At Imhoff we have done our best to create a climate in which boys can live happily and safely – a home away from home. We have done this by defining boundaries in terms of behaviour and teaching the boys to respect these. Our hope is that boys learn that they are not the centre of the universe but that each person’s needs need to be taken into account in order for the whole to be successful and happy. Values of kindness, comradeship, gentleness, tolerance, self-control, respect and fortitude are encouraged.

Imhoff has traditionally featured strongly
on the academic, cultural and sporting
front.  All boarders are encouraged to add
value to the school and hostel through
participation.  Hostel rivalries are intense
and Imhoff boys complete enthusiastically
in events – with some success.
Imhoff caters for boarders from Gr 9 – 12.
Pastoral care is provided by prefects, duty
masters and housemaster.  External support
groups and the school counsellor is also used.
Boarder behaviour and academic results are
monitored carefully.

A brief history of Imhoff new addition:
In 1948 negotiations with the Holy Trinity Church for the purchase of land to build Imhoff began.  After 8 years of negotiations between the Church, School Board and Provincial Administration, negotiations reached a stalemate.  After much deliberation, Dr Coetzee offered Kretzenberg to the school to build their new hostel.  The property was purchased for R14 200,00 and an amount of R72 000,00 was made available for the new hostel project.  Many changes have been made to Imhoff over the years resulting in a capacity of 78 boarders.  With the old building included, Imhoff has 114 boarders, making it the largest boarding house at Paarl Boys’ High School.  In many cases boarders have a choice of a 2 or 4 bed room.  Recreation facilities are available to the boarders, inter alia DSTV.  Boarders also have access to computers and the internet for the completion of tasks and research.

Prefects:
The Hostel system makes use of prefects and is quite hierarchical in nature, because we believe, that if we do not create and monitor such structures, it will form anyway but outside of adult control – and this would not be safe.  About 9 prefects are elected by the boys of the Hostel with input from the adults involved with the Hostel.  One will be the Hostel headboy.  We recognize that boys operate best in an environment that is disciplined, yet caring.  We believe, however, that it is the whole matric group working together, who are responsible for the climate of their year.  They are encouraged to make the memory of their final year a happy one for the Hostel as a whole.

Hostel Parents Committee:
Three parents from the Hostel are invited to join this body.  We meet 2 or 3 times per term and discuss various issues regarding the Hostel and School.  On occasions the members may organize various events or organize items for the boys in the Hostel (dinners, braais).
Parents are welcome to contact committee members regarding any issue they would like the committee to discuss or to get information.  Contact details are available from the housemaster.  Parents interested to join the committee should contact the housemaster.

The current representatives are:
Grade 9          Annabel Smith, Marina Avenant
Grade 10        Hanli Smuts