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Dear Parents
At last week’s assembly, I used one of the reports from a steward who had served Nelson Mandela on the luxury Blue Train. This came up in an E-tv documentary entitled “Dugu dugu” featuring the Blue Train. Among the people interviewed on this programme was the steward.
He said the greatest moment of his life was when he was asked to be Mr Mandela’s personal steward for this memorable journey. “This has been the hallmark and fulfilment of my career. While I was serving Mr Mandela he made my work look very important. He talked to me as a person, not as a steward. He asked me about my parents, my wife and my kids. He listened keenly to what made me choose to work in the hospitality industry. He wanted to know what my views were on the future of South Africa. When he was leaving the train, Madiba said to me, ‘You are a wonderful host. Thank you very much for your great hospitality.’”
This fitted in exactly with our theme of manners being more than a good presentation of oneself, but rather an expression of noticing and respecting others around ourselves no matter their social status or role in an organisation.
At Monday Chapel Assembly the Principal addressed the boys. His theme was being a good man; explaining one can be born a boy, grow into a man, but being a good man is a question of choice. This tied in very well with what we are trying to inculcate in our boys: treating everyone as human beings with family, homes, happy and sad moments and difficulties.
So we speak to our boys continuously about greeting all on campus, not just teachers or visitors, but admin staff, cleaners, security guards, gardeners, maintenance staff and so on. These members of staff might work behind the scenes in some cases, but the cleaned classroom, the mowed field, the safe crossing across the road are made possible by people who need to be seen, acknowledged and treated with respect and friendliness. It is so easy to take their service for granted.
We as adults also have to model this; how we treat a security guard when incorrectly parked, shop assistants, domestic staff and others, is absorbed by our boys and often copied.
Together we can produce good men.
All the best
Kind regards
GREG BROWN
HEADMASTER |
