LEARNING HISTORY – HOW IT PUTS THE PANDEMIC IN PERSPECTIVE
Interview : DR MARK JOHNSTON
Head of History
BY LARA SILKOFF , SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
‘ The resilience of humanity is seemingly inexhaustible ’ Dr Mark Johnston , April 2020 . As one of Australia ’ s most esteemed war historians and writers , Dr Johnston has made a career of researching , teaching and writing about the unique courage , camaraderie and resilience of Australian soldiers in the face of the horrific battlefields of World Wars I and II . In his role as the Head of History at Scotch , Dr Johnston regularly captivates the boys with tales of war , of fighting and mateship .
But we are now fighting a different war , one where the enemy is invisible to the naked eye . In this war , we are asked to ‘ social distance ’ and ‘ stay at home ’. There is little doubt that this is difficult for everyone .
As a school psychologist , I am particularly aware of how difficult the crisis is for adolescent boys . Adolescence is a time where peer connection , risk taking and developing agency and independence from the family form the goals of healthy psychological development . These goals run exactly counter to what we are asking from our boys in lockdown . In addition , fears about the stress on the economy , and the future and health of loved ones , permeate our news cycles and social media .
I asked Dr Johnston to explain how studying history can help boys find hope during these difficult times ,
Somehow human beings bounce back from tragedies of all kinds – personal or social . Even slaves , people who belong to others and apparently have nothing to live for , seem always to have strived to make some joy in their lives . People who have lost their families in war or plague somehow rise again . So do nations and entire continents .
Europe lost up to one-third of its population in the Black Death of the 14th century , yet the survivors rose again , economically better off , and soon Europe entered a period known as the Renaissance : rebirth . Germany in the 17th century also lost up to one-third of its population in the Thirty Years ’ War . Yet , in the century that followed , its people saw an economic and cultural resurgence .
The European Jews lost six million of their number , murdered in World War II , but the survivors were determined to maintain their identity and rise again , and they did so in every field of endeavour .
National groups such as the Poles , who lost their country for more than 100 years , have shown an amazing determination to hang on to their identity , a source of hope and inspiration . So have religious groups , such as Christians who have suffered persecution in many places since Roman times , but who have maintained their message of hope .
‘ Hope springs eternal ’, wrote Alexander Pope , and he told the profound truth that people never give up , even in times of crisis .
Dr Johnston also suggested that studying history reminds us of how much humanity has achieved over time . Recognising how
much we have progressed in human history can form the basis of optimism , which is a fundamental quality of resilience and psychological health .
For all the hiccups and sadness of the present time , progress is a remarkably constant theme in history .
Thanks to advances in science and tolerance , people today are better educated , wealthier and – most importantly – healthier than ever before .
Even with the pandemic , the life expectancy of our boys at Scotch is higher than that of any generation in previous human history . When our School was founded , in 1851 , a baby boy in the United Kingdom was expected to live just 40 years . Yet that was a period of high hopes . Think of how much better the prospects of the average boy are today !
Our boys , judging by the efforts of many Scotch Collegians who went before them – ' men of influence , men of weight ' – also have every reason to believe they can contribute substantially to that positive future . Our School encourages them to be responsible , tolerant and caring citizens .
That sounds like a recipe for a bright future , doesn ’ t it ?
In psychology , as in history , perspective is everything . I would like to thank Dr Johnston for this interview , and for showing us the hope , resilience and optimism a historical perspective offers our School community during these times of challenge .
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