Teacher Feature: Ruth Newman
- Natasha Schoor
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
An inspiring teacher who ‘unlocked a love for words, as well as modelling an adept way of expressing oneself’1
By Alwyn Visagie
Ruth Leo-Newman was raised in Lansdowne and attended St Saviour’s Primary School in Claremont before completing her high schooling at Livingstone High School (LHS) in 1958. She furthered her studies at the University of Cape Town where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Secondary Teacher’s Diploma in 1962. Practice teaching at LHS resulted in her being offered a post at the school. Ruth recalls her delight at the ‘honour’ of ‘the invitation to join the LHS staff’ and credits much of the success of her schooling and teaching to the support and encouragement of the teachers, especially Mr R.O. Dudley and Ms Ray Carlier. She also credits her parents for enabling her career.
Her teaching career at LHS spanned 23 years, from 1963 to 1986, albeit with two breaks in service. Her love for the school extended beyond the classroom. She lists as highlights of her time at LHS, her ‘engagement with the community, lasting friendships, the joys of teaching and learning, the mountains and hiking with students and colleagues, and attending productions at Maynardville and the Little Theatre’. Russel Dudley humorously recalls his first trip up Skeleton Gorge. ‘Everything from nostrils, lungs to my little toe hurt. We walked from school to Kirstenbosch and then hiked.’ Hashiem Bardien remembers Ms Newman for her immense contribution towards his personal development. ‘She is/was one of a kind’ – a sentiment shared by many who passed through Ruth Newman’s hands in her English or German classes.
Ruth and her family emigrated to Australia, but her commitment to the education of her students is most evident in the recollection of Lynn Layman: ‘The Newmans postponed emigrating in order to see the class of '86 through our matric finals. I will never ever forget that.’
In Australia, Ruth remained active in education and community support at St Patrick’s College and Nagle Catholic College in Geraldton where she taught English and English Literature from 1988 to 2006. Since 2007, she has volunteered at the Trinity School for Seniors in Perth where she tutors Life Writing and Tai Chi, as well as working with a reading group. Though committed to life in Australia, her love and respect for LHS is always present. She recalls how a past student, Vincent Ebrahim, visited her while on tour with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Geraldton. He was playing the title role in Moliere’s Tartuffe, and she remembers with pride how ‘he paid homage to his alma mater’.
Many past students have also paid homage to Ruth Newman and have indicated what a source of inspiration she was to them. Yulanda Gombard states: ‘She was my English teacher for three years. She had an intimidating habit of speaking to us in what we called jawbreakers. She once told a boy in our class, who was fiddling with a deck of cards during a lesson, to “cease his nefarious activities”. We were all like, say what? What she did not realise is that this habit awoke in me a love for words. Well, I am now a transformational speaker, and I have a healthy supply of big words.’ Dawn Barrow has a similar memory. ‘My English teacher was Mrs Newman. She would keep our attention by speaking softer and softer, and we would find ourselves sitting on the edge of our seats, straining to hear what she was saying as we didn't want to miss anything. A great teacher!’
For Ruth, ’LHS embodies the universal values of justice and integrity’ and she feels honoured to have been a member of the LHS community. By the same standard, Ruth Newman’s mark at LHS remains an indelible one, even after leaving the institution nearly 40 years ago. She remains the inspiring teacher who ‘unlocked a love for words’.
1 An observation by Yulanda Anne Gombard, one of Ruth’s past students at Livingstone.
Comments