Headmaster's

Message

The Mind of the Future

This weekend just passed I walked the Wentworth Pass; down the many steps to the base of the Valley of the Waters, through the bush to the base of Wentworth Falls and then up the many flights of stairs back to the carpark where I had parked. Despite my aching legs, the experience provided much time for reflection, produced a sense of achievement and reminded me that we are among the most privileged people in Greater Sydney.

This issue of Pulse marks the end of Term 3, at a time when every one of us is looking forward to the planned return to on-campus learning mid-Term 4 and an end to the many limitations we have each embraced as our personal contribution to our State’s effort to curtail the spread of COVID-19. Despite its difficulties, throughout this term our community has achieved much, even though we may not yet feel like celebrating these achievements. In addition, because of its challenges, this term has borne much fruit in each of our lives, some of which has not yet ripened. Much like our legs after a big walk; this experience may have caused us some pain and suffering, but it will make us stronger and more capable to face our next challenge.

Just as time for personal reflection is valuable, so are conversations with others that explore the big issues of life. It is a tremendous privilege to discuss with anyone the deep things that move their heart and motivate their actions. It is especially stimulating to do so with those whose perspective is different from our own. These differences make such conversations infinitely fascinating as we explore those things about which we agree and especially, for me at least, those things about which we do not. It is a very special privilege to do so with eight of the finest young people a School could ever consider for the positions of School Captain and Vice-Captain. 

I was recently presented with a list of candidates that had been selected by a panel of staff after an initial interview and having received the endorsement of their Heads of House, their teachers and their peers, who were asked “if not you, then whom?” My conversations with them, over Zoom of course, explored their philosophies and values, their vision for the world and our School, their insights into what should change and what should stay the same, as well as how young people should bring about effective change both locally and globally. I was thoroughly impressed by their thoughtfulness, their conviction and the degree of sophistication of their answers.

I was led, most capably, over more than four hours by some of the brightest young minds, to consider many of the challenges of modern society. We touched on the need to not read too deeply into teenage quarrels, to not get caught up in them but to stay neutral in order to avoid getting ‘battered and bruised.’ I was led to understand that young people too often act out of whim or to follow a crowd rather than a deep well-considered conviction (not so in their cases, I can assure you). I was invited to consider an eloquent explanation of the problem of reductionism and the need for empathy if we are to reduce conflict in society. One candidate highlighted the importance of aligning values with goals and lamented the many evils greed has brought into the world. We touched on the pillars of privilege that advantage and empower some and disadvantage and disenfranchise others. It was explained to me that many young people have lost faith in humanity because of the inherent flaws they see in people and society. They explained that, now more than ever, young people need to believe in themselves if they are to make a meaningful contribution to humanity’s efforts to secure and improve our future. Finally, almost every candidate expressed a hope that adults would have confidence in the next generation (in them) and not dismiss their ideas out of hand because of a lack of knowledge or experience.

As representatives of our student body, these young people have read widely, thought deeply, discussed long and are becoming equipped to present a new perspective on a range of important topics in all the places where change is discussed and delivered; our media channels, universities, board rooms and the halls of government. These young people are Blue Mountains Grammar’s next generation of leaders, however they will soon be leaders in the communities of the Blue Mountains and eventually our state and our nation and I, for one, am glad.

I wish every BMGS student a fabulous break from online learning and every BMGS family a wonderful two weeks of precious time together.

Mr Ian Maynard

Headmaster