Message from the Headmaster
‘When
1 Corinthians 13:11
I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a
child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me’
Dear Students, Parents and Carers
What Does It Mean To Be a Man?
The issue of manhood has a long history in Australia. Aboriginal society had stages and rites of initiation which provided clear delineation between boyhood and manhood. Governor Arthur Phillip, soon after the First Fleet arrived in Australia, noted the manliness of Aboriginal warriors confronting him north of the Harbour. This comment gave its name to the locality, which we know as the suburb of Manly. Perhaps Phillip was influenced by the behaviour of one of the warriors, who speared him through the shoulder! This incident is illustrative of some of the ambiguity of definition around masculinity. Is manliness about aggression and bravado?
The confusion about the essential attributes of masculinity is somewhat recent in our society. In the period of the Industrial Revolution and beyond, the roles were delineated according to stereotypes. The sometimes indulgent phase, which we refer to as being a teenager, was largely non-existent. Boys were in the workforce by 14, or earlier, needing to function effectively as men.
During our Remembrance Day ceremony this week, Shore Old Boy, Lieutenant Colonel North referred to the sacrificial duty which drew so many Old Boys to serve in both the World Wars and since. Their concept of manhood was service related, as they valued the society in Australia which made a homeland for men, women and children. The sense of men showing their maturity by humbly serving society has been a long term hallmark of Shore’s values.
Our dominant Western culture lacks suitable rites of initiation, a deficit which leads some young men to develop their own, often causing danger to themselves and others. The question of what constitutes adult masculinity is therefore a key one in our culture. The media feature regular stories of domestic violence, sexual abuse and unbridled aggression from some men. In elections in various Western countries, character does not seem to be a determinant of the result.
The issue has become very current. Commentators on the recent American Presidential Election are speculating that many of the young men who rallied behind Donald Trump did so because they thought that progressive social change had eviscerated their manhood. Playing into this are some of the memes which suggest that masculinity is inherently toxic. In contradiction of such a notion, each week I hear of some of our boys who have dealt with people, often the general public, with grace and kindness.
How Can Shore Contribute in its Own Way to Making Further Good Men?
Building Good Men has been an important part of our mission at Shore for a long time. Our pastoral staff are developing this programme to a further level, including cooperative arrangements with eight Girls’ Schools.
In a bygone age, Shore would have spoken about gentlemen. The language is still relevant. If we parse the word, its components are “gentle… men”. Is gentleness a weakness? Our contention is that gentleness is actually strength. It implies control, even mastery, of oneself. Its connotations include a certain refinement.
At Shore we accept and honour the testosterone of boys and seek to direct and complement them with cultural accretions. We celebrate those of our boys who “do the double”, that is, in addition to splendid contributions to sports such as Rugby, Football, AFL, Basketball and the rest, they are also musicians, actors, debators. Can a real man be a poet, a dancer, a singer as well as a footballer or rower? Of course, emphatically. Can he be kind to and respectful of women? Absolutely; indeed, he must if he is to be a good man.
Sadly, many of the models of masculinity in popular culture are what can be referred to as a “man child”, with a man’s body but with the unrestricted behaviour and attitudes of a child. Often, it seems aggression is confused with manliness or seen as an essential ingredient. A true man acts responsibly and takes responsibility. This is a strength, not a weakness.
As the Apostle Paul wrote:
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11
There is a time to take adult responsibility.
Our boys will have their manly goodwill and strength challenged as they emerge legally into the adult world. Our society signifies that transition as occurring at the age of 18, irrespective of the maturity of the young man. At this point and before, this maturity will be tested by the party scene and particularly, the easy and early access to alcohol. Research in the last few years indicates that alcohol is damaging to the teenage brain in its then stage of development. Young men will be tested by the capacity to gain a licence to drive a motor vehicle, and the need to drive well rather than aggressively.
Those who don’t successfully make the transition are known by the coined term “adultescent”. Increasingly, this stage can continue into the mid-30s. I doubt very much that is what parents want!
Ideally, parents and carers will value the same manly aspects as the School prioritises, as we wish the best for our emerging young men and for their impact on our world.
Speech Day
Our Guest of Honour this year for Speech Day, on Friday 6 December 2024, commencing at 11am, is Rev Tim Costello, one of the key advocates of social justice in Australia. Rev Costello was, until fairly recently, the CEO of World Vision and is a regular correspondent with Government on issues such as gambling reform. He will be able to place our service learning initiatives, which are so important in Shore’s stance, within a broad context. As our usual Chairs of Speech Day, the Archbishop and Bishop of North Sydney are otherwise engaged, former Archbishop, Shore Old Boy, member of the Mitre Club and sometime Bishop of North Sydney, The Most Rev Dr Glenn Davies, has kindly agreed to serve as Chair on this occasion.
Dr John Collier
Headmaster