Page 25 - 1964 VES Meteor

of
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REV. CANON MARTIN REVIEWED
that the proper solution is not one of revenge, but involves a continua- tion of the goodness of the slain boy. For revenge would indeed nullify the boy'~ accomplishments, while patience and humility, if ap- plied on a broad scale in every such situation, could ultimately shape a society permeated with goodness.
To many, Canon Martin's concept of proper exercise of authority may seem excessively idealistic and un- realistic. One cannot u p h o Id standards of behavior through total mildness and understand ing. Alone a certain amount of force must be ap- plied. However, the admiration won by such a man would more than com- pensate for the rigid control lost by an alleviation of harsh disciplinary tactics. Those who respect the one to whom they are responsible will ob- viously serve him more willingly.
Next, we must realize some of our needs and pursuits. We need to ex- pand our horizons of knowledge and awareness, and see more than our- selves or our locality. We need not only knowledge, but also experience in depth. There are our practical needs of our day to day existence, in which we must deal with people and facts and rudiments of life.
What does all this mean to us? Every day we follow the same routine, tracing the same patterns, lying in dissatisfaction, yet not knowing what we are dissatisfied about, and in not knowing, complaining and calling names, but doing nothing. W e abuse our freedom by showing no responsi- bility in the use of it, and prostitute our free time in not using it in pur- suits for the good of the school or the individual. W e claim ignorance and plead for rules, then scream in- justice when t h e law is laid down. Creativity is a word almost unknown except to the imaginative few. The
( C o n t i n u e d o n n e x t pt~ge)
Conon Martin, distinguished head- mosier of St. Alban's School in Wash- •gton, D. C., delivered a sermon to '"e student body on Sunday night, April 5. Following an eloquent and cogent sermon, a vast majority of l~e students personally confronted +e Rev. Dr. Martin with words of proise.
The subject of the sermon was 'Goodness," t h e necessity o f its Jiilization in our society, and, in :;articular, its application to those in
:xJsitions of authority.
Canon Martin referred to the story
ofJoseph of Arithmathea, who, after Ourying Jesus, ventured to England ~nd thrust his sword into the ground.
According t o legend, t h e sword •urned into a thorn bush which : ooms in the presence of royalty. The Rev. Dr. Martin explained that
the thorn, as in Easter itself, is sym- bolical of goodness. He stressed such understanding, and humility and cited specific examples in which the exist- ence of these qualities is of vast importance.
The headmaster, he said, must exercise those qualities in his dealings with students, as mildness commands more respect than rashness. The cap- tains of a team must recognize the nature of each player and deal with him individually. He also mentioned the familiar crisis in raising the ques- tions as to whether force or patient restraint would provide an adequate solution. His last example was a poignant one. During the summer, a St. Alban's student, an outstanding boy who had been chosen editor of the newspaper, was slain by three Negroes. The speaker maintained
MAKING NICKLES
The past weeks have been a time examination. W e have examined ourselves, we have examined each other. And we have found out a lot ~bout o u r s e l v e s , a b o u t t h e p e o p l e around us, and about the School that we make up. To some, what we have found makes a lot of difference. To others, perhaps most, what we have found is of little value. Probably they do not love this school enough to do anything about a situation that :ould be improved, or else the last two months they will ever spend at +his s c h o o l d o n ' t m e a n e n o u g h ~gains+ the two or more years they 'MY have spent here. These are the oeople who could retain the greatest volue of this situation. And yet they
rill stumble on, and miss it.
There is before our school a chal- enge. W e have been challenged to :hange the status quo of our think- ng, to realize our responsibility, to determine where we, as individuals,
and we, as the School, are going. W e have been challenged to accept a new sense of motivation and com- mission and to proceed in a new light to make this school the school that it should be, and that we can make it. The challenge is there. What do we do about it?
First, we must view what we have. There is a great deal of freedom- comparatively more than at other schools like us. There is a great deal of responsibility scholastically, moral- ly, and also where our freedom is concerned. And within us, there is a great deal of potential. Perhaps this potential is our most important asset, for by manifesting our real potential and making something out of it, we show our real selves, our rea l meaning for existence. In potential we have the ability to create - and our creations are no more than expressions of our real selves.
THE METEOR
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