*This address was delivered to students by Mr Nick Carter, Deputy Headmaster / Teaching and Learning at Senior School Muster.
Colleagues and young men, welcome to the end of your first month back in class. I would especially like to recognise all the new students and staff that have made it through their first month ever at St Peter’s College. There is nothing wrong with being a little exhausted at this point because this is a very busy place. I should note that it is not a busy place because we are disorganised, it is a busy place because there are simply so many engaging and meaningful activities to throw yourself into. You may have noticed it is difficult to avoid doing that here – after all, we know busy learners are successful learners.
Speaking of all the things you can get involved in, what a showcase today! Thank you to Charles and Vinh, to Jesse and to the Jazz Ensemble for offering us an insight into the myriad opportunities you have here to broaden your mind, from co-curricular music to clubs and societies to overseas tours. We had an Open Morning earlier today and had literally hundreds of visitors from the ‘outside world’ who all wanted a taste of the experience of being a St Peter’s College student. We should remember how fortunate we are to be here.
I would like to pick up on the subject of the China Tour. You would have heard the Headmaster talking about this before, but one elemental truth you must remember about SPSC is that the rest of the world does not look like this. Most schools do not look like this and most schools do not do the things we do.
Honestly, though, discovering this is one of the great joys of life; there are entire universes of different cultures, spaces and ways of seeing things out there, if you are only willing to step beyond our walls and fields. That is why these sorts of tours are hugely important – they remind us to look out, and not just in. To consider others, not just ourselves. To show respect to different viewpoints and to find ways to act in service those who need help, even if they are strangers to us. To seek a higher, possibly more complex truth about life and people, even if this challenges what you already thought was true.
You may have noticed, however, that we are already surrounded with models of this way of living: this is surely what the parable of the Good Samaritan is about – engaging with others even if they are different to you – and it is what the Golden Rule is about (doing unto others as you would have them do unto you). Perhaps you could ask a Boarder what their House motto is if you are looking for a further model of this ‘other-centred’ life.
So, thank you to the boys, like the ones we heard about today, who are willing to step beyond these walls and fields in such of new adventures and experiences.
We should note that not everyone feels this way. I was reading an interview this morning with the President of the world’s largest economy (you may have heard of him), about the war in Ukraine. He suggested that the war was not really that important to him because, in his words, “we have a big, beautiful ocean as separation” from Ukraine. Perhaps you agree with his position; after all, here in College Park, if you cannot see, smell or hear the bloodshed in Ukraine or in Gaza, why on earth should it concern you? What business is it of yours? I ask a serious question: what is your moral and spiritual duty in this space? I imagine this could be a fascinating question to unpack in Mentor group, or in History, or in your Theology and Philosophy class. And that is my challenge for you today.
Mr Nick Carter
Deputy Headmaster / Teaching and Learning
