The photograph of the veterinary graduandi of 1954, in front of the Onderstepoort Library, is of the customary composite type. Malie Smuts was born on 27 February 1933 in Potchefstroom. She was selected for admission to the second year of the veterinary course at Onderstepoort in 1951. Malie qualified in 1954 and was awarded the coveted Theiler Medal as the best student in the final year. The 6th female Onderstepoort graduate, she was the first woman to receive this award. Approached by Prof HPA de Boom, she was appointed lecturer in the Onderstepoort Faculty’s Department of Anatomy in 1970, the first female appointee. In 1982 she succeeded Prof JMW le Roux as professor and Head of the
Department of Anatomy when he became Dean of the Faculty.
The names of the graduates and staff on the photo are Front (from left to right): CL Craig, PA Basson, Prof PJ Fourie, MMS Smuts, Prof WO Neitz, PN Collier, CJ Howell ; Second row: TW Naudé, DJ le Roux, JR Philip, PJS Anderson, DC Wright, ANS Abrey ; Third row: ZP Kempster, HDP Dames, R Wege, L Black, L van Wyk, PJNR Bisschop, AJD Williamson. More information on some of the veterinarians can be read in: Past veterinarians in South Africa / Posthumus, P.J. URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/21238
