On the edge of Burger Field, just under the Owen Nkumane Terrace, there is a small cleft carved out of the hillside, and in the middle of this stands an old, stone fountain. Until recently, the fountain was dry and faint markings were etched into the stone wall around it. Sometimes boys would try to drink from the fountain and to decipher the etchings – both to no avail. This forgotten corner of the school lies, paradoxically, at the centre, or the heart of the school: where our First Team Rugby and Cricket teams play; the site of the annual Easter Rugby Festival; the placement of the whole-school photo which was taken in our 125th year celebrations. Yet, the reason for this cleft in the hillside, this etching and this fountain were lost to history for decades.
The story of the fountain is a sad, but significant, one for St John's College. If we could go back nearly a century to 1935, we would see a very different scene here. This was the year that the fountain was erected, the wall built into the hillside and the newly-etched words were carved, reading: 'May all who drink from this fountain receive God's blessing. In memory of Ralph Bensusan, November 16, 1934.' The building of the fountain was sponsored by Dr Bensusan to remember his son, who tragically died in an aeroplane accident the previous year.
Ralph Bensusan, for whom the fountain is commemorated, was a student at St John's from 1929 until 1934, the year he passed away. Although his death is deeply sad, and its deep impact can be seen in the College magazines of the time, it feels apt that a fountain would be built for him – he is an important figure for any St John's boy.
His obituary, in the 1934 magazine, does not explicitly show his importance upon the first reading. He is described as 'not a scholar' with a particular 'distaste for books' and although he showed some potential for cricket during his time at the College, 'his tastes were not in the direction of games'. The obituary paints a picture of a normal St John's boy. He did his duty at school, always tried hard, but was not the most popular, not the most clever, nor the most sporty. But this is where, as the writer states, 'lay his great strength', pointing out two characteristics towards which all St John's boys should aim: he was a boy of deep faith, knowing right from wrong, and being clear in his reasoning. Secondly, he 'loved the brotherhood … there was probably never a better prefect'. He had a deep love of St John's, where 'he was anxious for the welfare of the weak, rejoiced in the progress of the strong.' As Head of Alston House, he was 'respected and admired … his death leaves a gap in the House that can never be filled.' It could be argued, however, that the fountain at the edge of Burger Field perhaps fills more of a gap than one might realise.
Ralph Bensusan, in his quiet way, is the measure of not only a St John's boy, but of a good man. That a fountain, tucked into the heart of the College, towered over by the beautiful northern facade, should have been built in his memory seems a perfect way in which to remember him. It is placed at the centre of all activity, in a College he loved, where he can always be of comfort to those who need him; be it in faith, in nourishment on a hot day, or in remembering the College he loved, and of which we are all a part.
The fountain has been restored. The water now flows again. The etchings, the inscription chosen by Bensusan's father as a way to remember his son, have been painted and filled in – the words can be read clearly. And with its restoration, it is as if Bensusan's memory lives again. We can once again remember not only one of the quietly great St John's boys, but aspire to live in the same way.
And it is in the memory of Ralph Bensusan that Executive Headmaster, Dale Jackson has created the new Bensusan Award in the College, for the 'boys who do honourable things, behind the scenes and without fanfare.'
This will be awarded each week in Amphitheatre, shining a light on those who may not always be seen, like Ralph Bensusan and his fountain.
