaster for the school. He brought growth to Worcester’s education, and convinced many Dutch parents to be less biased towards the school. During an inspection in 1861, Worcester was reported to have one of the few Government Free Schools that was flourishing.

...in an extensively researched history of Worcester Boys’ High School in 1971, the school’s story starts in 1824...

A

t this point in our history, things get interesting. On the whole, the Government Free School system was collapsing, and the Watermeyer Commission of 1863 recommended the gradual abolishment of established schools. This resulted in the Education Act of 1865, which adopted the “pound-forpound” system, where school funds’ payment was shared equally by the government and the community. It also required an established Government Free School to “technically close” as soon as the current headmaster resigned, retired or died.

In 1872, the beloved Rowan became a Colony school inspector. The Worcester Government Free School closed on 1 July 1873.

At this point I must interrupt our story and refer back to Ms Howes’ paper. I quote, “This ‘closure’ therefore mostly did not necessarily mean the complete end of a school – it did in the case of the Government Free Schools in Cape Town, George and Stellenbosch, but nowhere else.

Rather it was a reclassification process that allowed for the reopening of a school on a different financial and management model.” In other words, when the new Undenominational Boys’ Public School opened on 2 July 1873, it had the same pupils and the same teachers, but it had a different location and management system (A school for the girls of Worcester Government Free School was only started again in 1876. It was located where the Hugo Naudé Art Centre is now.).

From this point on, our story is relatively simple. In 1899 the school became known as Worcester Boys’ High School and relocated to where Worcester Gymnasium is now. In 1972 Worcester Boys’ and Girls’ High amalgamated to become Worcester High School. In 1992 Worcester High School and Worcester East High School (an old branch of the Cape Technical College) amalgamated to become Worcester Gymnasium.

Boys’ Public School, Matric class of 1904

Although 1873 is the date currently accepted for the beginning of our school, two reliable sources disagree. Firstly, in an extensively researched history of Worcester Boys’ High School in 1971, the school’s story starts in 1824 (the Government Free School) and transitions smoothly to 1873 (Undenominational Boys’). Secondly, as has already been said, the paper by Ms Howes emphasises that schools affected by the 1865 Education Act remained, in essence, the same school.

My conclusion from all this is that rather than celebrating its 150th birthday in 2023 (based on the founding date 1873), Worcester Gymnasium should celebrate its 200th birthday in 2024 (based on the founding date 1824). Its name and location have changed, but it is still a place of learning.

It has been said that a church is not a building, but a people. I believe the same applies to a school. If our school burnt down today, we could still survive. We would remain, even if only in spirit, Worcester Gymnasium.

Note on the photographs: regrettably, the school archive has no photos dating back further than 1894 (which is about when cameras came into existence anyway)

A special thank-you to Mr Ian Claasens for his help with the archives, insight, and discovery of Ms Howes’ article.

- By Ian Steyn

K

lank, beligting, danse en

aandrokke…

therefore had to drive in and out to be able to at-

hierdie kan net een ding vir die leerders van

tend the practices, even if it was past ten in the

Worcester Gimnasium beteken, Mnr en Mej

night. The reason she does this even though she is

WG. Met baie afwagting het die skool en dorp ge-

not part of the school anymore is because it’s her

wag vir een van die hoogtepunte op die Bosvark-

passion. Her passion is children, pageants and

kalender.

maths. With Mr and Miss WG she can live out two of

Met die tema as “Spectacular Spectacular, Night at

her passions.

the Circus” het die aand baie verwagtinge geskep.

In her matric year she also took part in miss WG and

Die aand het egter alle verwagtinge oortref en was

being a former learner of the school she loves being

‘n reuse sukses. Die deelnemers het SPECTACULAR

a part of the event. She plans, directs and coaches

gelyk en die gehoor op hul voete gehad. So ‘n

almost everything. The contestants grew very fond

asemrowende aand was egter nie oornag aanme-

of her and they spend a lot of time together. She

kaar gesit nie. Baie tyd en moeite is agter die skerms

accompanied the senior girls to Cape Town twice

ingesit om hierdie aand een vir die

for their dress fittings at Lena

boeke te maak.

-Lisa for their formal dresses.

The mastermind behind this amaz-

She really walked the extra

ing

Brüwer.

mile for the show. She also

Mariette Brüwer is no longer a

said that this year she really

teacher at Worcester Gymnasium,

could feel the connection

but is still considered part of the

with all the participants and

Bosvark family. Planning such a big

it was very emotional for her

event can be very stressful, so luck-

seeing that this was her sec-

ily she had a few helping hands,

ond last year directing the

“t an ni e ”

entire show. She is getting

evening

is

miss

M o rk el

and

mi s s

married on the 21 of April

Steenkamp.

st

2018 and would not be able Mr and Miss WG took approximately one year to organise. Miss Bruwer

lives

in

Robertson

and

Mariette Brüwer, hooforganiseerder

to spend so much time on planning

everything

alt-

hough she would still be

passie uit te leef en ander

year of being part of the show and

te help. Sy het dadelik

once again she amazed the crowd.

Die MC vir die aand is amper net so belangrik soos die Top 27! Hierdie jaar het die MC beslis nie teleurgestel nie. Neels van Jaarsveld was ‘n crowd favourite en het gehelp om die aand onvergeetlik te maak. ‘n Onderhoud is by die

kleedrepitisie met hom gevoer om

Neels van Jaarsveld, MC van die aand

available to help. This was her sixth

deel van die groep gevoel en het lekker saam gelag. Hierdie talentvolle ballerina het beslis ‘n blink toekoms.

Baie tyd, moeite en geld is in hierdie aand ingesit.

Daar was vir ongeveer 5

ure per week vir 7 weke

te hoor hoe hy oor die hele aand

geoefen om hierdie aand

voel. Neels was in 2017 ‘n beoor-

werklik

delaar by Mnr en Mej WG en hy was

SPECTACULAR

SPECTACULAR te

maak.

so beïndruk dat hy gevra het of hy hierdie jaar as

Maar hierdie journalis kan beslis getuig, dit was alles

die MC sou kon optree. Wat vir hom uitstaan van

die moeite werd toe die gordyn op die 27ste Maart

Worcester Gimnasium is die gees en gasvryheid van

uiteindelik oopgaan.

die skool. Hy hoop om weer genooi te word na toekomstige soortgelyke events. Hy het ook erken

By Leandrie du Toit

dat Worcester mense van die vriendelikste mense in Suid-Afrika is. Hy hoop om gou weer by die Bosvarke te kom kuier.

The senior girls looked spectacular in their casual clothes and formal dresses. The girls went for a fitting and had lots of fun trying on different clothes that suits them. Lena-Lisa custommade the girls’ dresses according to what she thought will fit them. Lena-Lisa said that she

really enjoyed working with the girls and having the chance to be creative with the dresses.

Senior Meisie Finaliste saam met Lena-Lisa

She also helped the girls behind stage to get dressed and she gave advice about their hair-

Shakeera, Shakeera! Na ure en ure se oefening het Shakeera Williams die onmoontlike reggekry. Sy het drie danse uitgewerk en geleer aan leerders wat twee linker voete het!

Shakeera het self verlede jaar aan Mnr en Mej WG deelgeneem en dus het sy baie raad en wyshede gehad om te deel. Dans is haar passie en sy het dit baie geniet om haar

Shakeera Willaims, Choreograaf, tree op by Mnr & Mej WG

styling and jewellery.

Twee nuwe onderwysers is hierdie jaar verwelkom by ons Gimmie-familie. Altwee is van ander dorpies en ons wou hulle beter leer ken en vir ons Circumlesers ‘n kans gee om meer van hulle te weet.

ME. VENTER Oorspronklik van Pretoria het juffrou Venter – braveheart – vars van universiteit vir die eerste keer by ‘n hoërskool kom klasgee - hier by Gimnasium. Sy is ‘n kombinasie van Cinderalla en Aurora (Disneyprinsesse) volgens ‘n Buzzfeed vasvra wat sy voltooi het. “You are the embodiment of perseverance and grace” verduidelik die resultaat, so hier is ‘n bietjie meer oor hierdie juffrou.

Juffrou Venter is oorspronklik van Pretoria en het aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch studeer waarvandaan sy na Worcester gekom het om haar onderwysloopbaan in Worcester Gimnasium af te skop, vêr van alles wat haar na aan die hart lê.

Watter drie woorde beskryf jou die beste?

Sonder twyfel het sê sy, met ‘n selfvoldane glimlag: “Klassiek, gaaf en bedagsaam.”

So hoekom dan nou die onderwys?

Sy was bevrees dat dit cliché mag klink, maar sy wil net ‘n verskil maak in die lewens van die kinders in haar klas.

Ek wou eintlik in my kinderdae ‘n veearts geword het, maar op universiteit het ek besef, nadat ek vir eerstejaars vir twee jaar klas gegee het, dat onderwys my ware roeping is.

My ma is ‘n juffrou en ek het altyd gespeel ek is ‘n juffrou en toe besef ek dat dit eintlik is wat ek wil doen en nou is ek hier!

Die malste ding wat juffrou nog ooit aangevang het?

Om op ‘n impulsiewe vakansie na die Waterberge in Limpopo te gaan. Ons het die Donderdag besluit en die Vrydagaand gevlieg.

Watter herinnering uit juffrou se kinderjare lê die naaste aan die hart?

Dit was eintlik enige vakansie in Die Wildtuin. Elke Juniemaand, nounog, gaan ons Wildtuin toe vir twee weke lank om te kamp. Dit is my mooiste herinnering… die regte Wildtuin, in Mpumalanga, nie die Wildtuin hier nie. Sy is

beslis trots op daai een.

So, juffrou is ‘n buitelug persoon?

Beslis!

As juffrou die wêreld vir een dag kon regeer, wat sou juffrou verbied?

Mense wat lelik is met diere. Ek’s baie lief vir diere. Ek het self ‘n gemmerkat genaamd Tobie.

Wie is juffrou se gunstelling medewerker?

Definitief Juffrou Steenkamp, want sy help my baie.

So van alle skole, hoekom Worcester Gimnasium?

Ek is baie lief vir Worcester en ook al die berge om die dorp.

Kies een person, dood of lewendig, wat juffrou graag mee aandete sou wou geniet?

Mmm, dis moeilik. Ek het so baie. Dis ook ‘n cliché, maar Audrey Hepburn, want ek wil weet hoe dit was om in ‘A

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ te speel.

Uit natuur is die woordeskat van ‘n taalonderwyseres baie uitgebrei en die Circum joernaliste was brandend om te weet wat die langste word is wat juffrou ken: Nee! sy begin lag. Mmm…

appelkooskonfytenstrooptoebroodjie - alles een word.

Meeste gene het nie eens geweet hierdie word bestaan nie (die joernaliste ingesluit)!

Wat is die beste advies wat juffrou al ooit gekry het?

Om nie bang te wees om te doen wat jy wil doen nie – maak nie saak wat gebeur nie, just do it.

Ter afsluiting hier is een van juffrou se “pet peeves” wat die liewe Circumlesers asseblief in gedagte moet hou: “Daar’s baie woorde wat ek nie kan verdra nie. Ek kan dit nie eens sê nie… die woord “patty”. ‘n Mens noem dit ‘n hamburg-

ervleisie. Dis my ultimate!“ Daar het julle dit lesers: Diereliefhebber, buitelugmens, maklike geselskaphouer en ‘n pragtige persoon. Nota gemaak! Ons hoop juffrou voel gou-gou tuis hier by ons. Welkom, by die Bosvarkfamilie!

MNR. WENTZEL

Nee, my eerste keuse, want ek kan aan niemand anders dink as my childhood movie hero nie, is Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Mnr Wentzel is ook glad nie meer ‘n onbekende figuur in die gange van Worcester Gimnasium nie. Sy grappies en talente op die sportveld het vinnig aanklank by die Bosvarke gevind, maar daar’s nog baie te wete oor hierdie gedrewe meneer:

(Awww…)Maar hy moet in sy Terminator suit kom.

Watter drie woorde beskryf meneer die beste?

Avontuurlustig, hmm, en ontspanne.

Wie is meneer se gunsteling kollega en hoekom? Ons weet meneer ken nog nie almal so goed nie, maar uit al die wonderlike kollegas, kan meneer een kies?

Ek sou sê Meneer Joubert. Hy’t my baie gehelp. Hy’s eintlik iemand na wie ek sou gaan vir mentorskap. Hy sit ook langs my in die personeelkamer.

Wat is van meneer se pet

peeves?

Sjoe, daar’s baie. Byvoorbeeld in die verkeer as mense voor jou indruk. Of wanneer jy in ‘n lyn staan en mense kom so half voor jou in. Daar’s nie regtig ‘n lyn nie, soos by ‘n snoepie (soos ons lesers ook hulself kan indink), druk hulle net voor jou in terwyl jy wag.

Die uitdrukking op meneer se gesig het die onderhoudvoerders sommer laat lag.

En cellphone operators wat bel!

Dis verskriklik. Diens in die algemeen by sekere plekke.

Customer service?

Ja! So daar’s baie goed wat my irriteer sê hy en lag.

Shame, sir! Meneer is nie alleen nie.

Wat het meneer laat Gim kies?

Plek. Ja, ons het hierna getrek van Paarl af toe my vrou hier ‘n pos gekry het. Ek het voorheen by ‘n hoërskool in Kraaifontein gewerk, so om elke dag so ver te ry, jy kan jou verbeel – 160 km per dag, tolhek ensovoorts, so ek moes van die skole in Worcester gekies het.

Watter kos kan meneer nie sonder lewe nie?

Kaas! Daar kan ‘n tekort aan enigiets in die yskas wees, maar as daar niks kaas is nie, voel ek arm.

Is daar iets oor meneer wat mense sal verbaas?

Ek kan sing?

Whoa…

Ja, dit verbaas jou, ons het vir ons kerkband gespeel.

Kies een persoon – lewendig of dood – wat meneer graag aandete saam sou wou deel?

Ha! Dis snaaks! Ek en my vrou het ‘n speletjie gespeel en dit was een van die vrae. Julle gaan seker lag. Ek is skaam om te sê… miskien moet ek iemand anders kies, met ‘n beter reputasie…

As meneer agter in ‘n polisiekar gesien moes word, waarvoor sou mense dink is meneer gearresteer?

Ek sien waarnatoe hierdie vrae gaan. Dit trek ‘n risk profile

vir die onderwysers.

Moenie bekommerd wees nie, meneer. Die kinders het gestem dat Jufrrou Neethling vir graffiti in hegtenis geneem sou word.

O, graffiti? Nice! Ek dink bergfietsry in onwettige terreine.

Ek hou daarvan om nuwe plekke te verken.

Is daar ‘n beroep wat meneer in sou misluk en hoekom? ‘n Dokter! Ek het nie die geheue om te onthou waar al die goed hoort nie! Ek sou seker die verkeerde been amputeer of ‘n slagaar in plaas van ‘n aar sny.

Die persoon sou dood bloei. So ja, in sjirurgie sal ek terrible wees.

Watse klein dingetjies maak meneer se dag?

As ek my dogter sien. Sy’s nou amper twee. Ja, as ek haar sien en my vrou. Vriendelike leerders maak ook ‘n onderwyser se dag.

Wat is die beste advies wat meneer ontvang het?

“Ask her out”. (onderhoudvoerders lag) Nee, ek’s ernstig. Een van my vriende het vir my gesê dat ek my (nou) vrou moet uitvra.

Dit het mooi uitgedraai. (Wenk vir al die Circumlesers wat te bang is om daardie spesiale meisie uit te vra).

Nou maar toe: Gesinsmens, komediant, sanger, bergfietsryer, kaas-fanatic en soveel meer wat ons nog sal ontdek. Ons

weet meneer sal sommer gou inval by ons familie en ‘n groot aanwins wees.

Nou is hulle nie meer net die nuwe onderwysers wat verby jou in die gang stap nie, maar soveel meer. Ons glo dat ons nuwe onnies die Bosvarkgees sommer gou sal inneem en in ‘n oogwink Gimmies van formaat sal word. Baie, baie welkom!

By Emily Voigt & Mikyall Harris

E

ver since Adam bit the apple for Eve, guys have been going to the extreme lengths to “impress” the opposite sex. All guys have been there. It’s a position every guy has found himself in at one point of his life, or so I’ve heard. Guys will do just about anything to get the attention of the girls they like. In fact, it often seems sometimes as if they forget the whole idea of self-preservation and dignity when it comes to their romantic pursuits. Unfortunately, this backfires pretty frequently. This, however, can be avoided if they were to follow the few chosen Matric personalities’ guidelines on some of the best ways on how to pursue the opposite sex.

The most common “guideline” these various personalities all mentioned was to get to know her a little bit better other than the casual exchange of greetings, staring or smiling.

One of the chosen personalities, our Prince Charming,

Ethan Simpson,

said, “…get to

know what type of person she is. Find out how she feels about you before you jump the gun and pull out all the stops to pursue her.”

“The fastest way a guy, when trying to court the girl he likes, can go from hero to zero is by pes-

tering the girl to the point where she is irritated and wants nothing to do with them,” says the expert in the field, Mr Casanova,

Caden Ferus.

A great example our Mr Outgoing gave when interviewed was, “… show her that your feelings are real and make her feel special.” When asked how he would “make her feel special,” he replied, “I would take her to a waterfall… we would have a special picnic and just enjoy the scenery and each other’s company.”

As a guy you must be able to hold a conversation and be an interesting chat. You should remember that first impressions last the longest, therefore it would be to your advantage if you made a great one.

“… show her that your feel-

ings are real and make her feel special.”

The truth of the matter, however, is that you can impress a girl simply by being able to hold an interesting, intelligent and, hopefully, exciting conversation. Mr Intellectual,

smann

Hans Klü-

“Don’t change yourself in order to

impress a girl if she doesn’t like you for who you are. ”

said, “You have to be easy to com-

municate with and have the same interests…”

When asked what their opinions on girls were, the most common answers were beautiful, easier to communicate with than guys, strong minded, good people, responsible and they know what they want and, of course Mr Bad Boy, Tsepiso Motasi, had to be the odd one out and state, “…they are the most complicated creatures and sometimes kill-joys!”

Mr Player concludes by saying, “Put yourself out there. You shouldn’t be scared of rejection, because let’s face it, in the beginning everybody was shy and I too was a shy person. The more you communicate with people, the less awkward you become. If you are a shy person, yeah, it’s cute, but it won’t get you where you want to be.”

Be chivalrous. You don’t have to slay a dragon or rescue them from an evil king. Simply open the door for them, pull out their chair, let them wear your coat if they’re cold, or take their

The Hunks’ words of wisdom were that as a guy you need to put yourself out there, but you mustn’t be too conceited, nor too shy. Mr Intellectual’s advice was “be yourself” and those are true words for you can’t always “rock” the outfit of the pretender every time you try impress a girl. “If she doesn’t like you for who you are, then sadly she’s not the one,” says our beloved Bad Boy.

“… Confidence is the key. Even if you don’t have it – act like you have it .” hand to help them out of the car. In simple terms, be a gentleman, but not a fake one in order to just get what you want.

Lastly, be confident and be yourself. No girl likes a shy guy when they too are shy. “…Confidence is the key. Even if you don’t have it – act like you have it because girls can see it and that’s what attracts them to you…” was Mr Player,

Ethan Jacob’s

words of ad-

vice. The key difference between confidence and arrogance or narcissism is that when you’re confident you’re proud of your accomplishments or whatever it is you’ve done, but then you shift the focus of the conversation back onto her (or someone else). It’s not all about you, because you know who you are and are fine letting others take some credit as well.

Mr Jokester says, “Don’t change yourself in order to impress a girl if she doesn’t like you for who you are. If she likes you, then she’ll give you the necessary attention.”

There you have it! You’re now fully equipped with some guidelines on how to pursue her, straight from the mouths of the experienced.

Go get her!

Article by Lona Sukani Photos by Lize Joubert

Our first variable is the number of internationally recognised public holidays per month. And I don’t mean the cliché holidays. I mean the holidays that no-one knew about, but that were secretly affecting us this whole time.

January: 1st – Global Family Day; 2nd – World Braille Day; 11th – International Thank-You Day; 30th – World Leprosy Day (TOTAL: 4) February: 12th – Darwin Day; 21st – International Mother Language Day; 22nd – World Thinking Day (TOTAL: 3)

A

dmit it. At least once in your life you have argued with someone, in play or in a fully-heated debate, about which month is the best to have your birthday in. And, most probably, both of you walked away somewhat miffed, and neither of you victorious.

One could argue along the lines of which month is the most “beautiful”, in relation to seasons. But this is based mostly on people’s opinions, and cannot be weighed as evidence. Also, seasons differ in different hemispheres around the globe. Another line of thinking would be to argue which month hosts the birthdays of celebrities, but then, how will THEY decide which month is the best if their birthday months themselves were one of the factors to decide which month was the best?

This article will solve these situations forever. It will prove, using physics, which month is scientifically the best birthday month.

In this investigation, universal and concrete evidence must be used to determine the outcome. This then rules out seasons, time zones and hours of daylight as deciding factors.

Many variables could be considered, but a group of specialised scientists in the Pseudo Scientific field (including Dr Ian Steyn), counted the following two variables to be the most influential.

 Monthly Public Holidays (counted as a positive in number of internationally recognised per month).

 Famous Monthly Disasters (counted as a negative in number of lives lost).

Each set of data will be used to create a sketch of a transversal wave, moving in opposite directions. The waves will then interfere to create a new wave at the points when corresponding months meet, and this new wave will then be used to decide the order for the best birthday months.

If these scientific terms are getting you down, then in laymen terms we are going to draw two squiggly lines, smush them together to create one overlapping squiggly line, and used the squiggles of the squiggly line to decide which month is the best. Very scientific.

March: 1st – International Day of the Seal; 8th – International Women’s Day; 20th – World Frog Day; 21st – World Down Syndrome Day; 22nd – World Water Day; 23rd – World Meteorological Day; 24th – Earth Hour (TOTAL: 7) April: 2nd – International Children’s Book Day; 7th – World Health Day; 12th – Yuri’s Night; 17th – International Special Librarian’s Day; 21st – International Creativity and Innovation Day; 22nd – Earth Day; 23rd – World Book Day; 25th – World Penguin Day (TOTAL: 8) May: 3rd – World Press Freedom Day; 5th – International Midwives Day; 8th - World Red Cross Day; 10th – World Lupus Day; 12th – International Nurses Day; 13th – IEEE Global Engineering Day; 15th – International Day of Families; 18th – International Museum Day; 21st – World Day for Cultural Diversity; 22nd – International Day for Biological Diversity; 23rd- World Turtle Day; 24th – World Schizophrenia Day; 25th – Towel Day; 31st – World No-Tobacco Day (TOTAL: 14) June: 8th – World Ocean Day, 14th – World Blood Donor Day; 16th – International Day of the African Child; 17th – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought; 20th – World Refugee Day; 21st – International Yoga Day; 26th – International Day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking (TOTAL: 9) July: 11th – World Population Day; 16th – World Snake Day (TOTAL: 2) August: 5th – International Friendship Day; 8th – Universal and International Infinity Day; 9th – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People; 10th – International Biodiesel Day; 12th – International Youth Day; 13th – International Lefthanders Day; 14th – World Lizard Day; 23rd – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition (TOTAL: 8) September: 8th – International Literacy Day; 13th – International Chocolate Day; 15th – Software Freedom Day; 16th – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer; 19th – Talk like a Pirate Day; 21st – World Gratitude Day; 22nd – World Car-Free Day; 29th – Inventors Day (TOTAL: 8) October: 1st – International Music Day; 2nd – World Farm Animals Day; 3rd – World Temperance Day; 4th – World Animal Day; 5th – World Teacher’s Day; 10th – World Mental Health Day; 16th – World Food Day; 17th – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty; 24th – United Nations Day; 29th – International Internet Day (TOTAL: 10) November: 8th – World Town Planning Day; 16th – International Day for Tolerance; 19th – World Toilet Day; 21st – World Television Day; 25th – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women; 30th – International Computer Security Day (TOTAL: 6)

December: 1st – World Aids Day; 2nd – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery; 5th International Volunteers Day; 7th – International Civil Aviation Day; 10th – Human Rights Day (TOTAL: 5)

Significant Disasters Per Month

Significant Holidays Per Month The second variable, counted as a negative, will be the number of deaths caused by famous accidents within the month. Each number will be divided by ten when compared to the number of public holidays, in order to make addition easier.

ons, and it flattens half of the city. Approximately 2000 people are killed.

When the two waves are added together, the resulting wave is as follows:

19 January 1917: A munitions factory in Silvertown, Essex, explodes, killing 73 people.

22 February 2011: Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, kills 185 people.

11-14 March 1888: Great Blizzard of ’88 freezes the United States and kills 400 people.

14-15 April 1912: RMS Titanic collides with an iceberg and sinks.

1500 people die.

7 May 1915: Lusitania, a British ocean liner, is torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk. 1195 people die, and America enters WW1.

4 June 1967: Plane crashes near Stockport, England, killing 72 people. This is the fourth worst disaster in British aviation history.

25 July 2000: Concorde plane from Air France runs over debris on the runway and catches fire, crashing into a hotel shortly after takeoff. 113 people are killed.

23 and 26 August 1945: The USA drop two atomic bombs on first Hiroshima, then on Nagasaki. 113 000 people killed on those days.

11 September 2001: Terrorists hi-jack planes, and fly them into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. A fourth plane crashes in a field when the passengers try to re-take control of the jet. 2996 people are killed.

October 2016: Hurricane Matthew, a category 5 major hurricane, kills 603 people in the Caribbean area.

9-10 November 1938: This is Kristallnacht, Night of the broken Glass and the official start of the Holocaust. 91 Jews are murdered on this night.

6 December 1917: Two ships collide in the Halifax harbour, and one catches alight. It is carrying high explosives. The resulting explosion is the largest before the development of nuclear weap-

The Winning month is the month with the highest wave, in other words, the wave with the highest amplitude. And so we have determined that…(DRUMROLL)…

JUNE is the best month to have one’s birthday in.

Science is useful to us in many ways. It allows us to harness the power of the sun, and helps us to understand the human body. But more than that, its principles can be used in our everyday lives to solve problems. Problems such as the battle for the best birthday.

And I’m sure all you June babies agree that science proves very useful in matters such as these.

By Simone Boitha

B

yna alle leerders het al gewonder of meneer Du Toit net so grappig by die huis soos by die skool is, en of juffrou L. Van Wyk elke

oggend haar hare water gee. Dit het my laat wonder: Hoe spandeer onderwysers hulle vryetyd? Wat gebeur in dié grootmense se daaglikse lewe? Ek moes dadelik ondersoek instel, en het met die deur in die huis geval. Ek het 'n projek begin om onderwysers se daaglikse lewens te ontleed, nie net om te sien hoe dit met ons lewens vergelyk nie, maar ook om te bestudeer hoe hierdie vreemde kreature se lewens met mekaar s'n vergelyk. Daarom het ek vir een van Worcester Gim se jonkste onnies (juffrou Steenkamp), asook vir een van ons oudste onderwysers (meneer Reichert) vir 'n hele

dag fyn dopgehou. My vindinge was as volg: klasgee as "baie praat, moet kan lag, en moet

Juffrou Grethe Steenkamp (23) Juffrou Steenkamp staan soggens ongeveer kwart voor ses op en gaan werk. Haar "morning routine" is eenvoudig: maak reg, eet ontbyt in die koshuis se eetsaal en stap dan skool toe. Op pad skool toe gesels sy en Juffrou Keet oor die dag wat voorlê, of sy luister na die vroegoggend-straatgeluide.

In die klaskamer leer sy leerders van spel, homonieme, antonieme en alles taal-gebonde. Sy beskryf

geduldig wees. Baie geduldig." Tee en "chill" in die personeelkamer is die hoogtepunt van haar dag, want nes leerders lewe meeste onnies ook vir pouse. Juffrou Steenkamp dagdroom gereeld, meestal oor slaap en rustig wees (klink

dit

bekend?)

Ná skool rig sy netbal af, gaan gym sy of is sy op koshuisdiens. Nes almal het dié juffrou ook tyd met haar vriendinne nodig, en hulle probeer eenkeer per week 'n girls' night hou. Maar soos meeste Gim-

mies weet, is daar nie altyd tyd vir sosialisering nie.

twak nie). Hy maak tyd vir vriende en hulle is lief vir

Wanneer sy laatmiddag weer by die koshuis kom,

avonture soos die Rooibus in Kaapstad of Spice

maak sy merkwerk klaar en gaan sy deur Insta-

Route in Stellenbosch.

gram as daar 'n oop tydjie is.

Die laaste ding wat meneer Reichert saans doen, is En snags rondom elfuur, ná 'n besige dag van klas-

om 'n handjievol pille te drink en in die kooi te duik

gee, gesels juffrou Steenkamp met haar kêrel om

wanneer hy klaar gewerk is (of, soos meneer

af te pak en op te vang. Haar dag-tot-dag lewe is

Reichert dit stel, "wanneer die naguil hoe-hoe sê").

"straight forward", en sy's doodtevrede.

Hy's passievol oor sy werk, hy leef elke dag voluit en hy geniet sy dag-tot-dag lewe.

MENEER PIETER REICHERT (OUD GENOEG OM TE KAN SÊ DIE LEWE IS 'N LIED!)

Ek het die resultate fyn ontleed, en met 'n skok tot die volgende besef gekom: ONDERWYSERS IS

Dié Vader Kersfees-look alike staan, nes die jong

DOODGEWONE MENSE! Wie sou kon raai dat 'n

juffies, meeste oggende ook kwart voor 6 op. Hy

dag in hierdie onbekende spesie se lewe baie die-

maak vinnig reg vir skool en spandeer minder as 'n

selfde verloop as die algemene grootmens s'n? Dit

minuut aan sy hare, aangesien daar nie baie is om

was 'n wetenskaplike deurbraak! Hierdie nuwe ken-

mee te werk nie. Op pad skool toe luister hy RSG,

nis stel leerders in staat om onderwysers beter te

Aktualiteit of "Sake van die

verstaan, en dit is duidelik

Dag" op die radio.

sigbaar dat die gaping tus-

By die skool is hy baas van

sen onnies en skoolkinders

eksponente, vierkantswortels,

nie so groot is soos wat

meetkunde en alles wat met

leerders

Wiskunde verband hou. Hy

Onderwysers

beskryf klasgee as "'n Fees!"

moeg, het ook drome, hou

en sê dat sy Wiskunde Gelet-

van sosialiseer en het elke

terdheid-klasse

nou en dan 'n blaaskaas

daagliks

sy

hoogtepunt is. Hy dagdroom

dink raak

nie. ook

nodig.

baie en dink gereeld terug aan al die lekkertes van die

‘n Dag in die lewe van ‘n

verlede.

onderwyser is toe toe eintlik baie dieselfde as ‘n dag in

Smiddae ná skool lyk elke dag

die lewe van ‘n leerder. Die

anders - hy probeer elke dag voluit benut en

enigste verskil: hulle het nie 'n ma in die huis om

hanteer die verskillende uitdagings soos hulle kom.

hulle te troos as dinge bietjie woes gaan nie.

Hoewel hy nie sport afrig nie, het hy steeds 'n jam-

packed middag wat koerant lees en nuus kyk betref. Mnr. Reichert is baie lief vir musiek en luister graag "goeie musiek" (waar die mans se stemme manlik en die vroue s'n vroulik klink - nie doef-doef

Deur Kyle Duvenhage

Die Circum het ‘n onderhoud gevoer met die Baba Bosvarkies om uit te vind hoe hulle die skool, die personeel en die leerders ervaar. Die eerste kwartaal van hul hoërskool loopbaan was beslis bedrywig en opwindend. Daar word gemeen dat die verandering ‘n aanpassing was, maar dat die graad 8’s van 2018 nou tuis voel by Worcester Gimnasium en reg is vir die res van die jaar!

8A-klasse: Vir watter matriek is julle die versigtigste?

Edna Rossouw Watter onderwyser is in die geheim ‘n mythical creature, soos ‘n vampier of ‘n feëtjie?

Juffrou Neethling Wat is vir julle die twee moelikste vakke?

Geskiedenis & EBW

8E-klasse: Which Hogwarts Houses would Worcester Gym, Drostdy and Montana respectively be?

Worcester Gym - Gryffindor (bravery + loyalty) Montana - Ravenclaw (wit) Drostdy - Slytherin (ambition + cunning) Who did you think was going to win Mister and Miss WG? Mr WG: Zander Ms WG: Kaylin Ms WG Junior: Lidia Which teacher would win the Hunger Games?

Mr N. du Toit Who, in your grade, is most likely to become the president of South Africa?

Morgan Furley

Hoeveel van julle doen huiswerk in register?

Rofweg 60% (d.m.v. opname)

Wie’s die oulikste paartjie in graad 8?

Elze & André

Ek het geleer dat selfvertroue belangrik is. Só kan jy gemaklik wees rondom vreemde mense en ook makliker nuwe vriende maak.

Die kleure-atletiek was regtig iets wat ek vir altyd sal onthou.

The most challenging so far this year has been to remember my red band.

Studying for History is also a struggle!

By Bianca du Plessis

Dié Baba Bosvarkies is propvol energie en baie entoesiasties vir die tweede kwartaal!

Pietie EMMA HAMMAN ANJA JOUBERT

CARLA WOLSTENHOLME Pietie CARLA WOLSTENHOLME

ELLA SMITH

MICHÉ WIUM

B

ye bye summer and helloooo long cold nights spent at the fire with

your loved ones and favourite snacks, because yes, winter is the season of famous weight gain (even though we desperately try to ignore the few kilograms that we have gained), but that’s okay! All of us are beautiful in our own way and we all have a passion for good-tasting food. After all ladies, the way to a man’s heart is through his belly.

In this term of Cooking with Bee, I decided to make chicken strips covered in Dorito pieces which are completely to die for and

would definitely silence those autumn cravings.

This is the perfect snack for when you are going to be alone at home and you know deep down that you can’t even cook rice.

Quick, effortless and yummy!

Bee’s Dorito Chicken Strips Ingredients 

Chicken strips



2 eggs



Steers Tikka sauce



Sweet Chili sauce



Flour



Crushed Doritos

Method 

Preheat oven to 180°C



Mix Steers Tikka sauce with Sweet

Chili sauce for a marinade for the chicken strips. Allow to marinade for overnight. 

Dip chicken pieces in egg, fol-

lowed by dipping in flour and then coat with Dorito pieces. 

Bake in oven for 20 minutes and

voila!

Happy Cooking!

by Be-Arthur Davids photos by Gaby Jacobs

The Circum is looking for new journalists.

If you think you’ve got what it takes, please follow the instructions below to apply.

VOER ’N ONDERHOUD MET ‘N ONDERWYSER / ‘N LEERDER WAT GEDURENDE DIE VAKANSIE PRESTEER HET . MOENIE NET ‘N ONDERHOUD VOER MET ‘N WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT A SCHOOL RELATED ISSUE. VRIEND OF VRIENDIN NIE. REMEMBER THAT YOUR OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING IS CRUCIAL FOR THIS PART OF THE APPLICATION. BEIDE DIE ONDERHOUD EN DIE ARTIKEL MOET VOOR 25 MEI GESTUUR WORD NA CIRCUM@WORCGIM.CO.ZA (ONTHOU ASB JOU NAAM!) MAAK SEKER BY MNR VAN NIEKERK DAT JOU AANSOEK ONTVANG IS.