Die storie van die rooiplein
Mense wat voor 1981 op Maties studeer het sal weet dat die rooiplein nie altyd bo-op ‘n biblioteek gebou was nie. Die J.S. Gericke is eers in 1981 geskep toe die universiteit se vorige twee biblioteke te klein geword het. Die enigste plek waar die nuwe biblioteek sentraal gebou kon word was onder die grond.
Hoekom is die J.S. Gericke ondergronds gebou?
Die biblioteek se webtuiste verduidelik die denkproses daaragter:
In 1926 the CL Marais Library had to be extended and by 1938 it had become clear that an entirely new line of thought was necessary. As early as 1912 the Scots-American millionaire Andrew Carnegie donated the sum of £6 000 towards the extension and maintenance of the library of the Victoria College. An additional donation of £1 500 from the Carnegie Corporation to the Stellenbosch University in 1938, as well as contributions from alumni enabled the University to build a new library. In 1938 the Carnegie building was erected on the site of the Pavillion rugby grounds, adjacent to and north of the present Administration building (Block B). This building would become the home of the University Library for the next 50 years. […]
The library goes underground
[T]he next and present phase of the University Library, [was] the erection of the JS Gericke Library, named after the Reverend JS (Kosie) Gericke who served as Vice-chancellor of the University from 1952 to 1981. The construction of the JS Gericke Library building commenced in 1981 and in 1983 the move to the new building took place. This building occupies the unique position of being built underneath the centrally situated Jan Marais Square. The reason for this unique position is that in planning a new library it was found that, apart from the Jan Marais Square, no centrally situated building sites were available on campus. However, the historical importance of the Jan Marais Square and the architectural aesthetics of the historic buildings surrounding the square meant that this site could not be defaced with a multi-storeyed building. It was therefore decided to build underground.
Hier is ‘n paar interessante fotos van die rooiplein in verskeie oomblikke in die verlede:
Die Jan Marais Plein rondom 1930. Kyk hoe min geboue is nog rondom sentraal kampus en Merrimanstraat (Foto aanlyn).
Stukkie trivia: Die Rooiplein se amptelike naam is eintlik die Jan Marais plein. Maar ‘Rooi Plein’ of ‘Red Square’ is ook die naam van die stadsplein in Moskow, Rusland. Blykbaar het Maties in die verlede tong-in-die-kies die Administrasiegebou die ‘Kremlin’ genoem, omdat die klaspunte op hul kennisgewingborde jou lot as student sou aankondig.
‘n Sy-aansig van die rooiplein in 1952. Aan die een kant van die plein was daar ‘n lang prieël, of veranda, wat later gesloop is. Die plein was effe laer as die res van die geboue, soos mens kan sien uit die trappies links. (Foto aanlyn).
‘n Kleurfoto van die rooiplein toe dit nog grasperke gehad het. Hier kan mens sien hoe die verandas gelyk het, en hoe die grasperke deur middel van spreiers natgelei is. Weet iemand dalk wat die klein gebou (met rooi teeldak) agter Marais se standbeeld is? (Foto geneem uit die boek “Stellenbosch 1866 – 1966 Honderd Jaar hoër Onderwys”, 1966).
‘n Lugfoto uit dieselfde jaar met die rooiplein aan die regterkant. Kyk hoe anders het Merrimanstraat gelyk sonder die dubbelverdieping woonstelblokke wat daar vandag is. Daar was skynbaar ‘n kragstasie in hierdie straat (naby die historiese ‘slawehuisies’ in Ryneveldstraat). (Foto uit Alice Mertens se 1966 boek, “Stellenbosch”).
Twee damesstudente sit onder ‘n veranda op die rooiplein met Jannie Marais se standbeeld op die agtergrond. (Foto: voorblad van die Matieland, Augustus 1957.)
As jy hou van ons trivia oor Stellenbosch se geskiedenis, lees ons ander blogs hier!
Waar kom die naam Merrimanstraat vandaan?
Wat is die oorsprong van die naam Ryneveldstraat?
Mertens, A. (1966) Stellenbosch. Nasionale Boekhandel Bpk, Kaapstad.
Thom, H.B. (ed). Stellenbosch 1866 – 1966 Honder Jaar Hoër Onderwys. Nasionale Boekhandel Bpk, Kaapstad.
US biblioteek webtuiste. Available: http://library.sun.ac.za/en-za/AboutUs/Pages/history-central.aspx
US argief, Matieland. Available: http://www.sun.ac.za/english/entities/archives/Documents/1957%20Matieland%202.pdf
US webtuiste. Available:http://www.sun.ac.za/english/entities/archives/PublishingImages/Pages/default/JanMaraisplein_1930.jpg
Those who studied at Maties before 1981 will know that the ‘rooiplein’ wasn’t always built on a library. The J.S. Gericke was only created in 1981 when the university’s previous two libraries became too small. The only place where the new library could be built centrally was underground.
Why under the ‘rooi plein’?
The library’s website explains this thinking process.
Some trivia: The official name of the ‘Rooiplein’ is actually the Jan Marais square. But ‘Red Square’ is also the name of the main city square in Moscow, Russia. Apparently, Maties jokingly called the Administration Building the ‘Kremlin’ because the notice boards (where exam results and class marks were pinned up) would declare their fate as a students.
If you like our trivia about Stellenbosch history, read our other blogs here!
Has Stellenbosch ever burned down?
What is the origin of the name Ryneveldstraat?
Heritage day specials in and around Stellenbosch