Some schools project well the important value of community, some are on the journey to being a sound community and some have a mission to develop community. What is of value is that the school regularly promotes to both the staff and students the value of community. The Press regularly presents the world as being divided and lacking community and this will be a presentation seen regularly on by most students. Some students also live in a world of conflict and dysfunction and are denied a modelling of community. Such students may be denied the opportunity of seeing a positive community in action if indeed they don’t attend school. For most parents there should be little excuse for their children not to attend school and parents or guardians who fail in this are often sadly condemning their children to a life without much opportunity.

Through many years of teaching I have heard heaps of excuses, most not “cutting the mustard” and most relating to negligence. We all know there is good money to be made working in the mines, but if a person can’t read, then operating a machine in a mine which usually requires reading signs is not an option. To allow a non-reader to operate a dangerous machine will likely put themselves at risk and also others. This also relates to many other jobs which provide an income.

At last notable members of the community are starting to show concern about devaluing the study of the Humanities in Australia particularly History. Simply if a society doesn’t have knowledge of the negatives of history and ideas as to why they happened, then Society is condemned to the same thing happening again. At present there are numerous examples of History dangerously repeating itself and of society suffering as a result. Governments have openly promoted the study of STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics which indeed is good and have moved to encourage students to take up these courses at University providing a benefit through their HECS payments. This week I read that a number of thinkers lead by our famous author Tim Winton lobbied the Federal Government to not leave students studying the Humanities at a real disadvantage, projecting that their choice of study was unimportant. On “Late Night Live” a few days ago I listened to presenter David Marr interview the Professor of History at Canberra University who explained there was no longer a subject called History at the University.

David Marr, an Historian himself, expressed concern and asked how she could be Professor of History when there was no such subject. She said that today she simple lectured in Public Policy. What a shame, and I’m sure the great Historians of my vintage such as Professor Ian Turner and Geoffrey Blainey would be devastated. I studied Economics, but one of my majors was Economic History a subject which had great bearing on the state of the world at whatever period was chosen and understanding it had such a tie up with human nature. Also, where would we be without skilled, thoughtful creative writers who can in fact change society with their craft whether it be a novel, news article, play or research paper.

I’m not against the promotion of STEM. There are good scientists in my family, a heap of competent engineers and some really good Mathematicians. They all have an important place in society but so do the historians, philosophers, sociologists, writers, geographers, musicians and artists etc., etc.,etc. A constructive, progressive community should aim for a balance in all the disciplines. Comments such as “Why would you study for an Arts Degree” are based on ignorance. An Arts degree will help a person think critically, express themselves well and generate creative ideas.

I have great respect for our long term Patron, the late, the Honourable Austin Asche AC KC, who was reading, discussing and developing his knowledge and understanding right up to his last. He was a man of vast wisdom and an acute understanding of our society. In “2008 at the Teacher Excellence Awards presented by AISNT he delivered his first “Teachers on Top” address.

A paragraph in this which has always stood out in my mind is the following:

“To recognise teacher excellence is to recognise the future. For nothing is surer than that, in the vast technological and scientific changes occurring almost every day, the nation that falls behind on education, falls behind in the welfare of its peoples. It is a dangerous thing to fall into the third world and very hard to get out if one does. And not only technical skills are needed. The Arts are there to assure we have alert and intelligent citizens capable of conversation beyond texting, judgement beyond slogans, and initiative beyond blind guess. Today’s gathering is to help us understand that we have the teachers and the will to achieve such things.”

To miss out on school is to miss out on so much that is essential to living in a community. It helps to emphasize this to students and staff. And schools will benefit from a teaching staff who have a variety of skills. As a society we must acknowledge the wonderful skills of our teachers and the enormous effect they have on Community. So much is to be gained by schools promoting the value of community.

Chris Tudor,

AISNT Historian & Principal Liaison