Milton High School - Brief history
It was in September 1927 that some 300 boys and staff moved to Milton's
present home, which is situated between the suburbs and the racecourse.
However it wasn't until 1 June 1928 that the School was formally opened
by Sir John Chancellor as "The Milton School". The school's colours are
plumbago (dark grey) and Oxford blue with the school crest based on an
early version of the City of Bulawayo's crest, whereas the motto is
Greek and translates as "Quit ye like men". The school was initially
divided into four houses; Charter (boarders), Pioneer (boarders), North
Town and South Town, however due to the dominance of the "boarders" four
new houses were introduced in 1938, they were; Birchenough, Borrow,
Fairbridge and Heany.
At the start of 1950 Milton had 420 boys, but by the end of 1951 this
figure rose to 581 creating a "housing crisis", two classrooms were
built in 12 days along with two marquees which were erected on the open
space between the main block and the dining hall. In 1953, after ten
years of planning and fund raising (£5000 from State Lotteries and £1000
from the Baron family as a memorial to their father), Milton's swimming
pool was opened at a cost of £17,500
In 1954 there were 644 pupils, by 1957 this figure had risen to over
700, a year later there were in excess of 900. With over 200 boys per
house four new games houses were launched; Brady, Chancellor, Malvern
and Rhodes.
In 1961 Milton had 1150 boys, which made it the largest school in the
then Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Malvern and Brady Houses were
dropped and the boarding houses of Charter and Pioneer were
re-established once again. 1961 also saw the completion of the new
economics block, commerce department with a staff room, a double storey
administration block and the official opening of the Department of Sixth
Form Studies by the Minister of Education D.B.Goldberg.
The school's debate club has won many public speaking and debate
competitions.It has produced many great speakers. The rugby team is said
to be the greatest team in the country by many magazines.
During 1962 rooms were built to house the woodwork shop, metalwork shop,
technical drawing office, storerooms and construction of locking cycle
sheds, and a rifle range, while stands were erected on the playing
fields. The Old Miltonians were relocated into new premises just across
Third Street from Milton High School. Funds were raised to enable the
first part of a new clubhouse to be built in 1964 and by 1970 there were
facilities for rugby, hockey, cricket, basketball, baseball, bowling and
tennis.
The Milton Address, an annual address delivered to the school, began in
1972 to celebrate the anniversary of the school's founding.
The first Milton Address was delivered by Sir Henry MacDonald. Following
speakers included the Anglican Bishop of Matabeleland Robert Mercer,
economist Tony Hawkins, Mayor of Bulawayo Mike Constandinos, Senator
David Coltart. The 75th anniversary address was given by former Prime
Minister of Southern Rhodesia Sir Garfield Todd. Subsequent addresses
were delivered by notable figures including former President of Zimbabwe
Canaan Banana, Anglican Dean of Bulawayo Robin Ewbank, British High
Commissioner Sir Ramsay Mellhuish, writer Yvonne Vera, Vice Chancellor
of Solusi University Norman Maphosa, and AIDs researcher Riita Dlodlo.
Milton High School is a government all-boys high school located in
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It was the first government all-boys school
established in Bulawayo. It was founded in 1910 and is named after Sir
William Milton, administrator of the British South Africa Company. The
school's motto is Greek and derived from the Biblical excerpt from
Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 16:13, written by St. Paul to Corinthians in
the face of Roman imperialism, and the Authorized Version translates it
as "Quit ye like men". Milton school's connection with St. John's (the
original Milton) is perpetuated in the new church in Rhodes Street where
the central light of a stained glass window in the east transept in
memory of an old boy, Alfred Perry, depicts the school's crest and
motto.
Milton School started life on 25 July 1910, named after Sir William
Milton, however the buildings situated on Borrow Street Bulawayo, are
now home to Milton Junior School. Milton and Eveline became the first
state-maintained high schools in Rhodesia. Milton and Eveline were
officially opened on the same day by Sir William Milton, his wife Lady
Eveline, Sir Charles Coghlan and the Mayor and Town Council.