There have been many revivals of the alumni association of Good Hope over the years but they soon died out for lack of sustained interest and support. The current committee is composed of a group of talented, enthusiastic and committed members. Without sounding negative at the outset we need commitment and should be aware of the fact that we are up against even greater challenges than the committees which preceded us.
It is imperative that the Alumni and the School remain united in their objectives. In addition to the principal and staff representatives the entire faculty should be conversant with, and involved in, the efforts of the alumni committee. At many Alumni Homecomings the absence and indifference of some staff members were glaring and disheartening.
In the Good Hope Conference (1959-1997) of the past we had the support of our pastors throughout the Republic of South Africa. These men of the cloth not only promoted Good Hope College wherever they served but enrolled their own children there. Sadly this is not the case today. This hampers both recruitment of pupils for the school and promotion of Alumni projects.
When Good Hope College functioned as a College it attracted scores of sponsors to the graduation exercises over a weekend. The last graduation of ministers took place in 1974 and of teachers in 1976. The College section at Good Hope closed and students could now attend Helderberg College. As a result Good Hope has not attracted as many people for this special occasion for more than forty years. Graduations kept the College and its significance to the church in sharp focus. The school could possibly make a grand event of their Matric results but then we need the kind of performance which will merit this.
The one objective of the Alumni Association which has been most successfully achieved is ”To foster and maintain a spirit of fellowship and loyalty among its alumni.” We see clear evidence of this in our Alumni Homecoming weekends where past students and staff come together and reminisce about the past and enjoy catching up with friends of long ago. We need to capitalise on this and extend the prevailing goodwill to the other equally important objectives of assisting our alma mater as best we can.
As an Alumni Committee we will have to use every means and effort at our disposal to make our aims and events worthwhile supporting. May we as we sing our school song “From the halls of Good Hope College comes the call...” respond with vigour that “We have heard Thy call to service,” bearing in mind “Officium est sacrum” (Duty is sacred.)
