The school was established in 1888 as Lutheran mission. It was run under the German missionaries until 1988 when the government took over. During years, Bethel transformed from a teachers training college to a mixed boys and girls school. The last group of boys left in 1992.
Bethel Girls High opened its doors to girls only in 1993, after the construction of the 10 hostels by the Government. The first principal for the girl’s school was Mr. J.R.F Pretorius. He ran the school from 1991 to 2006. After him, there was a succession of leaderships from Mr J. M Lombard 2007-2009, Mrs B. Mokgobjoa 2009-2010(acting), Mrs E.Visser 2010-11, Ms Blondie Buti 2011(acting), and then Mr J.Benson 2011-2013. Ms Buti acted again from January to September 2014. The current Principal, Mr F.M Nthite joined the school in October 2014.
The school attracts learners from various parts of the country including learners from Botswana. The school thrives for excellence and has a history of high performance and success. The school was founded in the ernst hope that here girls of different cultures and denominations will meet to acquire, in accordance with Christian duty, the healthy physique, the trained mind and disciplined character, which should fit each to live wealthily in that state of life unto which should please God to call her. The school still upholds those values and tenets.
| The Principal | Deputy Principal |
| Mr. F.M. Nthite | Ms B.L.N. Buti |
| Documented Dates | |
|
1920 | Approval of the Bethel Missionary |
| 1921 | Planning process commence |
15 Jul 1924 | Bethel Missionary started with four scholars |
| Apr 1929 | First Evangelist courses offered |
| 1931 - 1933 | Missionary burnt down twice by children of the Missionary |
| 1 Aug 1935 | Missionary officially registered as a school |
| Jan 1938 | First Pastor courses |
| 1946 | First school hall and classes |
| 1947 | First matric course |
| 1948 | First matric group |
| 14 May 1953 | Unhappy learners burnt the school and classes down |
| 1954 | School rebuild First Hostel Board |
| 1976 | New prefabricated hostels |
| 7 Sept 1987 |
The Bethel Missionary became the property and
responsibility of the |
| Documented Principals | ||
| FROM | TO | NAME OF PRINCIPAL |
| 1924 | 1934 | MISSIONER E KARBERG |
| 1934 | 1935 | PASTOR CARL SCRIBA |
| 1936 | 1953 | MR G MEYER |
| 1954 | 1955 | MR B VOLKER |
| 1955 | 1963 | MR H DEHNKE |
| 1964 | 1969 | MR S MEYER |
| 1969 | 1970 | MR CR GREYLING |
| 1970 | 1975 | MR HF DE WET |
| 1975 | 1979 | MR P KUUN |
| 1980 | 1981 | MR JS HAUMANN |
| 1982 | 1987 | MR M RADEMEYER |
| 1988 | 2003 | MR JRF PRETORIUS |
| 2003 | MR JE LOMBARD |
WHERE do we go from here? It is said that the future is determined by the past. If that is true, then Bethel is growing towards a beacon in the lives of many successful women today. Sixty seven years ago, after approval from the Kroondal Seminar of the Lutherin Missionary of the German people, Missionars W Schulenburg and CH Muller started planning a Missionary on the farm Holgat which was funded by the German Missionaries. In 1921, the Hammburgs Missionary approved 2800 pounds to buy nearly 500 hectares of land. A farm called Holgat was bought. AND so on 15 July 1924, the Bethel Missionary started with four standard 5 scholars; J Masebe, J Masoabi, H Matabage and M Mogathusi. In April 1929, the Bethel Missionary introduced its first Evangelist Courses. The Missionary was officially registered as a school on 1 August 1935. The School started at Standard 5, naturally, and it wasn't until 1947, that Bethel Missionary took on the structe of the usual high school. It's standard 5 classes moved to a nearby primary school established in 1948. THE prefabricated buildings were added in later years. Thus, from the stables of 1920/21, to what we see today. The history of Bethel is a saga of quite an unreal battle to provide an absolutely vital and necessary facility for the growth and development of our girls, who desperately needed by then, the education they got under those circumstances. TODAY, the young girls ar Bethel are still involved in a battle. The demands of a technological and an unethical society are ever increasing. Where do you see youself tomorrow? Are you, as a Bethel Girl, winning or losing this battle? |
