The vast majority of the community sent their children to school in Vryburg, at the very least for primary school. In the case of the Jocum's, Isaac and Ruth were weekly borders. One exception was Joe Davidovitz, who was first sent to school in Kimberley at primary school age and then Herber House. Joe recalls taking the six hour train journey from Vryburg to Kimberley and recalls he and the other kids on the train smoking cigarettes at a very young age.

 

For many years, it was not uncommon for folks to also attend Vryburg High School, which ran an English medium stream. Ingrid Rosenberg made the community very proud by being elected Head Girl in her final year in 1964. Others attended high school in Kimberley, opting either for Kimberly Boys High (KHS)  or Christian Brothers College (CBC). Derek Rosenberg won the prestigious Dux medal at KHS. Some went to Bloemfontein, to Eunice, Potchefstroom or King David.

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There is consensus that Vryburg provided an incredible childhood. The following snippets speak volumes:

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Issy Lieberthal:  "I try my best to tell my kids all about Vryburg and the pranks we got up to, Habonim outings to Grassy Bend Farm (Benno Sussman’s farm), bicycle rides to Sputnik Hill. When we were totally out of control, [I recall] my mother saying you must have been playing with the Katz boys. My mother Nitie giving extra maths lessons. I remember playing cricket in the Leibowitz back yard or Kennetjie in the street outside Granny’s house. Sunday Tea at the old folks, while the mothers were knitting jumpers that never fitted properly and the men playing cards."

 

Mickey Katz famously fell down a tree at his family home – 43 McKenzie Street. "The kids were trying to see who could climb highest and the branch gave way. I fell down and emerged with the branch impaled in my leg."

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Merle Katz: What was the most treasured part, and I have reflected on this over the years and spoken about it, was the absolute freedom we had growing up. Riding our bikes anywhere.  Going to the Main Road, my Dads shop, Vryburg Wholesalers, and the bakery owned by the Siopis family.  Their daughter, Penny, was one of my best friends.  We were really naughty!!

 

After school, and homework, we used to have friends come over to our house. We had all activities, and spent many many, happy afternoons fooling around, jumping over bars, walking on wooden sticks.  Late Charles Allen taught me to ride my bike there, straight into my Moms, roses!!

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Helen Kristiller: "It was a time when formality was not around and when we wanted to visit or go and play with cousins or friends, we walked or rode our bikes.  When it rained and we went to school, we took our shoes and socks off and walked." 

 

Henry Wald: "Where we lived Church Street, there was a big yard where truckloads of bags of sorghum, as well as mealies were unloaded, stored & distributed. We often played amongst the mountains of bags of produce, playing Tarzan. Crazy, but happy memories. My dad also built a cow shed for our milk supplying cow on the property. The day the cowshed was ready to receive the cow, she died. It then became a playing shed for all of us. Judith, my eldest sister used to jump off the low sloping roof & sprain her ankle on occasions. The Hechters and later the (Max & Leah) Cohen families were our next door neighbors on the one side."

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Issy Lieberthal: "The three Katz boys were characters in their own rights. Mickey, after going to the circus,  took the tires off his bike and tried to use the wash as a trapeze wire, no doubt fell. They then found him trying to ride his bike in the roof gutter that was Mickey. Sammy was friends with my younger twin brothers Hugh and Wynne and were always in trouble."

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Helen Kristiller: "As far as I remember, there were no serious farribles and animosity towards anyone and when we, as kids had a birthday party or celebration, everyone was included."

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Merle Katz: "Saturday nights the big excitement was the Drive- Inn.  My Mom would take supper and after Joe came home from golf, we often headed out. We used to lie on blankets on in the front row with our friends."

 

Ruth Jocum Tyfield: "The Laer Skool Hostel, my brother and I were weekly boarders, my father drove into Vryburg every Friday and then again early on Monday mornings. My memories of the tomato jam and ‘melkkos’ give me a bit of a gag, not a fond memory, I do remember a sweet little old lady Gifty Joubert teaching me while there."

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Helen Kristiller: "Some almost forgotten memories of living in Vryburg a long time ago.  Standing outside in the garden and hearing a screech of someone yelling “who buy mielies? Mielies…mielies.  A few days later a wagon or cart came rolling down the street with a yell of “soetriet, soetriet” and we bought, stood on the pavement, peeled the long stems and chewed the sugarcane.  Of course, a treat was always hearing the ice cream cart coming along with a familiar tune playing and we’d all run out to buy Rondi’s eskimo pies. I remember when I was about 5 years old in 1947, my Dad taking me to the main street to see Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, not really knowing who they were except they were princesses and all the people lined up to watch them.  I remember my favourite porridge being maltebella with milk and a blob of butter which was stirred around in the bowl before being slurped up.  My grandparents had, outside the kitchen, a largish brick square “room” which was called a cooler room where fruit and vegies etc. were stored and kept amazingly cold.  What a good life we led without appreciating how lucky we were as kids to have the freedom to be kids."

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Merle Katz: "When the kids came home from boarding school, there were always parties, which we waited for with great anticipation." 

Please share more and memories and photos.

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