Page 2 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 2

OND
ERSTEPOORT 100
VBirth of the Faculty (1920-1930)
eterinary training has deep roots in history. the ‘Universities Commission’) which was hearing evidence There are indications that the priests in ancient on tertiary education. In the interview he referred with pride Memphis were training animal doctors around to the three new South African veterinarians, P.R. Viljoen, 3000 BC. From the 13th Century AD, documents G. v.d.W. de Kock and H.H. Curson, who had all qualified in exist which deal with the treatment of sick England at the Royal Veterinary College. He had the strong
animals by Abou Bekr, veterinarian of the Sultan of Egypt. support of J.B. Smith, Secretary of Agriculture, who had been It is noteworthy that the very first South African to become promoting the establishment of training in agriculture ever
“Soon after the founding of the Institute by Theiler it became clear to him that there was an urgent need for the training of veterinarians in South Africa, with its unique diseases and challenges.”
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a qualified veterinarian was a Xhosa. In 1886, at the age of 21, Jotello Soga graduated at the University of Edinburgh. On his return to South Africa he carried
out pioneering studies on toxic plants
and assisted in the campaign to eliminate rinderpest. He was also a founder member of the Veterinary Society of the Cape of Good Hope, which later amalgamated with societies of other regions to become what is known today as the South African Vete- rinary Association.
The history of the Faculty is closely linked
to that of the Onderstepoort Veterinary
Institute and to avoid repetition only the
salient points in its early development will
be discussed here. Soon after the founding
of the Institute by Theiler it became clear
to him that there was an urgent need for the training of veterinarians in South Africa, with its unique diseases and challenges. In fact, in the ‘Old Main Building’ at Onderste- poort, which was erected in 1908 and today is a historical monument, provision was already made for a ‘students’ laboratory’ and a ‘lecture hall’.
In March 1914 he had the first oppor- tunity to present his ideas to a State Com- mission on Higher Education (known as
since taking office.
Later, in 1914, the Senate of the Transvaal University
College (TUC) submitted a memorandum to the TUC Council on the subject of proposed veterinary and agricultural courses. In 1915 a sub-committee was appointed to take up the matter with government and in 1916 a decision was reached to establish a Faculty of Agriculture with a Chair in Veterinary Science. When Theiler retired as Director of the Institute in 1917 he was offered the Chair but declined. In 1918 the chair was then established with P.R. Viljoen as the first Professor of Veterinary Science. In 1919 further representations were made and the TUC Council approved the establishment of a Faculty of Veterinary Science and sent a
delegation to the Minister of Education to obtain his formal approval. In April 1919 the Minister appointed a departmen- tal committee under the chairmanship of G.M. Hofmeyr, Under-Secretary for Education, and consisting of, inter alia, F.B. Smith, A. Theiler, E. Montgomery, P.R. Viljoen, E.C. Gray
The ‘Students’ Laboratory in the Old Main Building, 1908
Lecture hall in the Old Main Building, 1908
PART 2
Faculty of Veterinary Science: General History
1908-2008
Years