The "Golden Age"
The number of inhabitants increased so much that at one stage Genadendal was the largest settlement in the Colony after Cape Town. Noteworthy developments took place in the early nineteenth century, so that Governor Janssens, after his visit in 1806, decided to change the name of the mission station to Genadendal (Valley of Grace). To give the people an enriching and uninterrupted Christian education, it was important to maintain them permanently on the mission station. Job creation at a local level was necessary and in this way the mission station developed into a self-sufficient community. Up to the end of the nineteenth century it enjoyed a "Golden Era". Home industries, including amongst, the forging of knives (the well know herneuters), flourished, and Genadendal became an important educational centre. The first Teachers’ Training College in South Africa, now the museum building, was erected in 1838. The success of this flourishing community was blighted when it fell victim to the iniquities legislation, e.g. the Communal Reserve Act of 1909 for Mission Stations, which prevented the inhabitants from obtaining property rights. With its strong religious roots, its industry and training, Genadendal had the potential to develop into a center of learning and perhaps even another Stellenbosch. But this was prevented by its “coloured” status. In 1926, the Department of Public Education who argued that the “coloured” people had no need of tertiary education, and were better employed on the farms in the area closed down the Teachers' Training College. These policies caused impoverishment, degradation and stagnation of the town, and a loss of community pride. However, today the new democratically elected town council is supporting all efforts to introduce new community projects in order to create jobs on a local level and the Emil Weder High School has a 92% matric pass rate.