Pretoriase Normaalkollege

The Pretoriase Normaalkollege is a college for the training of teachers.

History

It was founded on 2 September 1902, with its campus in Rissik Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria. Initially an English institution, it became an Afrikaans college in 1933. At the time all teachers took a three-year course leading to a Teacher's Diploma, but in 1937 a four year course was also introduced, to serve as a combined Unviersity and College qualification.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

The college is important in the history of theatre in South Africa on a number of counts, notably for the many theatre practitioners who studied there, its courses in drama (as well as drama teaching, theatre and drama in education, etc.) and because it became the de facto managers of the Kleinteater ("The Little Theatre") in Pretoria.

Influential alumni and teachers

Coenie Rudolph, Peet du Toit, Celia du Toit, Thea de Kock, (

Die Kleinteater

Owned by the Transvaal Education Department, the venue known as Die Kleinteater ("the Little Theatre") was managed by the Pretoria Educational Training College, and also used by the students of the college for their work and other performances and theatrical events, inter alia hosting the finals of the annual Administrator’s Cup Competition for many years and serving as one of the venues for the annual playwriting incentive, the ATKV Kampustoneel Festival, in the 1980s.