Old School Room
The original farm school founded by Paul Kruger
by Retired Major John Pennefather, South African War enthusiast.
Locality
Take the N4 west through Rustenburg and take Exit 169 to the Ottoman Highway north. After 10km take the 1st exit at the roundabout onto the R565. After 2.3km the entrance to Kedar Heritage Lodge is on the left. Enquire at reception for access to the Kruger houses.
What can be seen
The Old School Room contains information panels about the history of the Rustenburg area and the life of Paul Kruger. It has an interesting history and is equipped as a venue for historical and other presentations and meetings.
OLD SCHOOL ROOM – BOEKENHOUTFONTEIN
The School Room after renovation
Narrative
The importance of farm schools in the nineteenth and early twentieth century is often under-rated. For many South Africans of that time, they offered the only education available. Farm children travelled long distances every day to be taught by dedicated, but often itinerant, men and women who were often the only literate people in the neighbourhood. Age groups were mixed, and lessons were juggled between younger and more advanced pupils to the best of the teachers’ abilities.
Little is known about the school room at Boekenhoutfontein. It was built during the years that Pieter Kruger lived at the farm and would certainly have catered for children from several farms in the area.
The structure is rudimentary. A single rectangular room with traditional packed clay floor. The roof is made of corrugated iron sheets, many of which have been beaten flat to cover a greater effective area.
Today the building has been fitted out as an information museum concentrating on the role of Black people and women in the South African war.