Bruce Athel Maree
A man who made a difference
7/4/1949 – 31/12/2022
Every person can make a difference in their community and Bruce Maree was a man who influenced the lives of many young boys and girls for the good.
The Educationist
After matriculating at Cambridge High School in East London Bruce began his tertiary studies at the Graaff-Reinet Teachers Training College. Having qualified in 1970 he accepted an appointment at the Union High School in Graaff-Reinet.
In 1980 he was promoted to the post of Head of Department and assumed responsibility for the Primary Department ensuring that thousands of learners were carefully sifted and moulded in the Maths class. During his time at UHS Mr Maree also taught Senior Maths, Accounting and commercial subjects.
Bruce Maree had a great influence on the development of the school. His contributions include a host of activities spanning both cultural and sporting activities. In his time at UHS he coached cricket, rugby and swimming.
It would be very interesting to calculate how many lives, during his 44 years at the school, have been touched by him, how many kilometres he has covered as he walked the corridors of the school and just how many people, he has served in Union High. Bruce retired in 2011.
In 2014, during Interschools, his service to the school was commemorated with the official unveiling of the ‘Bruce Maree Gates’ – it couldn’t be more fitting that these gates now serve to welcome all those entering the Union campus.
Ack: Facebook - Old Unionites, Union High School and Union High School, Graaff-Reinet
The Scouter
Cubbing
Bruce started his log Scouting journey when on the 23rd of January 1957 he joined the 1st Cambridge Cub Pack in East London. The Akela was Mr Darling and Bagheera was a Miss Smith. Being a very keen Cub, he earned his 1st Star in May and, then it was on to the many and varied interest badges. His first big Cub camp, that included Cubs from 3rd Cambridge and 5th East London was in August at the Gilwood, the Scout campsite. Bob-a-Job was popular and Bruce did several jobs in his neighbourhood.
Nineteen fifty-eight started with Bruce and the 1st Cambridge Pack travelling to Pietermaritzburg to attend a camp at Lexden. As he started his second year in Cubbing he received his first Service Star and was promoted to Second. In August he qualified and earned his 2nd Star and two months later became the Sixer of the yellow Six.
A campsite popular with the East London Scouting community was Hobbiton in the Hogsback mountains near Allice. Here in March 1959, Bruce and a number of Cambridge and East London Packs held a most memorable camp. At the end of the year he was presented with his third stripe making him their Senior Sixer.
Bruce kept a comprehensive Logbook of his Cubbing days and from this it can be gleaned that he attended all of the Pack's activities in the district and area like swimming gala's, soccer matches and Cub competitions. The Logbook also contained the signatures of many local and overseas Scouters.
In May 1960, Bruce was awarded the Leaping Wolf Badge and together with two other Cubs they went up to the Troop and so ended his Cubbing career.
Scouting
East London
Immediately after the 'going up' ceremony on the 13th May 1960, Bruce was invested as a Scout in the 1st Cambridge Troop and joined the Swift Patrol. Brian Thomas was the Scoutmaster. Two months later he was part of the team that entered the prestigious Gilwood Trophy, where they came 6th out of 11 patrols. At the end of the year a 10-day summer camp was held at Aliwal North.
The next camp was the following year on the week end closest to BP's birthday. The 1961 Gilwood BP Camp was probably the biggest camp Bruce had attended, there were 280 Scouts in camp. In June came the promotion as Second to the Eagle Patrol, there were now 6 patrols in the Troop. By the end of 1961, at the age of 12 years and after only 18 months as a Scout, the 1st Class badge was on his uniform together with the Scout Cord. He was the youngest Scout in the Border, and possibly in the country to receive the Scout Cord. The following year Bruce was made Patrol Leader of the Kingfisher patrol and to improve his leadership skills, he in June attended the Patrol Leaders Training Course. In 1964 South African Scouting held its second National Jamboree in Chase Valley Pietermaritzburg and this was the first of many, local and overseas Jamborees that Bruce would attend.
In 1965 Brue attained his Springbok Scout and the Chief Scouts Award
Graaff-Reinet
1967 saw the beginning of a new era for the Graaff-Reinet Scout Troop. A young student at the Teachers Training College, Mr Bruce Maree, offered his services to the Troop and was welcomed with open arms. With his many years of scouting experience, he started to build up the troop using the tried and tested Patrol System. Imparting his knowledge, the troop soon became highly skilled with an emphasis on the outdoors. In an ideal setting the scouts were able to put into practice what they had learnt, hiking and camping in the unspoilt countryside.
Bruce and various scouts attended a number of World Jamborees
- 1975 14th World Jamboree in Norway, accompanied by Kobus Olivier and William Smuts
- 1987 16th World Jamboree in Sydney, Australia accompanied by Rowan Rose-Innes and Rodney Naude
- 1998 19th World Jamboree near Santiago, Chile accompanied by Richard Collett, Russell Collett, John Finlaison. The Jamboree tour included a month-long tour through several South American countries including a hike along the Inca Trails of Machu Picchu.
Being an educationist Bruce placed a strong emphasis on training the scouts and he was on a number of occasions, course director of the prestigious Patrol Leader Training Unit at Lexden in Pietermaritzburg. Over the years, a number of his scouts not only participated, but were also course leaders. He also ran earlier courses in East London and Port Elizabeth.
An event of note was a special banquet held in the town hall on the 20 May 1995 when the Chief Scout of South Africa, Garnet de la Hunt, presented Bruce with the Silver Protea Award for his distinguished services to scouting. A total of 25 Springbok Scouts of previous years attended the function.
In 2010 the Graaff-Reinet Troop celebration its 100th Birthday. More than 160 Springbok Scouts, Queen Scouts, current Scouts and other invited guests attended the 100th anniversary weekend of the Graaff-Reinet Scout Troop.
Retirement
At the 2022 AGM Bruce Maree stepped down as Troop Scouter and was honoured for his 55 years of volunteer service to the local Scouting movement. Since his arrival in 1967 there have been 74 Springbok Scouts and one of his Springbok Scouts, Mr Johan Vorster, has now been appointed as the 15th Troop Scouter of the Graaf-Reinet Scout Troop.
For most of Bruce's half century involvement with the Graaff-Reinet Scout Troop he was largely on his own, he could however call on parents to help when necessary.
Bruce was still taking scouts on expeditions to the surrounding peaks and farms, giving them a taste of life and survival in the outdoors. In this day and age where many youngsters spend hours in front of screens - this taste of reality leaves the Scouts with a distinct advantage over those children who spend precious little time in the beautiful natural surroundings on our doorstep.
This retired maths teacher’s influence has touched many young lives, both academically at school and in the principals of Scouting.
Sadly, Bruce passed away on the 31 December 2022.
Scout Heritage 2023