 | CONVENTION SPEAKERSChristoffel Jacobus (Tok) SchoemanBORN: 7 February 1943 in the small town of Petrusburg, Free State, South Africa as the youngest of ten children.
EDUCATION: Completed school education in 1960 at the Petrusburg High School in South Africa. Obtained a bursary from South West Africa Administration (now Namibia) to study for secondary school teacher. Graduated with a BA degree in 1963 at the University of the Orange Free State, majoring in History and Geography with Afrikaans on second year level. Obtained a University Teachers Diploma in 1964 at the same institution. OCCUPATIONAL CAREER: Started teaching career in the small town of Aranos, South West Africa, and moved to Windhoek in 1965 to instruct mainly Afrikaans at several schools, and eventually became School Principal in 1983. In 1984 promoted to Senior Subject Adviser for Afrikaans in the Directorate of Education, and in 1988 appointed as Senior Education Planner (Academic) in the same Directorate. Held this position till after Independence in 1990, with the later addition of Physical Planning as component to the post. In February 2003 had to take compulsory retirement at age 60, due to Government policy. FAMILY: Married to Dorothy Denise Uys in 1968. One son and two daughters were born, and there are currently five grandchildren (2 boys and 3 girls) and another expected in April 2009. |
INTERESTS:
Interested in all kinds of plants and gardening since a young age. Initially collected and grew aloes, and at a later stage tried the art of bonsai. Due to the harsh climate of Windhoek, indigenous succulents later became a natural choice. After reading an article on lithops in a magazine, as well as D.T. Cole’s book on the same topic in 1996, a collection was established with plants and seed ordered from growers. Extensive field trips followed to study and photograph plants in habitat and to find new localities. The collection currently harbours specimens of all species, subspecies and varieties, as well as most of the cultivars. Hundreds of seedlings had been successfully raised, and then shared with other keen collectors. Conservation conscious visitors are often taken on short field trips. Some articles on lithops have been published in the MSG Bulletin.
Also play bowls on club level and for the Namibian veteran side. Like to do woodwork and restore antique furniture, if time permits. Extra time is filled with reading, with special interest in books on plants and their cultivation, Afrikaans literary works with a love for poetry.
Cohabitants with the couple are two Yorkshire Terriers and a Schnauzer, who never back-chat.
