The Story of a Great SchoolmasterWells, H. G. (Herbert George)
History
The Story of a Great Schoolmaster
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Sanderson, F. W. (Frederick William), 1857-1922; School principals -- Great Britain -- Biography
'A little farther on I turned round on the boys and the parents. (Both
are my business.) I said, "I have and the school has tried all it
could to see to it that your boy got the right kind of work to do. We
spared no trouble or expense to see to it that he might be able to
perform his service in the school and to the community.... When you go
forth to your father's works, keep in mind that it is your business
to see to it that every person that comes within your influence has a
like opportunity." That is totally different from your duty to your
neighbour as taught in the Church Catechism. We have landed ourselves
hopelessly in the position of having a practical community definition
of our duty towards our neighbour. You remember the rich young ruler
who came to ask what his duty was, and went away sorrowful because
he had great possessions. Some of these possessions were perhaps
intellectual. I like to think of Watts' picture of that man and I like
Watts' idea that he came back. I hope if any of our boys go away they
will come back.
'Another step. This actual love of work spreads, and ultimately every
one comes within its influence, and they begin to like the service they
are rendering. Finally, competition dwindles and passes away, so that
we have reached what appears to be a change in human nature. It is not
really a change, but by care and attention calling out what has always
been ready there in human nature, namely, a first instinctive love to
create. I have always held that competition is a secondary interest
and creation a primary instinct. Competition dwindles and passes away.
Competition is a very feeble incentive to live. It is cheap and easy to
arouse the motive, it is a swift motive and on the surface of things
ready for you, but it is not even a powerful motive. Half the boys it
dispirits and leaves idle and useless.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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