Page 45 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

17
1863-64-65
governess Miss Robinson who had a glass eye. The finances were under the “Small Bergmann”. But Müller had great organisational talent and he managed everything. He was clever and well educated. He taught us German, English, Latin, Greek and French, but also geometry and algebra. He had a good and kind wife and children. His son Heinrich died of croup, later his good wife died and to the astonishment of everybody he married the one-eyed Miss Robinson.
The three missionaries only gave elementary classes. Mr Muirhead and his son were the English teachers. Mr Schmitt gave good music and singing lessons.
Hermannsburg was a big village. There was a shoemaker, a tailor, a joiner, a turner, an organ builder, a bricklayer, a tanner, a carpenter, a miller, a blacksmith, a chef, a farmer and many more. All trades were represented, so everything could be produced in Hermannsburg. It was a colony on its own, second to none. Many Englishmen came to have a look at everything, once even Mr Keet, the Governor of Natal. Even Pretorius, the President of Transvaal, came to visit us and the English ladies were very impressed with our beautiful flowers because every child had its own flowerbed that it had to take care of.