A message from the founder of the School: Dr. Algernon Stanley Smith.

An extract from the Kigezi High School Golden Jubilee Magazine (1972)

Dr. A. C. Stanley-Smith
I count it an honor to be asked to write a few words of congratulations to the Kigezi High School Jubilee Committee and to wish all success in the celebrations to remember the 50 years during which the school has played its part in the development of the Kigezi District.

When Dr. and Mrs. Sharp, my wife and i arrived in Kabale in 1921, we were fully occupied during the first year in settling in, starting the medical work, and helping in the spread of the work of evangelization throughout the District. So it was not till 1922 that it fell to my lot to make a start on the educational side of the work. The first step was to invite the Government Agents under Mr. Edward Kaguhala, the chiefs and elders of Kigezi to propose to them the starting of a boarding school for boys. The plan met with their enthusiastic approval; and so on 2nd February, 1922 the school opened with eleven boys with a Muganda Master as their teacher.

On an occasion like this, as the School goes forward into its second half century, we look back, and we look forward, the backward look remembering all God’s mercies to the school, the stream of young men who have gone out from it to serve Kigezi and all Uganda – and the forward look in reliance on God, with the prayer that the boys and girls of the school may, in the words of the Lord Jesus, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and so be able to serve their country in the way that leads to true peace, progress and prosperity.

This is our prayer and hope for the Kigezi High School.

About Dr. A. C. Stanley-Smith:

Algernon “Algie” Stanley Smith (14 February 1890 – 28 July 1978) was a British Protestant Christian missionary in Uganda and Rwanda.

Early life
Algernon Charles “Algie” Stanley Smith was born on 14 February 1890 in Luara Shansi, China, the son of Stanley P. Smith, and his Norwegian wife Sophie de Reuter, who were missionaries in China. His mother died when he was only one year old. His father remarried after two years, and had three more children, his half brothers and sister. At the age of six he went to a boarding school at Chefoo for three years, until the family went to England in 1899. They left for furlough so were not in China at the time of the Boxer rebellion.

Education
After two years in England Algie’s parents returned to China leaving Algie in England for his education. During this period the “Watney Sisters”, Alice and Emily of Croydon, Surrey were his guardians. They were daughters of James Watney the brewer, and through their inherited wealth were very strong supporters of Christian Mission and of their local church.[1] Through their sponsorship Algie was educated at Winchester College and Trinity College, Cambridge where he matriculated in 1908 and studied medicine. Having completed his studies at Cambridge he went on to further medical studies at St George’s Hospital, London, qualifying in 1914.[2]

Missionary call
Although his parents were missionaries, Algie’s call to missionary service was personal and based on his own faith and calling. Together with his friend Len Sharp, he accepted the call to missionary service while at Cambridge in 1910. Dr Algie Stanley Smith and his close friend Dr Leonard Sharp were convinced that God had called them to work in Ruanda and offered to the Church Missionary Society for that work.

Missionary service
Both Algie and Len Sharp were accepted by CMS. They started work at Mengo Hospital in Uganda. In December 1916 they made an exploratory visit to Ruanda.[3] The CMS Uganda missionary committee received an appeal for medical help from Rwandans in Ruanda and Kigezi in 1917. The committee in London were unable to agree to this expansion of work because of the lack of funds, but the two doctors began to raise funds independently and by 1919 were able to guarantee support both for four years’ work and for a hospital. In the early days support was given and organised by ‘Friends of Ruanda’, but in 1926 the Ruanda Council was formed as a CMS committee in charge of the administration of the work. In 1929 it took full financial responsibility for the mission, though it was not separated from the CMS mission in Uganda until 1933.[4]

Legacy
Algie died on 28 July 1978 in Chorley Wood. The Ruanda Mission continued to send missionaries to Uganda, Ruanda, Burundi and Eastern Congo. Ruanda Mission changed its name to Mid-Africa Ministry (MAM), and in 1999 was re-integrated into CMS. He will be remembered for having founded the oldest school in Kigezi – Kigezi High School on 2nd February 1922.

Family
On 7 January 1919 Algie married Lillian Zoe Sharp (1891-1980), sister of his great friend and fellow missionary Leonard Sharp at Wimbledon Parish Church.[5] They had two sons and two daughters:
Olive Nora born in 1920
Alice Eve born in 1922
Dr Geoffrey born in 1924
James (Jim) born in 1929

Dr Algy & Mrs Zoe Stanley-Smith and daughter Norah

References
1. Emmanuel Church South Croydon Jubilee Book 1899-1999
2. Makower, Katherine: Not a Gap Year but a Lifetime. Apologia Publications 2008
3. Patricia Mary St. John: Breath of Life: The Story of the Ruanda Mission. Norfolk Press, 1971
4. Mid-Africa Ministry (MAM) http://www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/44/1238.htm
5. Makower, Katherine: Not a Gap Year but a Lifetime. Apologia Publications 2008
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algernon_Stanley_Smith
7. http://www.friendsofburundi.org.uk/Past/Historic%20Photos50-60.htm