History

During the mid-fifties, a mother of a severely intellectually disabled boy took her plight of giving her son specialised schooling to the Press, as he could not attend or be educated in mainstream schools like his brothers and sisters.

This caught the attention of various other parents in similar situations, resulting in a place of education sought exclusively for the purpose of educating and training severely intellectually disabled children, including those suffering from various forms of chromosomal, genetic and metabolic abnormalities, as well as a wide variety of neurological barriers.

For years the Port Elizabeth Mental Health Society carried most of the responsibilities in assisting these special children. Their efforts and various culminating events played the greatest role which led to the building of the Merryvale School where it stands today.

On February 6th 1956 the first school for children with high needs was established in Port Elizabeth at the St Columbus Presbyterian Church Hall in North End.

Having to accommodate 30 – 40 children during 1958 – ‘59, the school had to relocate to 131 Albert Road in Walmer.

In mid 1959 a permanent building was erected in Cotswold. The cornerstone was laid by the President of the American and Canadian Women’s Club, a society which has done much to collect critically needed funds for Merryvale.

As from April 1976, the Department of National Education began subsidising Merryvale. The Dutch Reformed Church became the new sponsoring body, making a substantial contribution in establishing a new training centre. 

With construction commencing during February 1983, the magnificent buildings where Merryvale is now situated, were occupied on 28 February 1985, one of the most memorable days in the history of the school!