The aim of ·this study is to present a picture of the circumstances and the manner in which the mission was undertaken. With this in mind reference has been made to individual men and their particular importance and also to the decislons of the Church Assembly as they affected Mission. In part, the thesis is fuller for the earlier years, for the writer holds that these were the most formative as they established the pattern. Furthormore the writer wishes to make clear that the Mission become the work of black men with the white Mission Secretary of the 1950's filling an administrative role. This does not mean he was unimportant but for the nature of this study and its desire to ·emphasise the role of the black man, the work of these individual administrators has been largely omitted. In the concluding chapters the writer has shown the effects of political changes and African Nationalism on the Mission with a further chapter on the Mission's educational work. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.53 Paper Capture Plug-in

The early years of St. Columba's. Parkview is situated to the north of Johannesburg, below the Westcliff Ridge, about four miles from the city centre ... by 1920 it was the centre of the rapidly developing northern areas of Johannesburg. One man who was aware of its growth was the minister of Clifton Presbyterian Church, Rev. James Gray. A man of vision and determination, he had been responsible for establishing the first Presbyterian Church in the Transvaal, at Barberton, and now his enthusiasm for Church extension work was directed towards Parkview. In August, 1920, two months after his induction to the charge at Clifton, he reported to his Session that: "The growing suburb of Parkview had no Church to see to the spiritual needs of the people there and in the districts around". He drew to their attention the fact that the Transvaal Consolidated Lands Investment Co. were offering building sites in the area, with loans, so that if the residents of the area were in favour, and were prepared to help obtain the necessary funds, then the time was ripe for establishing a new Church. The vision was swiftly followed by action. Intro., p. 1.

Text in English / Since its inception in 1833 the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa has been a missionary church and has always had its own missionary work. It started to organise the Christianization, Evangelization and Westernization endeavours to take place inside the territories of South Africa. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Missionaries founded, financed, maintained, controlled and administered their educational endeavours without any moral or financial support from the Government. The main purpose of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Missionaries in founding and supporting schools has been to use education as an auxiliary to the evangelization of the indigenous people of South Africa. Elementary schools served as instruments of direct evangelization rather than secular education. Pupils were taught the 3 R's, namely, reading, writing and arithmetic. Education was a useful tool that enabled the converts to read the Bible and other religious material on their own and preferably in their own language. Converts who demonstrated the ability to read, write and do simple arithmetic were trained to become missionaries' helpers. As these earliest converts became proficient and competent, they were posted out into the interior with the instructions to start new church centres and schools. Although the teaching which took place inside these schools was not of high quality, it was definitely better than nothing. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Missionaries together with missionaries of other denominations provided virtually all the education which was available for the Blacks in South Africa. Through missionary endeavours the South African Government have realized that Western education and civilization has been important forces which helped the indigenous people to advance individually and collectively in the social, political and economic fields. Western technology and culture successfully won the indigenous people of South Africa to Western civilization. The acceptance of Christianity and the introduction of the White man's rule in the interior of South Africa effectively stopped the inter-tribal wars. The missionaries have made a noteworthy contribution to the education of the indigenous people of South Africa. They empowered the Blacks to play a worthy part side by side with members of other races (Whites, Coloureds and Indians) in the development of the country they shared. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (History of Education)

Text in English / Since its inception in 1833 the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa has been a missionary church and has always had its own missionary work. It started to organise the Christianization, Evangelization and Westernization endeavours to take place inside the territories of South Africa. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Missionaries founded, financed, maintained, controlled and administered their educational endeavours without any moral or financial support from the Government. The main purpose of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Missionaries in founding and supporting schools has been to use education as an auxiliary to the evangelization of the indigenous people of South Africa. Elementary schools served as instruments of direct evangelization rather than secular education. Pupils were taught the 3 R's, namely, reading, writing and arithmetic. Education was a useful tool that enabled the converts to read the Bible and other religious material on their own and preferably in their own language. Converts who demonstrated the ability to read, write and do simple arithmetic were trained to become missionaries' helpers. As these earliest converts became proficient and competent, they were posted out into the interior with the instructions to start new church centres and schools. Although the teaching which took place inside these schools was not of high quality, it was definitely better than nothing. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Missionaries together with missionaries of other denominations provided virtually all the education which was available for the Blacks in South Africa. Through missionary endeavours the South African Government have realized that Western education and civilization has been important forces which helped the indigenous people to advance individually and collectively in the social, political and economic fields. Western technology and culture successfully won the indigenous people of South Africa to Western civilization. The acceptance of Christianity and the introduction of the White man's rule in the interior of South Africa effectively stopped the inter-tribal wars. The missionaries have made a noteworthy contribution to the education of the indigenous people of South Africa. They empowered the Blacks to play a worthy part side by side with members of other races (Whites, Coloureds and Indians) in the development of the country they shared. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (History of Education)