Time and the weather are taking their toll on the building, as no maintenance work has been done since the school moved out.
Once a proud beacon as one of the most attractive buildings in the town centre and lit up by the laughter and shenanigans of pupils, it is now a picture of abandonment.
The garden is overgrown and passers-by thoughtlessly throw their litter through the fence. Vandals have also had a chance to loot the interior before security guards were appointed, but the magnificent wooden flooring is still intact.
A business owner who wants to remain anonymous, complained that businesses in the CBD are trying to uplift the area, and neglect of this kind is not conducive to their efforts. "It is such a beautiful place and we truly hope that it will be renovated and utilised again."
According to Mr Carel Venter, spatial planner at the George Municipality, large grounds at the back of the building that border onto the George taxi rank are earmarked to be incorporated as a public open space into the planned public transport system.
The property belongs to the Western Cape Public Works Department and will eventually be part of the bigger development of the area, which includes the upgrading of Cradock Street. "Construction starts in October. The plan is to transfer the open spaces per servitude to the municipality in order to facilitate the development," said Venter.
He could not say what is to become of the building as it is not included in the transfer and remains the property of Public Works.
The property is guarded on a 24-hour basis.
At the time of going to press, no response had been received to a telephonic and a written query directed to the Public Works ministerial office last week.
Ms Linda Labuschagne, principal museum researcher of the Cultural Affairs and Sport Department at the George Museum, said the building was constructed in 1952 and originally named Eikenhof Hostel. It served as a hostel for "European" working girls. The George & Knysna Herald of 28 November 1952 reported that the 17 boarders were to be given notice and the hostel closed down because there were not enough occupants. They were to draw up a petition in protest.
The building was erected with the purpose of providing "decent accommodation at a reasonable price for those whose earnings are not high", said the report, but "the venture has proved unsuccessful".
It later became a school hostel.
A reader commenting on the George Herald website said the building could be turned into a holiday home for the December season or turned into a help centre for those who need food and shelter. "Don't let the building go to waste, there are ways to use it."
A few Facebook visitors proposed that the rooms be rented out to provide affordable housing for single working people. "Acommodation for single people can be expensive," said Willie Mollies, also suggesting that someone could start up the kitchen again and serve evening meals to tenants.
Vandals had a go at the interior of the building before 24-hour security guards were appointed.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: ALIDA DE BEER, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
