[1] With his new qualification he was able to teach at the Dutch Reformed Church mission school at Clanwilliam in the Western Cape.

At the same time he furthered his own education and he passed his matriculation meaning that he could, in theory, enter a university.

With Abdurahman's encouragement he and H.Gordan founded the important Teachers' League of South Africa[6] and Cressy was appointed president of the organisation in 1913 as well as editing the groups influential publication, the Educational Journal.

[8] The Teachers League of South Africa (TLSA), which Cressy created, became a powerful group.

[6] In the 1950s Benjamin Kies, a teacher at Trafalgar High School, was banned from teaching for life for being involved with the TLSA.