What ever happened to veldskool?

Remember back in the day, when in standard 4 and standard 9 we had to go to veldskool? Do kids still go to them nowadays? They were usually run by some ex military type Afrikaans dude who still couldn't get over the boer war, and no one ever quite knew why they were no longer in or let out of the military. It involved living in the bush for a few days and doing a watered down military basics type of exercises mixed in with the usual apartheid propaganda. My best memory of them was seeing beautiful eagles up in the mountains near Louis Trichart on a long hike. I have to say they tested us and I gained confidence from the experience, even though I hated the boring "Bybel Studies" we had to do at farking daybreak! Very little in life for me beats waking up to a nice strong mug of coffee (or did they give us blue tea) early in the morning in the African bush. Maybe some of you would like to tell us some of your veldskool stories here. I can't be the only survivor. Here's a link Veldskool

My daughter will be going this year (tu)

Veldskool more moderate these days LD ...We had nicer trips, like in standard nine went to Durban, ended up getting pissed in London Town pub.... It was suppose to be an education tour...lol

I remember the long hikes.....faking sickness and a police van driving us to the campsite With kreef in the back of the police van i might add! sleeping in this dirty square rooms with rain spiders on the walls bigger than my head! They use to lock us in the rooms and it was pitch dark. U could not see your hand 1mm in front of your face. You just slept in your sleeping bag knowing those moerse spiders are on the wall.

Also remember the bible reading and sermon in the mornings.

On another camp we went to Saldanah somewhere where we werr part of the airforce camp of some sorts. Waking you up in the stupid hours of the morning.....having a ice cold shower then making your bed. If the bed wasnt made to spec.....just 1 tiny thing wrong......they tipped the bed upside down and there we go again.......

Brings back some memories of a very long time ago....thanks LD

We had "School in the Wilds"
FF....goat chowed my rain-coat, needless to say it pissed the whole time we were there.
They rewarded us with dry beans and at the end the team with most beans won. I was lucky enough to spend a few moments alone in the pantry ! Bastards kept a record and we were disqualified. No sense of humor !

My Std 8 trip was more of a precursor to the Army with Oom Tys telling us about the threat of Communism around a Camp fire - Must say it was fun compared to Army and they always kept us occupied rather than the 'hurry up and wait" I experienced when I got my "browns" years later.

Lucky I was also at veldschhol near Louis Trichard I think the place was called Entebene.
Std 8 1976

Attempted brainwashing was terrible but the views were brilliant

Groot Marico 1983.

"Oom Albie" was the leader of the abusive bunch at this bush camp, "Oom Boet" and "Oom Hennie" were the corporals. Typical army-spawned trash as described by Lucky Dude above, but somewhat older than the standard he-men of that awful time. This gave them the right to hand out stern life lessons allegedly sanctioned by Jesus himself and to hammer home the fact that the use of Camel Filters, Lion Lager and those vintage 'Private' salami-slapping magazines would get you a ticket straight into hell.

They spent the rest of their time perfectiing the art of emotional blackmail and humiliation of the 'orderlies' sent to them from various schools every year, stopping just short of physical harm.

Veldskool was an abortion - to this day I watch the news for reports on child molesting from the Groot Marico district and I hope quietly for news on the Bushveld Police busting a three-man paedophilia ring and that the 'Ooms' from Groot Marico would be named as the offenders! The institution of Veldskool caused permanent damage to thousands of innocent teenagers -in preparation for the untold harm to young men inflicted by its parent, the SA Army.

We should have a truth and reconcilliation board to bring these Christian Nationalist Criminals to book.

freeracer Wrote:

---

> Groot Marico 1983.
>
> "Oom Albie" was the leader of the abusive bunch at
> this bush camp, "Oom Boet" and "Oom Hennie" were
> the corporals. Typical army-spawned trash as
> described by Lucky Dude above, but somewhat older
> than the standard he-men of that awful time. This
> gave them the right to hand out stern life lessons
> allegedly sanctioned by Jesus himself and to
> hammer home the fact that the use of Camel
> Filters, Lion Lager and those vintage 'Private'
> salami-slapping magazines would get you a ticket
> straight into hell.
>
> They spent the rest of their time perfectiing the
> art of emotional blackmail and humiliation of the
> 'orderlies' sent to them from various schools
> every year, stopping just short of physical harm.
>
>
> Veldskool was an abortion - to this day I watch
> the news for reports on child molesting from the
> Groot Marico district and I hope quietly for news
> on the Bushveld Police busting a three-man
> paedophilia ring and that the 'Ooms' from Groot
> Marico would be named as the offenders! The
> institution of Veldskool caused permanent damage
> to thousands of innocent teenagers -in preparation
> for the untold harm to young men inflicted by its
> parent, the SA Army.
>
> We should have a truth and reconcilliation board
> to bring these Christian Nationalist Criminals to
> book.


I see they must have also made you swim naked - I remember looking at Oom Tjart and hoping my dick would grow bigger than His(He was a tall guy with a beard but really he had a tiny member so I suppose swimming naked with 14 and 15 year olds must have been his Porche Moment)

Obviously I never went to Veldschool, but just to add my tuppence hapenny to the discussion ... When I lived in Pretoria I went one year to the Passing Out Parade (curious name, that) of a friend who was to be a chaplain in the Air Force. I went along with a bunch of others including a couple from Canada. The Main Chaplain gave a speech in Afrikaans and crikey Mikey was I glad the Canadians couldn't understand because it was all about Die Rooi Gevaar and how they were the one remaining bastion of True Religion against it. They were all dominies to-be except my friend and one rabbi. The Canadians kept asking what he was saying but no-one would translate for them.

All my memories of veldskool was awesome. We went to Baberton and Glenmore by the sea

Great times, no preaching ooms, no perverts, apart from the boys who played soggy biscuit at night after lights out. We had a great time and never had to worry about craziness of everyday life.

I treasure those memories!

I think the point here is that not every 'veldskool' was a political exercise - some (most these days) really are to educate kids on nature :S