ARNOLD AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SIR,—I am sure that you will forgive my digging up the old bones of contention for further knowledge, if I say simply that I am just deeply interested in my fellow-scholars in England. I myself have just left school—if a year and three months can be called "just "—and have always been, and always will be, deeply concerned" aboutschools in other parts of the Empire as well as my own country. Perhaps concerned is not quite the right phrase ; I think that I should say that I am greatly fascinated by educational problems. I cannot claim to have any know- ledge of the problems that are today, but if one is interested one must start somewhere. That is why I am writing to you. I feel that your paper is not only a very sympathetic one, but also a very impartial and wise paper. Therefore, it is the best start I can obtain. As Spectators are very far and few between, I am sending after this letter my sub- scription for 1943. In this way I hope to be assured of some regularity. You will appreciate that fact better if I say that for sixteen months I have only seen two Spectators. They are by my side now ; the dates Friday, June 19th and June 26th
I would be glad if you could spare a little time, when you can, to reading and understanding my "feelers" that I now put before you.
To wit, the letter of J. F. Elkin and E. J. Scott. To start I was very surprised to see it at all. It seemed to me to be rather an impertinence to their master, Mr. Whitehorn. In my school, if such a query as theirs, in regard to Mr. Whitehorn's infallibility, were to arise it would be challenged, not in a public paper, but in our own debating society. In this sect we were allowed the same freedom that you allow your soapbox- men in Hyde Park. They say in their letter that sport comes primarily and " respect is born of admiration," and, further, " Literary and intellectual ability receives a cold and somewhat suspicious appraisement." I was astounded. Could two boys claiming to come from such a fine school as Rugby, blatantly put forward such a statement? As time passed I grew less astounded, and tried to bear a rational mind on the subject. That is why I am writing to you now. Let me try to explain my astonishment.
In Rhodesian scholastic circles educational achievements are always applauded, for sport is taken for granted. We r.ormally expect every boy to be physically capable of sporting activities. If he is unable to shine, what of that? Do not think for a moment that sport is looked down upon. On -the contrary, it is encouraged. There are always matches and boxing contests. We just do not allow it to take precedence. But it holds a good second place. For those who show exceptional ability in sport, admiration is forthcoming ; but let it happen that that is
his only grace, and he is termed a pleasant and brawny lout, and tolerated. Being in the XI or XV is expected of any senior. The keenest competitions in the sporting lines are in boxing and swimming. Next comes cricket and Rugby football. Tennis holds an undefined position of its own. Of the fiercest nature, however, is the competition
for the highest proportion of passes and honours and credits in the annual Senior Cambridge Certificate examinations. The S.C. exams. take the place of the old Matric. It requires five credits to reach the London Matric. equivalents. It is a fairly easy achievement to pass in the S.C. examination by hard and concentrated swotting, and then to rapidly forget all afterwards. I can pass out of school with the certifi- cates of merits and honours in my pockets, and then fail with equal distinction in the after-school life, whereas another who just scraped through, or who passed but without distinction, may be in the position by his own ability to offer me a good job.
My school is a Jesuit school, though I am not a Catholic, Roman or otherwise. This does not mean I am atheistically-minded—very much to the contrary My school is called St. George's College, and is built reminiscent of Windsor Castle. I think it is one of the most beautiful buildings in Africa's collection of schools. It is primarily a boarding school, and, being a private school, education is paid for as well as boarding fees. In Government schools everywhere education is free to all, and compulsory to fifteen years of age for black or white children. They do not attend the same schools, of course.
The Cadet Corps (similar to your 0 T.C.) is the senior corps, as our school was the first school to be founded in Rhodesia. Cadets learn to use a rifle effectively on the range and in the field. We have also been the best school from the standard of education and everyday behaviour to others. The inter-school boxing (sixteen schools enter annually) cup has been won by us for the last ten years, and the diving and water polo for the last five. Some records in swimming are still Rhodesian records, and two South African. We had special mention at the Boxing Com- mittee of South Africa, and were said to have produced the cleanest fighters. That is our sporting record. The best record I can give you of the respect for the school's education is the fact that, out of a group of applicants for a job, a St George's old boy is always given priority. I only wish that I could say I was fit to represent the school as an average pupil, but I am afraid that I was never considered normal by my masters. My country is mainly a tobacco-growing community, with cattle and mixed farming. Industries are still in their infancy, and financially we are a little unsteady at the present moment. The Govern- ment is as near a democracy as is possible in a land where the majority (the black man) is still in its struggles to drag its weary limbs from the bog of pagan worship and savagery. The capital is Salisbury, and the industrial capital is Bulawayo. The Umtali and Gwelo are the next two in importance. All the towns are clean, with wide, tree-lined streets and all modern facilities.
Southern Rhodesians do not like being called South Africans, and do not wish to be associated politically with the Union of South Africa now
or ever. There is instead a great feeling for the two Rhodesias and Nyasaland to amalgamate with the East Africas on equal terms. I hope it will be so. There you have a very short outline of me, based on what I have written. I hope that I have not proved a nuisance to you.— I hope to remain, yours faithfully, IAN DANIEL LAWSON MACDOUGAI.L, Rhodesian.
c/o Imperial Tobacco Company, Msasa, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. December 15th, 1942.
P.S.—I have never been to England, though when seven I saw New York for a week and Chicago for two days, and on returning, Tokio and Shanghai, Colombo and Sydney. But I was always seasick and had a perpetual cold All I can remember of that marvellous trip was the names and the four walls of the cabin, if that. I am eighteen years old now ; would you believe it? May I also wish The Spectator a very merry Christmastide and a continued prosperity throughout the New Year?
Previous page
