Scots College – Learning. For Life.

In 1941, the Rev. Duncan Mackellar Hercus, B.E., B.A., then 35 years of age, was appointed to the full-time post of chaplain, the first such postition in a Presbyterian Church school in the country.  He was to remain as chaplain for the next twenty-one years.

Aside from focusing on the spiritual needs of the school, Hercus also had classes in mathematics, science, and manual training.

During his earlier time as a visiting chaplain Duncan Hercus had emphasised the need for a chapel to provide a focus for the religious life of the college. A fund for the building of a chapel was started to be raised in 1948, but owing to difficulties in those tumultous times, the project would experience a cycle of losing and gaining momentum through the years.  In 1950 that a proposal from the Old Boys’ Association to raise money amongst themselves to build a chapel was established, but their efforts, aided with funding originally intended for a Hall of Memories, still proved insufficient.  In 1956 the Board’s Committee of Ways and Means reported that an Assembly Hall was the priority, but owing to the difficulties confronted with earlier building plans, a combination Chapel-Assembly Hall became very attractive.

Backed by a committee composed of representatives of the College, the Board, the parents, and the Old Boys that was formalised in 1958, aggressive fundraising was undertaken and building finally commenced in July 1962.  A year later, on 10 August 1963, the Chapel-Assembly Hall was opened and dedicated by the Moderator of the General Assembly, the commemmorative stone being unveiled by the Governor-General, Sir Bernard Fergusson during the service.

While Hercus’ dream of having a chapel in his time as chaplain in the College did not materialise, in his final years he was able to share the spiritual aims of the then headmaster G.A. Leary and greatly enjoyed working with him.

Duncan Hercus became head of the mathematics department in 1950 and also head of science until 1958.

A skilled woodworker, Duncan designed the chapel communion table and pulpit desk.  With a keen interest in Church architecture, he was for some time a member of the General Assembly Committee on Architecture.  His book, Building of Churches, was published in 1945.  His passion led to dramatic improvements in the standard of design of Presbyterian churches and manses, as proposals for church buildings were required to be sent to the committee.

In September 1961 he accepted a call to the Te Aroha parish to which he ministered until his retirement in 1970.  He died, after a long illness, in 1989.