PRINCIPAL
DR SCOTT MARSH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
FORMING MEN OF CHARACTER : TOWARDS A JOURNEY OF SHARED PURPOSE
1 Edwards and Chiera , 2019 . The Freedom of Virtue : Navigating Excellence in the art of living amongst a world of instant gratification ( p . 10 ). 2 ibid , p . 10
I love the concept of a ‘ journey ’. Being someone who loves a good film , I can ’ t help but be drawn to my favourite movies to explore this concept .
In perhaps my favourite story of all time , we have the adventurous journey in Lord of the Rings , where Frodo and his best mate Sam , journey to Mount Doom in Mordor suffering tremendously along the way to destroy the ‘ one ring to rule them all ’. Or there is Julia Roberts ’ adventures in Eat , Pray , Love , where she takes time out in her journey of self-discovery . We know that the experiences in The Hangover portray a less than savoury journey by a bunch of men ( read reprobates ) wishing to provide some fun before their friend ’ s upcoming wedding . Finally , perhaps a journey that all members of the Scotch Family will relate to is the wonderful true story of The Boys in the Boat . Here , a team of US College rowers unites to ultimately conquer all at the 1936 Olympics .
As we think about the Scotch journey , we look back on our 173-year history with a thankful heart . Scotch is blessed to still be in the business of educating boys . We have been blessed through the service of so many faithful ‘ Scotchies ’ over countless years . The Scotch Family is generous ; whether volunteering or through philanthropy , our community has chosen for many reasons to support our journey to date .
As 2024 draws to a close , it is good to think about the future . How will we unite to address the many future challenges that will inevitably come our way ? In returning to my list of movies and the various journeys portrayed , other than The Hangover perhaps each of the films has some wisdom to impart . We learn that Frodo ’ s journey had a clear purpose . Likewise , in Julia Roberts ’ character we are challenged to reflect on life and its overall purpose .
In The Boys in the Boat we see again a story of united purpose and shared values . The rowers had a common aim and worked together to realise their vision of winning Olympic gold . To what extent does the Scotch Family possess a shared vision or set of values ? We know that since Reverend James Forbes had a vision for a school in Melbourne , our society has changed significantly . Whilst technological improvements have brought some wonderful advances
in a range of areas , other so-called changes made in the name of ‘ progress ’ have brought much division and concern .
Scotch is on an exciting journey . Our new Strategic Plan , to be launched early in 2025 , proudly outlines that we are ‘ dedicated to forming enlightened learners of good character , committed to shaping a better future ’. This is our purpose . In contemplating the theme for this edition of Great Scot – ‘ Uniting the Journey ’ – I along with the School Council believe this statement provides a rich and compelling purpose to unite the Scotch Family .
One key aspiration , highlighted in our purpose and explored more deeply in our plan , is our commitment to forming men of character . As an educator and father , I am passionate about character formation and specifically the importance of virtue education in preparing young people to live a good life .
The notion of ‘ the good life ’ has featured in theological , philosophical , psychological , and educational writing since Aristotle and Augustine . In Ancient Greece , the good life was idealised as the escape from the stresses experienced in a tumultuous world 1 . This idea of escaping was similarly expressed in the popular 1970s British television comedy titled The Good Life . The show told the story of a married couple escaping the hustle and bustle of modern London life . The good life in this show was portrayed as a life of self-sufficiency . Whether intentional or not , the show projected an inextricable link between the good life and the pursuit of individual satisfaction and autonomy .
In returning to Ancient Greece , we know that the conceptualisation of the good life was not primarily understood in terms of positive emotions , although they did acknowledge the practical aspects which inevitably did improve day-to-day life . Their primary understanding of the good life was one of an ‘ existential concern ’ 2 . However , over recent centuries , this understanding has dissipated and our society ’ s pursuit of instant gratification and embrace of individualism , specifically , personal liberty , where one is free from all restraints , now seemingly dominates our expectation of what it means to live the good life .
4 Great Scot Issue 172 – Edition 2 2024