Definition
“Interregnum” – defined as “a temporary authority or rule exercised during a vacancy of the throne or a suspension of the usual government (1770)”, or “a breach of continuity; an interval, pause, vacant space (1659).”
The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, Oxford, 1968
The Interregnum: Jan 1999 - April 2001
Bishops celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1999. Much planning had gone into the many events which comprised the celebration. The year started with a special Cathedral service. Every boy in the College, the Prep and the Pre-Prep travelled by train from Rondebosch to Cape Town Station and the school processed up Adderley Street to St George’s Cathedral, with the Bishops 150 banner flying. It was a potent start to the year. This was followed by an aerial photograph of all the boys in the school lined up in the shape of 150, arranged on the Piley Rees. James McGregor, Vice-chairman of Council, formally opened the Woodlands AstroTurf hockey pitch.
The Founders weekend was the central focal point of the celebrations. There was huge support from ODs across a wide range of activities, including a dinner for ODs in a marquee tent on the Piley Rees, followed two days later when all College and Prep boys enjoyed a lunch in the same tent. The College Evensong was recorded and broadcast on 9 May. A plaque was unveiled on the wall of Maynier’s Cottage, the building at Bishopscourt where the first classes of Bishops took place in 1849. There were sports matches and a fete. The school play at the end of the first term, directed by Marion Bradley, was A Man for All Seasons, by Robert Bolt – the same play that was staged at the opening of the new Memorial Theatre in 1987.
When classes started, the laptop project finally became real with the majority of boys in Grade 9 sporting their laptops, and the classrooms set up with power and network cabling to accommodate the devices. Two years’ preparation had enabled a promising start to this transformative approach to teaching and learning.
On top of all this, Bishops hosted a number of sports festivals during the year in celebration: Hockey (March), Rugby (June), and Cricket (September). A celebratory Classical Pops concert filled the City Hall, and the choir went on tour to Britain.
However, not everything was smooth sailing. The start of the year was soured by the aftershock from an unfortunate bullying incident at the end of the previous year, which had gone public, and the school had received a lot of adverse comment in the letters’ section in the newspapers. There was another bullying incident during the first term. Clive Watson addressed the issue of bullying, drug use and parties repeatedly during the year, at Assemblies and in his newsletters.
Another development which took place was the introduction of random voluntary drug testing for the boys to deal with the increasing issue of drugs in Cape Town which affected teenagers. The intention 
behind this project was that it might be a deterrent, but also it might allow pupils to resist temptation from peer pressure. The prefect body decided early in the year to bring an end to ‘fagging’, and to replace it with voluntary mentoring and service leadership. A new student body called the Student Representative Forum was set up to run alongside the prefect body as a vehicle for the student voice to be heard in the affairs of the College. Elections were held during the third term. Dudley Ford, the Rector of Michaelhouse, presented the College with a wooden bench to mark the 150 years.
During the year the laptop programme settled in the everyday routines of classroom as staff moved from the traditional ways of teaching to more creative and constructive patterns of teaching and learning. Michael King was invited to join a Toshiba roadshow to several South African schools with two Australian laptop champions, and then was further invited to present at the Lorne Conference for laptops in Victoria, Australia.
The magazine was improved by the inclusion of colour photographs and improved layout, reproduction, and advertising.
In the spirit of inclusiveness and reconciliation, Clive Watson invited John and Sue Peake to return to Bishops, and Peake was asked to present the prizes at the Eisteddfod Prizegiving as a way of acknowledging his initiative in setting up the Eisteddfod during his time as Principal. The Peakes spent three enjoyable weeks, attending many events and being fully reconciled with the school after his difficult departure in 1988. Link to article.
The year ended with the customary Activities week, of which the Adventure course (to the Cedarberg) was a prominent part. Dave Hiscock, Vice Principal, retired after 37 years at Bishops, Meshack Masiza of the Support staff after 40 years and Alan Douglas after 35 years. Sinclair Tweedie, the Computer Studies teacher also resigned – he had been a firm advocate for the use of computers not as an end in itself, but as a means to an end. Andy Wood also left to become the Head of the International School in Hout Bay.
In January 2000, Michael King went to Seattle for Microsoft’s 5th Anywhere Anytime Learning Conference to deliver a presentation about laptops and teachers. The year started well when the school heard the impressive matric results from the previous year, and the school was soon running at full speed. The intern programme had been expanded with three trainee teachers joining the staff. The Employment Equity Act required the school to put together an EE plan showing how the school was planning to improve its equity in terms of employment and transformation goals, in particular, raising the number of black teaching staff. An attempt was made to introduce a staff assessment and remuneration system, using the Peromnes Grading system.
Issues with regard to parties, alcohol and drug abuse continued to trouble the school and Clive Watson repeatedly addressed these in his newsletters. Another bullying incident happened at the end of the first term, and after a thorough disciplinary process, six senior boys left the College. Relationships between the Principal and various members of staff had often been troubled over the years, and during this year, there was a growing distance between the Council and the Principal. At the end of the second term, Clive Watson resigned. Michael King was asked to stand in as Acting Principal until such time as the next Principal could be appointed. The school organised a farewell function for the Watsons, (see article Extract from Michael King) who stayed on in the Principal’s house until September before moving back to Gauteng.
Life went on. A local Boys’ Schools Conference was held at Bishops; classes, sports and societies continued as ever. The Eisteddfod took place. The atmosphere in the school improved and settled down. The prefect camp took place out at High Noon. The new School Shop opened in the old Sanatorium building and stocked uniforms and sportswear for College, Prep and Pre-Prep. The Interact programme underwent a serious overhaul. The SMILE (the St Mary’s Interactive Language Experience) programme was included in Interact activities. The other innovation came when Peter Hyslop was approached by Kenneth Lukuko, a former Peake scholarship boy from the townships, who invited Interact to become involved in his project, called UpTownship Promotions. Boys from the townships were channeled to receive a programme of tutoring and coaching to assist them to reach their potential. This project helped transform the Interact programme into an effective component of a broader Outreach initiative. Pupils from schools in Langa received extra help from the Bishops Interact boys. A new chapel service, Choral Vespers by candlelight, was introduced, which has since become a much loved part of the yearly programme.
At the end of the year, a large number of staff resigned or retired. Among them was Christina Gwavu who had taught isiXhosa for 20 years, and whose Xhosa concerts had become popular highlights of the year. The hugely popular Director of Music, Garmon Ashby, was awarded a prestigious Masters in Choral Music scholarship at Yale in the USA, and he resigned at the end of the third term to be able to take up this honour. In the magazine, there was a photograph of the 13 boys who had been at Bishops for 13 years, since their Grade R year. This later gave rise to the 13-year Tie awards.
During the fourth term, the appointment of Grant Nupen as the 13th Principal of Bishop was announced. Council set aside funds to upgrade the quarters of the Support Staff in both College and Prep. There was, as always, a full range of sports events: cricket, cycling, sailing, rowing, swimming, tennis, water polo and judo, amongst others.
At the end of the year, David Carter ended his term as Chairman of Council and was succeeded by James McGregor. He was warmly thanked for his service to the College at the College Prizegiving ceremony.
The year 2001 started briskly and the school was in good spirits, awaiting the arrival of the new Principal who was due to take up office at the start of the second term. Wayne Tucker accepted the role of Editor of the Bishops magazine. Among the new appointments were those of Jason Bantjes as the School Counsellor, and Mark Mitchell as the new Director of Music. Whereas Tony Abbott had offered academic support in his TLC (The Learning Centre), Jason’s role was to support the emotional, social, psychological, and intellectual needs of the boys in the school.
There was a successful Bishops Fete at the end of the first term. Once again, the Bishops team at the UCT Maths Competition won the Mona Leeuwenburg trophy – the 10th time out of 15 competitions.
John Peake died on 11 March 2001 in England, and a Memorial service was held for him in the Chapel, where John Gardener and Michael King delivered the eulogies.
