What Sort of Men Are We Preparing for Our Society?
By David Coltart
23rd October 1992
Christian Brothers College: 31st Annual Prize Giving
My Lord Bishop, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honour 17 years after leaving CBC to be asked back to speak this evening. I have very fond memories CBC and have been encouraged by its growth over the last 12 years. Much of course has changed since 1975. At that time it was much smaller: there were only some 270 boys and the school went from Standard 3 to Upper Six.
The school played a major role in moulding my thinking and most of the principles I hold today were ingrained in those formative years. For example, at that time the school was one of the few multi-racial schools in the then Rhodesia and we as young boys had to grapple with the issue of racial intolerance and hatred unlike many of our white counterparts who were in Government white schools. I recall one incident in particular: a good friend in my class, Phillip Hendricks, was coloured and was one of the finest cricketers the school has ever produced. My class had a particularly strong cricket side; in 1974, 8 of the 11 Matabeleland players came from CBC and the bulk were from my class. However, Government schools refused to play us if Phillip was included in the team and I recall vividly when we as a school stood together and refused to play unless Phillip was included. In doing so we were taught to judge people not by the colour of their skin but by their talents and integrity.
Another abiding memory was the tremendous spirit of the school and our class in particular: the commitment to each other was superb. I think I can say without fear of contradiction that that spirit has continued amongst us over the years. It is shown in the fact that our class spawned a disproportionate number who are still in Zimbabwe when compared to other schools such as Milton, Falcon and the like. Of the 11 prefects in my final year, 7 are still in the country, 3 are in South Africa and 1 is in Britain. We keep in touch with each other regularly. It was the school which taught us the quality of commitment.
Another memory was the mix of rich and poor at the school. Most of the staff there were Brothers who lived on a pittance. The school also had a healthy mix of poor and wealthy boys. There were sons of doctors and there were sons of engine drivers. Flamboyant displays of wealth were frowned upon by the Brothers and we were taught to judge a person by his character, not the size of his parents’ bank balance. The Brothers taught us that it was better to be honest and poor than dishonest and rich. I believe that that teaching had a remarkable impact on the boys.
As we look forward to the next 17 years and the year 2010 I would like to ask a question of all of us: “What kind of young men are we producing in our private schools in Zimbabwe today?â€: this question is addressed not just to teachers of our private schools but also the parents and the children going through private schools. My fear is that Zimbabwe is severely afflicted at present not just by drought but by fundamental moral decay. The soul of this Nation is in a bad way. Sadly I believe that the business sector, the professional sector and other sectors which form the backbone of the private schools in Zimbabwe are also to blame for the current state of the soul of the Nation. As we look to the future I would urge all of us to now consider the part that we are playing in moulding the future of this nation and its young people. In facing the tremendous crisis we face at present it is important to look back to see where we have gone wrong. Many of us spend our time blaming others for the woes of the Nation and it is high time that we consider the part that we all have played in bringing Zimbabwe to its present plight. We also need to consider how we can change our attitudes to ensure a brighter future for ourselves and our children.
Firstly consider the influence of corruption and general disrespect for the law in our society. Edmund Burke once said: “Corrupt influence, which is itself the perennial spring of all prodigality, and of all disorder, which loads us, more than millions of debt, which takes away vigour from our arms, wisdom from our councils, and every shadow of authority and credit from the most venerable parts of our constitution.†Corruption ultimately destroys the fabric of any society.
I am aware that many of those that send children to private schools have adopted the attitude that Government is corrupt and all pervasive and the only way they can survive is by participating in corrupt activities. Very few people in our society are scrupulously honest regarding the payment of taxes. Non-payment of taxes and wheeler-dealing are considered almost legitimate means of getting on with life in Zimbabwe. Whilst I am the first to understand why so many in our society have adopted this attitude, my concern is that we are inculcating these attitudes in the minds of our children. Many of our children going through our schools are taught by their parents that the tax system is so iniquitous that it should be beaten at all costs: they are taught that because others are corrupt, corrupt activities are the only way of doing business. To put it another way, the end is all that matters not the means.
I have just returned from a business trip to Canada, the United States and Britain. Whilst corruption is alive and well in those countries the difference between the business communities there and here is that corruption and tax evasion are still unacceptable practices as far as the vast majority of people are concerned in those countries. The world is getting smaller and it is becoming a global village. Are we raising young men who will go into this global village with different standards to those practised in the vibrant economies of the world? What sort of young men are we raising?
Another characteristic of our society which is afflicting us at present is what I would term negative thinking and the lack of courage displayed by our society. Of course, there is much to be negative about and much to fear in our Nation. I am reminded of Churchill, who when told that one of his opposing politicians was a modest man responded that that person had “much to be modest about.†We certainly have much to be negative about. But once again what I fear is that we are ingraining these characteristics in our children. I guarantee that 95% of you here tonight have openly whinged about corruption in Government, lack of action regarding the water situation and other issues in front of your children. I am prepared to bet that most of us have spent little energy in actually trying to do something about the problems.
A challenge for us is to ensure that we come through these dark times stronger. In this we must draw on the wisdom of the ages. Let me give you a few examples. The Chinese used the same word to describe both problem and opportunity. In other words a problem can also be an opportunity. President Roosevelt once said in the context of dealing on the Stock Exchange, “When blood is running in the streets: buy!†The book of James in the Bible contains the statement that we should “rejoice in our trials†because they “develop perseverance.†Perhaps, however, the most apt quotation this evening comes from Virgil who wrote “Blessings on your young courage, boy: that’s the way to the stars.†Are we encouraging our young men to face up to the problems of our society, or are we encouraging them to run away?†One thing that I learnt from my recent trip is that the entire world has its problems, albeit different to the different problems we are facing in Zimbabwe, but nevertheless severe. Eric Bloch, I understand, spoke at Falcon’s speech day and encouraged us all to be more positive in our outlook. I agree with him; whilst the problems are immense and the challenges great, we do need to recognise that the trials we are facing can present us with tremendous opportunities in the future. I fear that we are encouraging our life blood, that is our children, to leave the country and that can only lead to the eventual destruction of this country as we know it today. We adults need to be more positive and more courageous.
A third affliction that Zimbabwe is enduring at present is greed in society and the spread of materialism. In the 1960s Martin Luther King said “We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to humanity.â€Â I fear that a direct result of the spread of corruption and disrespect for the law will be that our young people will be encouraged to focus on the end regardless of the means. The end is the good life; to have to good disposable income. How we obtain that good life is immaterial both in terms of our ethics and how we treat other people affected by our activities along the way. What kind of young men are we producing in Zimbabwe today? Thomas Eddison once said “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.†Are we as parents and teachers conveying that to our children? Teaching the principle that there is more to life than simply making money; that if we do aim to make money that it must not be at any cost; that the best way of making money is by working as hard and diligently as one possibly can rather than by taking shortcuts. Until we do so I fear that we will breed a generation of children driven by materialism and greed.
In conclusion, there is no need for me to recount the challenges that Zimbabwe is facing at present. The problems facing all of us are only too evident. I believe however that until we all recognise that we too have contributed to these problems we will not be in a position to tackle them effectively. I fear that many families and young people graduating from school are thinking of leaving Zimbabwe. Many other countries appear to be extremely attractive when compared to Zimbabwe at present. However, having just been to four industrialised nations I am fully aware of the major problems that they face. As I said earlier, the world is rapidly becoming a global village and there is only so far we can all run away from problems.
We need to be reminded of the words of Martin Luther King: “As long as there is poverty in the world I can never be rich, even if I have a billion dollars. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the way our world is made. No individual or nation can stand out boasting of being independent. Rather let us face up to our problems.†I firmly believe that if we decide that we are going to tackle corruption at home, if we decide that we are going to stand up for justice and integrity and if we decide that we are going to work diligently bearing in mind the conditions of others, that can be our, in Virgil’s words, “way to the stars.†This country can still be God’s own. It is rich in human and natural resources. With rains, a change in our attitudes and with a transition to democracy we can still make the Nation great.
To the boys here tonight who are writing their ‘A’ levels and ‘O’ levels and thinking of moving on to greener pastures I would like to leave you with a challenge. Are you going to face up to the major challenges this Nation presents you with? I would encourage you to do so. I believe that if you persevere through the trials we are facing you will be so much the stronger and better for it.
Likewise, there is a challenge to us as parents and teachers. Are we training our young men and women to respect the law, to act with integrity and honesty? Are we encouraging our young people to stand up boldly for what they believe in and thus make an impact on society? If not I believe that now is the time, more than ever before, for us to set an example as the Christian Brothers who taught me some 17 years ago. May their legacy continue into the 21st Century and beyond, and may Christian Brothers College continue to go from strength to strength.