connection and that gnawing feeling of ‘ out of sight , out of mind ’.
At Scotch we long to see our boys prepared for all of life in their fast and ever-changing world . This preparation is more than providing them with the skills to master artificial intelligence or to perfect the techniques to pass exams . It requires boys to think clearly about the world and the importance of the other . It requires them to consider deeply the importance and significance of the wider body in a world of individualism . They must begin by seeing and embracing the inherent dignity of all people . Moreover , they must understand that contrary to the ethos of the age , they are not mere solitary units living separate lives in an unconnected world . They are precious and not simply a mere unit whose value is measured by his or her financial productivity . Real purpose and true meaning are to be experienced in community .
The ties that bind are vitally important for the flourishing of our families , our school , our society and our country . However , these bonds do not grow by accident , but through essential and vibrant connection to others . Their importance cannot be taken for granted , but have to be thoughtfully articulated and strenuously defended . The bonds must be acknowledged , cherished and developed as we begin to value and appreciate the other and work alongside each other for the greater good .
Each week in Memorial Hall the boys attend an Assembly at which worship is conducted . At its very outset , the doxology is sung , praising God , Three in One . The Godhead , Father , Son and Holy Spirit , speaks about unity ( the Trinity ) and diversity . One God is eternally three persons : each exists , loves and works in relation to the other . It should come as no surprise that the Creator who is unity has created humans with that very same need for community and interdependence . To be truly human is to recognise that we are made for God and for others , and as a result we have true and lasting worth and eternal and significant purpose .
So we prepare each individual boy by sharing and developing the ties that bind him together with his peers and his school . Embracing the other and their goals and celebrating those things that they have in common involves at its heart the recognition and the valuing of the other . They are not mere individual units alone in this world but bound together in unity for a much greater and lasting good . www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 13