It was with great interest that I read the splendid article on Sir Basil Schonland written by Prof Mike Bruton (‘SA’s all time top matriculant’, Grocott’s 13 January 2012). But why no mention that Schonland was the first Chancellor of Rhodes University  and after a long struggle Rhodes College was elevated to afully fledged university on 10 March 1951?

Dr Thomas Alty was the first Vice Chancellor and Basil Schonland the first Chancellor. He was also one of the four famous academics to receive an honourary degree from Rhodes when first it was able to confer as a university.

The ceremony was a stirring and significant celebration of the inauguration, which should be included in Prof Jeff Peires’s list of his events in Grahamstown.

Thelma Neville