Prize Giving Address 2017

As per my practice I do not intend to go over the annual report today. I prefer to speak to a theme linked to our pastoral ambition of “boys of promise to men of substance”.

I regularly get lobbied for Newington College to publicly get behind a campaign for a particular cause. They are usually of great value and importance and the proponents are passionate about what they are doing.

Recent lobbies have been around some very key issues such as North Korea and peace education, marriage equality, refugee policies and practices, the coal debate, indigenous inequalities, gender inequality, domestic violence, global warming and poverty – domestically and worldwide.

We do want Newington boys to be engaged in the important debates, the analysis and the trials and tribulations of evaluating the countering arguments and passions of both or multiple sides. A robust democracy demands its citizens to be engaged.

More importantly, we must educate our boys to learn the tools of analysis, to know why judgements are being made, to read the signs for fake news, to test the validity of any argument, to be willing to do further research, to be willing to change their mind (and often many times) and not to be daunted by some of the massive and complex issues.

In the program I use a quote attributed to Muhammad Ali or Robert service. “it isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out, it’s the pebble in your shoe”. 

One must be careful that the pebble – the minor irritant – does not distract you from your big goal – the big picture – the thing that really matters. Obsessive focus on the “pebble” can distort you to negativity and affects your attitude to life. Too often we do not stop and take off the shoe to empty the pebble – we do not stop to deal with the minor irritant in our life or workplace or relationships. We often do not have the difficult conversation early to clear the air – rather we carry on with the irritant (the pebble) unresolved. That, in turn, affects our attitude.

Our attitude is a conscious choice we make every day. We all love being around positive people – so one must ask – are we such a person? And we need an engaged and positive attitude to take on the big issues of life and being a valued member of society.

Boys should be willing to challenge and to be challenged on the important issues. The Harvey Weinstein case and a few recent local cases have at last brought that shocking male world of abuse of power against women fully into the open. And yet – what about all the men “in the know” who turned a blind eye over so many years? Where was their backbone? If all of us males are to be men of substance we can no longer turn blind eyes to such matters – at home, at work, at social occasions, at public gatherings, or even at our university residential college.

This year, the MLC girl leaders spoke at an assembly on world women’s day. They showed a Youtube film clip of a female in her mid-20’s conservatively dressed, walking the streets of New York in the daytime over 10 hours. It has now been watched by over 43 million people. The number of comments, suggestions and gestures she received from men were appalling. It is something we males do not endure. It is something we males must engage with to change things for the better for our sisters, mothers, girlfriends, wives, partners, daughters, female friends and in my case now, two granddaughters.

Newington must engage with boys via our character focus on these important gender matters. I hope our dads are also discussing these issues at home with their sons. In a recent paper by Professor Randall Curren of the University of Rochester UK on “why character education?” He sets out a robust defence of character education in schools.

He stated that to narrow a focus just on the performance virtues such as perseverance and resilience can be a mistake. He argues that such traits only qualify as virtues when they are part of a more comprehensive package that includes good judgement and valuing what is worthy of being valued.

Such an approach makes us all pause and reflect. What do we stand for and why? What rattles our cage enough to make a public stand? What shakes us from turning a blind eye? Where do our values originate from? What is a rock solid value no matter what or do some values vary depending upon the circumstances? Our brilliant philosophy and religious studies course for years 7 – 10, led by Dr Jeremy Hall and his team, seek to tackle such big questions that require critical thinking. Such an attribute is a vital part of the journey to wisdom.

As an individual or school or community or nation, we are defined by the choices we make. The Newington education seeks to shape these choices as our boys of promise mature into men of substance and resilience. I thank every one of the Newington extended family and village for their role in this journey.

In conclusion, may the spiritual dimension of the Christmas season provide time to reflect on all that is moving about the human spirit, about our families and loved ones, and about our relationship with our God.