Dale College

General information

The year 2011 will mark the 150th anniversary of this fine school, Dale College. Dale began its existence in 1861, when it was known as the Public Undenominational School for Boys. In 1877, a foundation stone was laid by the Governor of the Cape, Sir Bartle Frere, and the school was named Dale College after the Superintendent-General of Education for the Cape Colony, Sir Langham Dale. The distinctive heron of the Dale family crest became the school’s emblem.

The original Dale College premises were on Queen’s Road, before the school moved into the magnificent Herbert Baker designed building in the adjacent Albert Road in 1908. In 1960 the High School again took up residence in a new building in Queen’s Road and the Junior School occupied the Herbert Baker building. The War Memorial statue, which had stood in the courtyard of the Herbert Baker building, was moved to the Hallowed Courtyard of the new building where it now accentuates the elegant frontage of the school with its unhindered view of the distant Amathole Mountains

The present high school buildings stand on the highest point of the campus. The school facilities include an assembly hall and a gym hall, a library and a computer room and well-equipped classrooms and science labs. A staired pathway, adjacent to the swimming pool, links the school with the two hostels, Joubert House and College House, which, in turn, are located a short distance above the playing fields. The playing fields include four rugby fields (or two cricket pitches), seven cricket nets, an athletics track, tennis courts and a turf hockey field. A community-owned hockey astro-turf is also located within the campus and is used extensively by the school. The Malcom Andrew Sports Centre, adjacent to the main rugby field, is the hub of all sporting encounters on the sports fields.

Makhaya Ntini, South Africa’s devastating fast bowler, is probably the best known Old Dalian of recent times. But he is just one in a long line of Old Dalians who, through the years, have done their Almer Mater proud. In every field of endeavour, be it sport, civics, cultural, commercial or professional, Old Dalians reach for the stars. The latest Old Dalian to make us proud is Jerry Nqolo (class of 2009) who played for the Proteas in the recent U-19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. We will be watching Jerry's career progress with great interest.