Mary W. Waters

Mary W. Waters (18**-19**) was a missionary in South Africa, as well as Mary Waters was a teacher, school principal mentor, poet and playwright.

Also known as M.W. Waters or simply as Mary Waters

Biography

Born Mary Waterton Waters, she was the daughter of a missionary family, who worked as a teacher and author in the Cape, Natal and Northern Rhodesia.

Considered a fierce, eccentric and formidable woman, with a strong interest in the history of the region and its peoples, she became, among other things, the founding principal of the R.U.C. Coloured Practising School in 1940, the first junior secondary school in the Albany Road area and a facility created in Grahamstown by Rhodes University Education Department to provide workplace experience for both lecturers and students. It became a high school in 1963 and was later named Mary Waters High School in her honour.

Besides penning stories, poetry and drama (usually under the name Mary W. Waters), including a number of books for school use, such as the series Stories from History for Bantu Children (used for Standards I & II; III & IV; V & VI), published by Juta in the 1940s.

In 1942, Miss Mary Waters (after whom the school is named after), a retired teacher was appointed as lecturer in the Education Department at R.U.C and also to assist in the practicing school. She soon established herself as the main teaching force in the school. Those who knew Miss Waters, talk of her as a very influential being. She had a lot of energy and passion for teaching. During her time, it was very rare to see women study or work, but she was different from the stereotype view of woman. She is said to have cared little for fashion and was a heavy smoker.

Miss Waters was born in England. She moved to Africa with her family since her father and Grandfather where missionaries, her Grandfather being an Archdeacon and Father a reverend. Miss Waters was a very involved in the field of education. Before coming to Grahamstown she had worked in a number of missions across the Southern Africa doing education related duties. Her passion for education led her to be involved with various missions, as either a teacher or a principal. She was the principal of a Native Training College School in Pondoland, she also successfully organised demonstration classes for a Coloured Training School in Cape Town. Before she came to Grahamstown she was working in Windhoek, reviving a poorly equipped church school. Miss Waters retired in 1942, and she was soon appointed as lecturer by the Education Department at R.U.C. Not only was she appointed as a lecturer, she was needed to also assist with the R.U.C. Coloured Practicing School. It was at this school where she had contributed extensively, not only education for the coloured community, but also personal lifestyle. Mr. Muriel Wood, in his article published in the Grocott’s Mail of 15 December 2009 recalls Mary Waters as untidily dressed but a brilliant teacher. Wood says Mary Waters made Shakespeare live. She would act out the scenes for her class making set works like 'The Tempest 'and 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' come to life. Miss Mary Waters retired for the second time around 1958 a very old woman. On here way to Britain old habit came back again. She stopped at St. Helena Island to yet again take up a teaching position at a local school. It was at this island where she finally ‘rested in peace’. It said she died of heart attack while climbing the steep hills of the island, doing her teaching duties.

Contribution to South African theatre

She wrote a number of plays in Xhosa for school use, notably uNongqause (or Nonqause), which was to be the second play put on by the Bantu Dramatic Society in 1933/4(??) (Published by Lovedale Press in 1924).