THEIR NAME LIVETH FOREVER MORE

There are few areas at SACS that are as sacred as the Memorial Quad. It serves to honour the heroes whose names line one of its walls - SACS Old Boys who sacrificed their lives in the service of their country and their fellow man. It is also where the high school journey of every single new Grade 8 will begin.

After The War: The First Memorial Quad At The Campus In Town

The story of the Memorial Quad begins in 1918 at the end of World War One. During the four years of the Great War, hundreds of thousands of men had lost their lives in the trenches in fields of France and elsewhere in Europe. Included in this number were 164 SACS Old Boys.

In 1928, ten years after the War, a War Memorial Fund was established to provide a memorial for the sons of SACS that had fallen in the Great War. In addition to a bronze plaque bearing the names of the 164 fallen, funds were also raised for a Memorial Sports Pavilion on the then Saint Michael's Field. The memorial plaque was installed in the quadrangle of the campus in Town.

Sadly, the First World War would not be the last time SACS men would lose their lives in battle. Within twenty-five years, the world was at war again. During the six years of the Second World War, 108 SACS men would lose their lives fighting for freedom and democracy around the world. In 1945, after peace was declared, a War Memorial Fund was established once again, to raise funds for the erection of another memorial plaque. The funds were raised and the plaque was installed next to the one commemorating those who had died in the first war thirty years earlier.

The Quad "Moves" To Newlands

When the School moved campuses to Newlands, most of the fixtures of the old campus remained behind in town. However it was decided that the War Memorial Plaques should move to Newlands. They were duly installed during the construction process. The fountain that sat in the campus in Town took slightly longer to make its way to Newlands and arrived in the early 2000s. The plaques and fountain are the three features that link the new quadrangle with the old one in Orange Street.

A Tribute To Service: A New Plaque Is Installed In The Quad

Alan Footman (Chairman of The Old Boys Union) and Anthony Storr Lister, a history teacher, discussed the need for a suitable commemoration for those who have died in conflicts since the end of the Second World War in 1945. The plaque was formally unveiled on the 10th of November 2017, in the presence of representatives of each part of the SACS family (the Junior and High Schools and the SGB). In the spirit of inclusivity it was announced that other people intimately connected to SACS and who had given their lives in the service of their fellow man would also have their names added to the plaque. To date there are 8 such names.

The Quad Today: Commemoration Day

Commemoration Day - falling on or around the 1st of October each year - is one of the most important events in the school year. It serves a dual purpose: firstly, to celebrate the school's birthday; and secondly, to commemorate those SACS Old Boys that gave their lives in the service of their country.

The SACS cadets - including a Matric Colour Party - are out in full force, together with the Marching Band who displays their breathtaking talent in a musical display during the proceedings.

The Quad Today: The Quad Race

Another exciting event on the school calendar is the annual quad race. Athletic representatives of each House (Rosedale, Russell, Baxter and Shaw) battle it out in a race through, and around, the school.

The winner of the Chariots of Fire inspired event receives the prestigious Quad Race Trophy with their name inscribed on it.

The Dylan Lewis Sculpture

SACS Old Boy Dylan Lewis is recognized as one of the world's foremost sculptors of animal form. He initially focused on the big cats; in recent years, he has used the human figure to explore our relationship with our inner wilderness. His international career spans two decades and includes exhibitions in Paris, Sydney, Toronto, Houston and San Francisco, as well as numerous one-man exhibitions in London, where he is among the few living artists to have held solo auctions at London's Christies.

In 2019, he loaned one of his sculptures to his alma mater. It now sits in the Memorial Quad as a prominent feature.