— an adventure into

DON WALTON

“ I will call the three views of education the Ionian They can thereby develop resilience, stamina and view, the Spartan view, the Platonic view ... Those powers of concentration — all of which help them who hold the first view believe that the individual towards vital health. The progress achieved often ought to be nurtured and humoured regardless of came as a surprise to the boy or girl in training: the the interests of the community. . . According to experience of defeating their own defeatism remain­ the second view, the individual may and should be ed a strengthening memory. The second contribu­ neglected for the benefit of the state .. . The third, tion of Salem deserves the name of a discovery: the Platonic view, is that any nation is a slovenly namely that the so-called deformity of puberty guardian of its own interests if it does not do all it should not be regarded as a decree of fate. You can to make the individual citizen discover his own can avoid those loutish years, that dim and irritable powers: and further, that the individual becomes a period when even movements become sluggish and cripple from his or her own point of view if he is awkward, you can preserve a child’s strength, the not qualified by education to serve the community.” undefeatable spirit, the joy of movement, the power of compassion, the eager curiosity — all those Which of these aims are we trying to realise treasures of childhood, on one condition: that you in ? The introduction of the new kindle on the threshold of puberty and subsequently differentiated system is surely designed to sustain the so-called non-poisonous passions — enable each pupil to “discover his own the zest for building, the craving for adventure, the joy of exploration, the love of music, painting or powers’’, certainly in the classroom situation writing, the devotion to a skill demanding patience where a much wider field of study is now pos­ and care. You can in fact satisfy the primitive long­ sible than has been possible previously. So ing for mastery, call it the begetting of creative far, however, mention has been made only instinct if you like, and thereby forestall the sexual impulses from monopolising an adolescent’s emo­ of the classroom situation and the phrase tional life and from seeking insidious satisfaction.” “field of study” seems to characterise the whole system. Surely education relates to Any boarding school headmaster knows that more than the classroom situation? Surely much “trouble” can be avoided if pupils are education should also be related to the “occupied” for most of their day. There leisure life of a pupil? Surely education is should not be time to seek, never mind concerned, not only with a citizen working achieve, “the insidious satisfactions of the in the state, but also with his living, and youth” , whatever they be. enjoying life, in the state? Sociological sur­ veys make the point that the man of future BUT. years is going to have increasing leisure hours at his disposal. Are we showing future Do we kindle and sustain the “zest for build­ citizens how to occupy those leisure hours so ing, the craving for adventure and the joy as to give themselves, and others, delight in of exploration”? Can not most of the ills of being alive? the “permissive” society be attributed to a “craving for adventure”? In cities today the Dr. Hahn’s Educational Programme only avenues of adventure and exploration seem to be those of drink, drugs and sex. The man who advocated the Platonic view It must be our duty as educationists to outlined above was Dr. . He be­ show that opportunities exist for exploration, lieved that education is far more than occu­ adventure and challenge in other direc­ pying youth for a few hours a day inside the tions. four walls of a classroom. He summed up his first major experiment in Hahn founds Gordonstoun education at Salem in as follows: Hahn saw the problems of youth as “grave ‘On the credit side we had established beyond but not incurable” as long ago as 1920. The doubt that through continuity of purposeful athletic training every normal boy and girl can be brought same problems seem to be with us today and to attain the maximum standards within their reach. although Hahns’ answers to these problems

1973/74 29 SYMPOSIUM have proved themselves in practice, very He noted that the local fishing lads, full of few educators know about them. the zest for life in childhood, degenerated Dr. Hahn is perhaps best known for his found­ either to lawlessness or to listlessness during ing of Gordonstoun School in 1934 and for adolescence. He was also concerned about starting the movement. The the general fitness of the youth of the coun­ Duke of Edinburgh Award and the Atlantic try and so, together with the local high College also operate on Hahn guidelines. school, Elgin Academy, he instituted the Mo­ ray Badge. To qualify for the Badge a boy It was his distress as he watched decay sur­ had to complete certain tests in athletics, round youth: “the decay of adventure and make an expedition, perform some life-saving enterprise, of skill and care, and of com­ exercise and to observe full training condi­ passion”, that led him to establish Salem, tions. No smoking or drinking were allowed. under the patronage of Prince Max of Baden. This programme received more and more sup­ It was because he saw the need to “ educate port as the country realised how unprepared young people in independence of judgement it was for the impending war. and in strength of purpose when following an unfashionable cause, to teach the pro­ Outward bound tection of the weak, the recognition of the rights of the less fortunate, and the worth During the war years Gordonstoun moved to of a single human life” that he was at odds and it was there that Hahn had another with the rising Nazi movement in Germany opportunity to spread his philosophies. A during the thirties. Eventually, this incompat- summer course at Gordonstoun for Merchant ability led him to leave his own country for Navy Cadets, some working boys and young England where his educational ideas had soldiers showed how unfit and unprepared long been carefully watched and admired. these boys were for the task that lay ahead Gordonstoun, founded with the help of Eng­ of them. They lacked initiative, smoked heavi­ lish and Scottish friends, continued, and still ly and some did not even like being outside does today, the original ideals developed at at night. To provide these boys with the Salem. Gordonstoun ideas of independence as well as physical and moral stamina, the first out­ The Gordonstoun regimen ward bound school was started at Aberdovey, Boys at Gordonstoun had to do athletic train­ in Wales. Financial backing was provided by ing, follow their “grande passion” on a Satur­ Laurence Holt, of Holt shipping lines, who day morning, usually some sort of project felt that many lives were unnecessarily lost that they were interested in, find their chal­ at sea because people did not know how to lenge and adventure either in the nearby meet an emergency. Courses lasted for four Cairngorm Mountains or at sea, and be of weeks and boys from all walks of life attend­ some service to the community. Within a ed. The course material was organised around very few years Gordonstoun had its own fire the Badge idea with a project, seaman­ brigade, and the coast guards assisted the ship and teamwork being included. local professional service. One of Hahn’s Today there are 24 Outward Bound schools convictions was that in order to develop in all over the world and the movement con­ young men the basic human qualities, they tinues to spread. Courses vary from school had to be provided with the moral equivalent to school but the basic ideas remain the of war. He meant that the warlike instincts same. The latest courses, “ City Challenges” , should be channelled into useful and peace­ collect groups of young men, from widely ful means. “More than the equivalent has different backgrounds, to spend three weeks been found”, he wrote. “The passion of providing different kinds of community ser­ rescue releases even higher dynamics than vices for city authorities. One group went to war” . Belfast and Londonderry (both strife-torn Education, war and peace towns) and with local youth organisations It was the impeding war that led Hahn to discussed ways and means of improving find wider support for the Gordonstoun ideas. community relations.

SYMPOSIUM 30 1973/74 To bridge international divisions and to give to “ how Hahn would have done it” still pro­ expression to Hahn’s idea of internationalism, voke many bitter arguments. The school still the was founded in 1962. tries to prevent youth from falling into the Most of the boys are on scholarship to en­ “ decline” traps: sure that they come from the widest possible — The decline of initiative as a result of the backgrounds and great store is set on the widespread disease of spectatoritis. rescue services. Internationalism is achieved — The decline of skill and care as a result by mixing nationalities in the dormitories, by of the weakening tradition of craftsman­ history lessons and by the teamwork required ship. for the rescue services. — The decline of concern about one’s Hahn’s ideas and philosophies have spread neighbour as a result of the unseemly far and wide, but what happens at Gordons- haste with which daily life is conduct­ toun today? Is the school that demonstrated ed. the practical answers for Hahn’s ideas and the springboard for the Outward Bound move­ Athletic training forms the core of Gordons- ment still viable in terms of solving the prob­ toun’s extra-mural activities. The emphasis lems and difficulties of the youth of today? is on providing a boy with experiences in as What happens at the school that has provided many different sports as possible. Every boy the education for two members of the Royal is encouraged to spend at least two after­ Family? Are there ideas that South African noons of the week breathing the fresh air. schools can adopt and use? For those boys who do not represent the school, internal leagues are arranged for house teams to battle for the honours. How Gordonstoun works The summer term provides for the greatest The school is set in beautiful surroundings variety of sporting activity where a selection about a mile from the coast of the Moray has to be made from: , canoeing, , Firth. The school is centred around Gordons­ cutter sailing, yachting, water skiing, swim­ toun House and the , seven­ ming, , athletics, and ten­ teenth century houses of considerable histor­ nis. Colours are not awarded for prestige ical interest. Building programmes have in­ in sporting events but only for acceptance cluded new science blocks, boarding houses, of a much wider range of community respons­ teaching blocks, a chapel and a sanatorium. ibility. The school does, however, produce The school has place for about 350 boys and very good sportsmen and has several players 60 girls (having turned co-educational in in Scottish National schoolboy teams. Even 1972) who come from all over the world. if a boy does excel in a particular sport, he Exchange programmes are organised with is not compelled to play that sport every Australia (Geelong and Armidale), New Zea­ season. He is free to try his hand at any land (Wanguni) and Germany (Salem). Ex­ game so as to broaden his experience. changes are also possible with Canada, Kash­ The idea of every boy following his grande mir and India. Normal enrolment includes passion on a Saturday morning has evolved boys from as far apart as Singapore and into society afternoons for juniors and pro­ the Carribean, Norway and South Africa. jects for the seniors. The society afternoons In recent years more and more time has are set aside for the boy to build or make been allocated to academic activities rather something which catches his interest, al­ than other pursuits. Hahn purists have been though the bridge and chess societies share severely critical of this movement but the the same time. Interests include fly-tying, extra-murals are still so wide ranging and model rocketry and radio “ hamming” . so competently organised that anyone who In many of the new academic courses, espe­ considers Gordonstoun a “normal” public cially Nuffield sciences, projects form an school has no appreciation of what is being integral part of the syllabus. Saturday morn­ done there or of what the school tries to ings are still given over to senior projects achieve. School policy is still planned with to enable this aspect of academic work to Hahn’s ideas in mind and interpretations as be completed.

1973/74 31 SYMPOSIUM Boys work in groups of two or three under in the Moray Firth and even have their own the guidance, not supervision, of a master permanent watch tower. The Mountain and have to plan, build equipment for, and Rescue team spends many cold, blizzard report on, their research. Infra-red spectro­ blown, winter days in the Scottish Hills look­ meters, wind tunnels and an operating hover­ ing for missing walkers and climbers. Boys craft are some of the projects completed to in the community service entertain hospital date. patients, play cards with retired fishermen and The school has a well-equipped technology help old age pensioners with difficult tasks centre where a lot of the building takes place around their homes. and where boys in the lower forms are shown The Conservation Service recently laid a na­ how to use the equipment during normal time­ ture trail, complete with bridges, benches table periods. The centre has produced a and a printed guide, through one of the for­ mould for fibre glass canoes and also pro­ ests near Fachabers. Wednesday afternoons vides courses in woodwork, metalwork, motor are devoted to services and every boy is engineering, plastics, fibre-glass and cast­ either directly involved in a service or else ing. is in training to join one. One could hardly ask for a better, practical The great out-of-doors example of education in its widest sense, than that offered at Gordonstoun school. The mountains and sea are still used as the instruments of challenge and adventure. A second look at South African education After careful training during the first six months at school, groups of third formers go Do we provide a “ broad” education in South off on a weekend expedition. These expedi­ Africa? tions last for four days and take place in Are South African guilty of fostering “prima the Scottish hills. Although they are continu­ donnas” and “stars” in their school sports ally under the watchful eye of supervising teams? Are row upon row of “ego-feeding masters, they are left to deal with their own colours badges” really essential? How do we navigating and leadership problems as they deal with the average and below average hike through difficult but beautiful country. sportsman? Do we encourage pupils to ex­ A boy goes on a second compulsory expe­ perience the greatest sample of sporting ac­ dition in his second year at school and after tivities? Is it right that the first team walk the that the expeditions are voluntary. Each house heroes’ path, while the scholar, the worker usually has an annual expedition of a much and the server have to be content with the more “away from home” type and there are satisfaction of a job well done? the regular training expeditions for services Although boys and girls in our schools make, such as Mountain Rescue. A boy spends at and build, items at school, so few of these least one week sailing on the school yacht, are truly creative projects. How often do Sea Spirit, off the West coast of . they represent achievements in fields that He also completes a one-week course in sea­ the pupil is interested in, things that pupils manship each year. want to build? Equipment and facilities for science, biology Service or geography projects are inadequate; real The idea of service plays an ever-increasing projects, not writing and pictures, are severe­ role in life at Gordonstoun. The Fire, Coast ly limited. Education Departments do not Guard and Mountain Rescue Services are all even provide basic materials for the teacher attached to the senior, professional rescue to produce his own experimental equipment; services in the area. The Fire Service, with everything is prescribed and the teacher with their own fire engine, is regularly called on any imagination is left to stagnate. Project to put out burning gorse and many a farmer work, it is sad to note, has not been included has had a hay loft fire brought under control in the new syllabuses. by Gordonstoun boys. On stormy nights the Where do we provide challenge and adven­ Coast Guard mount watch over the ships ture for our pupils? Around the corner with

SYMPOSIUM 32 1973/74 a cigarette, in the coffee bars, groping in the Submission of MSS for publication dark on a Saturday night? We have the moun­ We invite enquiries concerning the writing of articles tains and natural resources to provide both for future editions of Symposium and would welcome the adventure and the challenge, but to most well-written mss concerned with primary education South Africans a flat tyre on their car is a or directed to parental interests. major journey of adventure. If walking and climbing, to see more of our beautiful coun­ Symposium 1974 try, is encouraged at school, our high coron­ Without committing ourselves irrevocably, it may inter­ ary statistics could surely also be re­ est readers that we are planning for 1974 articles that duced. assess our South African examination system, the Many city councils have shown that part-time problem of schools and drugs, the experimental “ Open traffic officers are a realistic proposition. In School” in Johannesburg, the use of small groups in the ordinary classroom and progress with African small communities, and there are so many of education. We hope to include a major article for them in South Africa, a full-time fire brigade parents on howe-work. Professor Andrew Leonie will is far too costly, yet there are usually hun­ present a specially written article on trends in Ameri­ dreds of keen, but as yet untrained, fire­ can education. A former member of the staff of JOE, fighters in the local high school. Who with Professor Leonie heads the Department of Educational veld-fire fighting experience as part of their Foundations at Western Illinois University. school background will throw a match out of their car window? Costs In the field of conservation there must be Like any other enterprise, Symposium struggles with place for hundreds of willing hands. Organis­ inflation. We are a non-profit venture. We only just ation is all that is needed. managed to hold the selling-price at R1 for this issue because of the generous donation of R250 from the In order to realise these ideas in a school Witwatersrand Council of Education. situation a low staff/pupil ratio is a prerequi­ site. If a teacher is to carry out exciting extra­ mural work he must have plenty of planning time and thus a low time-table commitment. Teachers in Britain find it hard to believe that ALWAYS AT YOUR SERVICE forty out of forty-five periods is an average teaching load in a high school. The result for is, of course, average; average teachers, aver­ age pupils and an average country. SPORTS It is these aspects of education that our plan­ requirements ners seem to have ignored but which seem very essential to build up a country and a Tony Britton at nation. Varsity BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fletcher, B.A. Outward Bound (University of Bristol). Jeneid, M. Adventuring Outward Bound (Lansdowne Press). Sports James, D. Outward Bound (Routledge and Kegan Paul). Total Centre, Braamfontein, Hogan, J. M. Impelled Into Experiences (Educational Tel. 724-0051 Productions). Fletcher, B. A. The Challenge Of Outward Bound DISCOUNTS FOR ALL SCHOOLS AND (Heinemann). SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS Gordonstoun School Prospectus.

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