CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

Catholic Society | The Choir | Chamber Choir
Chess Club | Christian Fellowship | Ensemble Music | Enterprise Club | Estate Activities | Film Society | First Aid
Fly-fishing Club | Golf Society
Health & Fitness Club | History Society | Hollerith Society
Junior Public Speaking | Middle School Foreign Affairs Society  
Senior Foreign Affairs Society | Senior Debating Society  
Theatre Crew | Usher Club | Wildlife Society | Wind Band

THE WIND BAND
The Wind Band is currently a joint venture with St. Anne's. Membership is open to anyone at any time of the year, and is dependent on practical ability. There are calendarised rehearsals and engagements which members are expected to attend.

THE CHOIR
Membership is open to anyone, at any time of the year. Membership involves two diarized practices per week, and attendance at predetermined performances.

THE CATHOLIC SOCIETY
Approximately 10% of Hilton College's pupils are Roman Catholics, and provision is made for regular attendance at Sunday masses and for Confirmation. St. Joseph's Scholasticate (Cedara) is our local parish, and Catholics are bussed there on Sunday mornings for Mass.

The sacrament of Confirmation is generally offered every two years at St.Joseph's and a course of Friday evening classes at St. Anne's prepares the candidates for this important occasion. On weekdays the Catholics join the rest of the school for worship (house prayers and chapel services).

CHESS CLUB
1. Membership: Any boy may join. Those with ability especially welcome.
2. Meetings: The club meets weekly at 7.00 p.m. on Wednesdays, for an hour.
3.Costs are minimal - entry fees for Championship Tournaments, etc.
4.The club enters teams in the Pietermaritzburg Districts' High Schools Chess League and boys are encouraged to play in the schools' tournament, through which they may be selected for Pietermaritzburg chess sides.
In-charge: Mr. Jakes Maritz

HOLLERITH SOCIETY
This society caters for the needs of pupils at the school who have an intense interest in Computers and Technology.  It takes its name from Herman Hollerith (1860 – 1929) who developed the first punch card machine.  Further information about Hollerith can be found at: http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/80.html

The society has a small membership of pupils who are committed to contributing to the society rather than being passive.  Pupils who would like to be considered for membership should email a request to: hollerith@hiltoncollege.com A nominal membership fee will be charged per member. 

THE ENTERPRISE CLUB
This club is the biggest at Hilton, with over 250 members each year. It is run by a committee of five senior pupils selected each year. The club is open to all pupils and all members usually have a chance of going on one of our many trips. We meet twice per term and these meetings are usually reports on previous trips or we invite outside speakers to address us on a wide range of topics, from mountain climbing in Nepal to the ecosystems of Botswana.

The club is very active in Scuba Diving, and offers beginners, advanced and Master Diver Courses and dives during the term. Rock climbing is offered as a recreational activity using the excellent cliffs on our estate. Almost every holiday some trip is offered by the club.  

Here are some of the trips we have undertaken during the last few years: 
Hiking in the Drakensberg 
Hiking along the Wild Coast 
Conservation work parties in the Umfolozi Game Parks & Swaziland 
Climbing Kilimanjaro and visiting Tanzania. 
Scuba Diving and fishing in Mozambique and Red Sea
Trekking to Everest Base Camp

The club has a Condor and trailers, which we use on trips. We also have a very comprehensive stockroom, with kit of every description, for use on trips.

The annual subscription of R40 entitles members to attend all the club's meetings, and to use our equipment on trips and we can guarantee at least one trip per year for those who are keen. Over the last few years, we have averaged four trips per year!

Run by: Mr B D0dd

ESTATE ACTIVITIES
Hilton College is extremely fortunate to be part of a large estate. Half of this estate is farmed commercially, while the other half consists of indigenous valley bush running down to the Umgeni River. The latter part is essentially a nature reserve and Hilton boys are encouraged to become actively involved in the conservation activities and help develop this area into an outdoor classroom.
Various activities are organized during the week and on Sundays. These are publicised on the notice board in the Crookes Block. Boys are encouraged to get involved in these activities in their spare time.
The activities which are organized include the following:
Bird watching
Bird Ringing
Night Game Counts
Tree Identification
Tree Planting
Trail Building
Eradication of Alien Plants
Each House also has a particular project each year, e.g. building a picnic site or camping shelter.
The Wildlife Centre is the headquarters of the estate activities and most of the activities are co-ordinated by the Wildlife Society Committee.
The 'Estate Tie' is an award for exceptional service to the Hilton Estate. To achieve this award, a pupil must be actively involved in work parties on a regular basis and he must also contribute towards our knowledge of the fauna and flora of the Hilton Estate.
Mr. D F White

FLY-FISHING CLUB
This club is run by a committee of elected members. There are between 40 and 60 members each year. The Club is open to the whole school. In addition to meetings and talks, there are about 8 outings per year, plus one week-end outing, which does not count as a leave. The R30.00 subscription covers magazines, etc. The club also has regular fly-tying meetings and owns a fly-tying kit.
Mr. P. Ducasse

HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB
The purpose of this club is to devise a programme, through consultation with the master-in-charge, for individual members to complement their games activities, with a sport specific strength training programme, or help rebuild muscle groups wasted by injury. 

A qualified biokinetist assists boys in rehabilitation twice a week. The boys have access to a fully equipped gym in the "Crews Fitness Centre.' Forms 1 will receive instruction in the use of weights during Phys.Ed. Lessons. 

There is a membership fee of R25 per term.
Run By: Mr. Tony Shuttleworth

JUNIOR PUBLIC SPEAKING
The Junior Debating and Middle School Debating Societies have been merged into one society called the Junior Public Speaking Society. This society is aimed at the junior section of the school (Std 6 - 8). The aim of the society is to give pupils the opportunity to make formal presentations on topics of general interest and debate issues. The society usually meets twice a term. Membership of the society is limited to about 20 members.

SENIOR DEBATING SOCIETY
The Society is open to all boys in Forms 4, 5 or 6 on the understanding that members are expected to participate actively in meetings.
In addition to internal debates and debates against other schools, the Society enters a team in the Pietermaritzburg Schools' Debating League. A member of the Society is also selected to represent Hilton in the Jan Hofmeyr Speech Contest.
The Society hosts the Inter-House Public Speaking Competition in the third quarter of each year.

WILDLIFE SOCIETY
The aims of the Society are to: 
1)promote interest in the wildlife (fauna and flora) of South Africa and of the Hilton Estate in particular; 
2)promote active participation in conservation projects on the Hilton Estate.  

Membership :The Society is open to any boy in the school. 
Subscription: The subscription is R15 per annum, which helps finance various society activities. 

Activities: 
1) Two meetings will be held each quarter. An outside speaker will be invited to speak at one of these meetings each      term. The other meeting will be an internal meeting where society projects will be discussed. Attendance at all      meetings is compulsory for all members. 
2) If possible, two outings will be held each quarter. 
3) Members may also participate in a number of society projects on the school property. 

Committee:
The committee is elected from members and consists of two ordinary members, a Chairman and a secretary. 
Run By: Mr. D F White

CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
The Christian Fellowship meetings are open to everyone in the school and there is no real membership, nor are there any compulsory meetings. If you want to grow as a Christian and to praise God in a less formal way, or if you want to get to know Jesus, you are welcome to come along.
It is very difficult - some argue impossible - to live out the Christian faith on your own. This society, which meets every Thursday evening in the Chapel, provides you with an opportunity to talk about problems you might experience as a Christian at Hilton College, to share with others what Jesus means to you and to learn about the fulfilling life that a Christian can and should have.
A lot of fun is also involved. The have a few outings, e.g. 'music' concerts and some of their meetings are combined with other schools. After our meetings there is hot chocolate for everyone and also a time to socialize. The Christian Fellowship Club is run entirely by the boys, which makes it less formal.
Father Kevin Robertson

THEATRE CREW
Membership of the theatre crew is open to anyone throughout the year. These boys, currently numbering 15, work in the theatre to assist in every aspect of the theatre, form set construction to lighting and sound.
Members volunteer their services on week-day afternoons when not otherwise engaged, and often over week-ends. They are busiest during school productions, but are often required to work on visiting shows. The crew have recently been allowed to wear their own distinctive shirts giving them a group identity.
Tours to local theatres are planned for free times during the year. members numbers are increased in the third term to accommodate the festival, which is set-up and crewed entirely by boys. Long hours are the nature of theatre personnel, and dedication and eagerness do not go unrewarded.
Mr. A. Gent

GOLF SOCIETY
The Society is run by a committee of four. The Society admits 42 members annually, and preference is given to existing members and newcomers who have official club handicaps.
Golf is played every Friday at one of the local courses and some Sunday matches are arranged. There is no charge to be a member, but boys must pay their own green fees and a proportion of the transport costs.
In-charge: Mrs Marion Vlok.

THE HISTORY SOCIETY
The Society meets twice quarterly and there are regular outings to places of historical interest. Meetings are held jointly with nearby schools from time to time. Members participate in the Young Historians' and the Union Historians' contests and take part in such activities as the St.John's D.S.G. History / Drama evening. Visiting speakers, films, quizzes and other group activities are arranged. Activities are organised by a Committee of boys. An annual formal dinner is held of all members.
Membership is open to all boys in all forms, who may be interested. Where there are more boys wishing to attend a function, or go on an outing, than can be accommodated, preference is given to those taking History as a subject.
There is no subscription or entrance fee but, to cover costs, a charge is levied on those going on outings.
Mr. D R Hammond

SENIOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS SOCIETY
This is one of the oldest societies at the school. Membership of the society is strictly by invitation only and is open to boys in matric. Meetings are held regularly and members of the society either present a short speech on a prepared topic of current interest, or general discussion takes place on current affairs. Occasionally a guest speaker is invited to address the society on a specific topic, or a video is watched which has some bearing on an interesting event.
Mr. BD MacLachlan

MIDDLE SCHOOL FOREIGN AFFAIRS SOCIETY
This Society meets twice quarterly, and sometimes more often. Membership is open to boys in Form 4, by invitation. Matters of current international interest are discussed. Visiting speakers are invited wherever possible. Every member of the society is expected to participate in discussion. 
Mr. D R Hammond

M O B Club
The acronym MOB originated from the description 'Maths Olympiad Boffs' and was, humorously, suggested by the members of the club.
Membership of the club is by invitation only and members should enjoy mathematics as a recreation. Members are from Forms III, IV and V and meetings are held twice a term.
A variety of subjects are offered for discussion with problem-solving as a central theme. Inevitably, preparation for the various maths competitions takes up a large proportion of the meetings.
Maths Department

J O B Club
This is the 'Junior Olympiad Boffs' club. Membership is by invitation only and limited to boys who enjoy problem-solving and competitions and who are prepared to give up their own time for recreational mathematics.
Maths Department

USHER CLUB
Usher Club members work in groups on a rotational basis at the Theatre whenever a school or commercial production is running. Usher duties involve checking tickets at the door, distributing programmes, and helping people to their seats. Ushering is a responsible job as there is accountability by the Theatre to visiting production companies as far as ticket and programme sales are concerned, and good public relations (PR) skills are needed to be able to assist patrons on a busy Theatre evening. Usher Club members are automatically called upon to form the core usher group for the annual Natal Witness Hilton Arts Festival. Usher Club members benefit by being able to watch the show they are ushering for at no cost. Boys in Form 4 may apply.
Run by: Theatre Manager Mrs Sue Clarence, assisted by Mrs Stanley.