Finding Meaning: Teaching, Coaching, Principalship, Headship. Where to Start? How to Finish?

Having the good fortune to be appointed to the Headmastership of SCECGS Redlands brought with it the responsibility of responding adequately to the demands and opportunities. Teaching as a profession has its ambiguities: why are you not a lawyer? Why have you chosen not to ‘make money’? Why are you not a military man like my father? These questions and others like them arise from time to time in schools and in the community at large. They are not rude: just instructive.

Where then does the teaching ‘impetus’ start? For me it was confirmed as the future, during a hitch-hiking holiday in Ireland while on summer leave from Christ’s Hospital in the United Kingdom.

On 16 July 1969 Apollo 11 touched down on the moon, the images beamed to Earth, celebrated. I was in Ireland backpacking, hitching rides, on vacation from teaching English and History at Christ’s Hospital, West Sussex UK. There was deep excitement in Limerick, especially recognising the role John F Kennedy had played in setting the goal to achieve a manned ‘Moon Landing” by the end of the decade. In a pub for lunch I watched the repeat landing broadcast time and again. It seemed appropriate to be in Limerick, the 14th century origin of the light, sharply structured verse form taking its name from the city. So astounding was the achievement, the landing, the courage of the men, the visual revelation, the intellectual history and contemporary application that only a ‘limerick’ could be appropriate to record the day. “There once were three men from Earth………”

However, my dominating thought was: how does it come about that this is not an Australian moon landing? Subsequently it was emphasised that the Australian contribution, vital to communication were three tracking stations. However, my question remained. My supplementary question was: Is this all a matter of money?

Some days before Limerick I had visited the grave of W.B. Yeats in Drumcliff cemetery, Sligo. A famous place, below Benbulben mountain, a time for brief reflection to spend in the W.B. Yeats library. A time to reflect on Byzantium, poem and history, and as a teacher draw one sharp breath:

“…Caught in that sensual music all neglect/ Monuments of unageing intellect…” (Stanza 1)

On the gravestone above Yeats’ name and dates, the clinical memorial:

“ Cast a cold Eye/ On Life, on Death. / Horseman, pass by”.

Together the two events, one a minor pilgrimage marking poet and poetry that have both spoken to the world; the other a different but equal poetry written by many, centred on science and human capabilities. Both interpreting existence.

From those weeks onward there was never any question that teaching was right, a significant way of life that could benefit what then seemed to be an expanding future for the young being taught. Teaching English and History carefully, as objectively as possible but with occasional emotion, walked alongside teaching by others within the rich cannon of received or new arriving knowledge. And beyond. This felt right; the ‘mission’ was self-evident, the ‘team work’ necessary could be core character of quality schooling.

In time then, the chance came to work at SCECGS Redlands in a position to allow insight to inform action.

What happened – teaching centre at Cremorne.

From 16 May 1981 everything had to focus on the teaching being offered at the school on Military Road. Over decades appointments of exceptional persons who were also professionally committed and personally dedicated to educating children placed in their care, was the central task. There were many other tasks, but central to all was to ensure that the reason for schooling being made available, was honoured.

Elsewhere on this website will be found the reminiscences of many of those teachers. To be associated with them, to be able to influence the individual and team forward, was – in Darling’s phrase – richly rewarding.

At a simple procedural level, establishment of the Staff Association in 1983, chaired by an elected Member of Staff, helped ensure communication on potentially fractious matters which arose from time to time. Nothing arose in two decades that was not resolved to mutual satisfaction of the Common Room and me. I am proud to write this now so many years later.

The wider landscape over which we all walked together is detailed on this website. In summary:

As the public record shows, SCECGS Redlands emerged from the financial collapse of the SCEGGS Council Anglican Girls’ Schools, 1975 to 1980. Five girls’ schools were slated for closure and real estate for sale. As the efforts to find solutions developed, SCEGGS Moss Vale closed, sold; SCEGGS Wollongong merged with another school; SCEGGS Loquat Valley was taken over within the Church; SCEGGS Darlinghurst was financed back into operation; SCEGGS Redlands was purchased by SCEGGS Redlands Ltd, (subsequently SCECGS Redlands Ltd.) after some years of negotiation – and finally successfully.

The “Strategic Plan” from 1981 onwards: Strive; Survive; Thrive.

From 1979/80 the school sought to resume normal operations, but the enrolments did not grow well. Co-education was introduced by the Board. From 1981 the goal had to be to bring the school back to financial strength and therefore calm operation with options for curriculum and strategic planning.

The heartbeat of the strategic plan was to deploy the experienced, dedicated teaching and administration staff to best effect daily. As opportunity arose, new teacher appointments were made.

Special approval by the Board provided funds for purchase of Commodore computers to become part of the Junior School classroom practice. The machines proved very positive in the classroom – student interest was at a level of excitement – when managed by well-informed but also imaginative teachers. They wanted to be ‘the best’.

As a consequence the administrators saw the ‘power’ of the computers, so we set out to learn and understand. By early 1984 a programme for academic records, school Reports, and informed guidance to Forms 11 and 12 (scaling system) was underway. The school knew it was well ahead of ‘the curve’, but the effects were dramatic and, though risky and decried by other schools, timely. There was nothing ‘temporary’ about the place of computers in the wide daily life of the entire school. This was an exciting even if early time of technology.

Encouragingly, from 1981 to 1984, the Centenary of the school’s founding, enrolments improved and growth started to reach ‘critical mass’. School Certificate and HSC results illustrated publicly the central foci of the school: performance in teaching to the future choices and life benefits of students.

Annual accounts improved. By 1987 it was clear that SCEGGS Redlands (subsequently SCECGS Redlands) could start to plan for improving facilities; the purchase of 2 Monford Place, following the establishment of the Margaret Roberts Preparatory School on Gerard Street signalled a material change of conditions.

Purchase of Cremorne Campus in 1989 for opening 1990 followed the building of the Lang Gymnasium on the Gerard Street frontage, both underwritten by a ‘Wait List’ of some 4500 students. In parallel, the High Country Campus was purchased and built in the Snowy Mountains, leading to establishment of Snowy Mountains Grammar School (SMGS) as an adjunct Campus. In 1995/1996 the Australian College of Physical Education at Sydney Olympic Park was acquired out of Administration; reconstruction in business and academic offerings at the College commenced. It was a major acquisition: it provided for a continuous ‘stream’ of high quality, “gold standard’ independent, fee-based education, from Early Childhood at Redlands House Cremorne directly through to Degree granting authority at ACPE.

In parallel with Redlands House, the school established Redlands House Balgowlah North, in improved leased premises, to give Redlands some outreach from Cremorne to the lower Northern Beaches. The strategic plan was completed, in part by plan, in part by having the resources thriftily to realise opportunities as they arose.

Central to the strategic plan was, always, the high competence and response of the Board, allied with the proven teaching, co-curricular and pastoral care talents of an involved staff, supported by the vitality and willingness of the parent groups, Redlanders (Old Girls and Old Boys) and Mothers’ Canteen.

Exemplary service provided by so many staff, responding to structured supervision and support, across teaching, administration, security, maintenance and building, transport, business management, outsourced audit services made all possible. The times were rewarding materially as well. Directors ensured that through the operation of The Redlands Scale remuneration margins for Staff who assisted well beyond the ‘usual’ working day, benefits were provided. Open reward for effort and contribution ‘beyond the usual’.

Across all those years it was never forgotten that if the boy or girl did not walk through the gates of Redlands hand in hand with parents, to meet a respected teacher, then nothing was possible. The simple equation persisted, no matter the extent and differentiated choice available.

Strengthening SCECGS Redlands.

Stemming probably from the admiration and respect earned by the three Trustees, John Lang OAM, John Roberts and Bruce Adams who led the campaign to ensure SCEGGS Redlands remained open and teaching through the rough storms caused by the 1970s Anglican Archdiocese’s instrumentality’s mismanagement, banks, non-bank financiers, predatory profiteers, legal manipulation, parent fear of potential closure of the school – the forest was dark and deep – parents continuing at and those later arriving at Redlands gave daily assistance in numerous instances.

In this recollection of those decades let it be recorded permanently that the Board of Directors, Administration, Maintenance, Security and demonstrably professional Teaching Staff shaped the daily school and ensured adherence to the academic and schooling rules as well as business requirements governing core education in New South Wales. Governance always recognised the power of the State through necessary per capita funding.

In support always the parents in squadrons voluntarily, effectively assisted the ‘adjunct curriculum’ of Redlands. Teaching and learning by example, leadership by example, lovingly involved to help the children, innovative suggestions; all were themes of the parental participation in keeping Redlands ‘alive’, helping Redlands ‘strive’, and in the period from the Centenary 1984, making Redlands able to ‘thrive’. There developed a vital, respectful, mutual, accountable relationship of school and parents, always for the children.

Deliberately stated often, written on city walls where necessary, lighting decisions and provisions across the ‘wider’ school across all participants must be that education insight evolved from centuries: what knowledge and wisdom does life demand the individual must have?

This question helped over years in finding paths to some answers, to enriching the school’s own understanding in discussions with all colleagues, regularly, and persistent measurement of ‘outcomes’ across the school. It guided informed policies responding to contemporary needs as to the expected future knowledge and skills, to work towards foreshadowed happiness of the young people cared for by SCECGS Redlands. Among the influences guiding discussion and action were Socrates, Plato, Aquinas, Locke, JS Mill, Arnold, Bertrand Russell, Piaget, Thomas Dewey, Montessori, Skinner, Hahn, Allan Bloom, Adler, Howard Gardner, Calkins and contemporary research reports. The underlying drive was to differentiate education and truth from propaganda and bias, to the extent possible guided by proper doubt. The essentials were always in focus and in action: literacy, numeracy, science awareness, personal development, physical dexterity – the well-being of the child, the exhilaration of the young adult. The comfort of the old.

Throughout its history SCEGGS Redlands (and then SCECGS Redlands) paid careful attention to Anglican catechised Christian teaching and to the centrality of the Bible. Correctly this did not alter in the years here in review.

No matter its developed philosophy, no school can completely answer the question – what to teach and how? Schooling commencing with vital skills can assist in part. Yet the child is never the ‘creature’ of the school, should never be so. The school must emphasise home and individuality whilst sharing learning and insight. Through exceptional teaching guided by an exceptional curriculum , good, persuasive essentials to finding appropriate answers can be provided, perhaps to be accepted by and thereby embedded in the individual student child.

Easy provision can appear to be offered by procedural ‘standard’ curricula: by the book. A clarified curriculum with adjunct co-curriculum aimed at bringing knowledge, values, self-discipline, mind, body and spirit to holistic interaction is difficult but much more effective, generous, intellectual as much as cognitive and physical. It gives.

A perpetual ‘condition’ to all this is that all must still be measured, checked, updated, altered, argued, corrected as necessary. But it must give.

In the 1980s, perhaps always for some commentators schooling was dominated by the examples set in State Schools (Non-government schools) insofar as the annual HSC results suggested that classroom teaching, State mandated ‘head work’, was enough.

Disquiet did surface from time to time, especially on topics of ‘basics’ and of ‘discipline’. Why do much more? A little more would be enough to justify independent school fees.

At Redlands the contrary developed. Probably resulting from the close working relationship within the whole school community, discussions of being equal to historical and international models, being providers of the ‘best we can know’, actually occurred. Those discussions helped guide the school’s character, its example to students, its policies and actions. Do the most, the best available. Imagine more, imagine better.

One example among many available. In arguing for establishment of the High Country Campus (HCC) in the Snowy Mountains, the school turned to Wordsworth for initial guidance: what education could be found there that could not be found in classrooms in Cremorne? And turned to the Black Sallee for guidance about wisely positioning part of the purchased Woden Valley Hospital buildings.

Wordsworth thought,

“Come forth into the light of things/ let nature be your teacher.” (The Tables Turned. 1798) and

“One impulse from a vernal wood/ May teach you more of man/ Of moral evil and of good/ Than all the sages can.” (The Tables Turned. 1798 from Lyrical Ballads Vol 1)

And again,

“For I have learned to look on nature/ not as in the hour of thoughtless youth/ but hearing oftentimes the still, sad music of humanity. “ (Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey July 1798)

The Romantic Movement across all arts affected positively later education thinking, as much as it affected general cultural insights throughout the nineteenth century and continuously since then. Not as overt in 1990s education or community as these poems and ideas must once have been, they continued to argue a particular understanding of the world, its ideals and its details. Therefore, given that Wordsworth and the Romantics, affected by the industrial revolution and its force throughout Europe, altered for the better our own ways of knowing, so always and relevantly each Redlands’ student should be given the chance to know. Also. Also..

Therefore, let the HCC teach. Let extended learning be in context. That is what all involved closely with this particular project worked to make available.

To purchase the land for the HCC, Redlands turned to parents of the time. For the record, one of the parents closely involved provided this edited note which catches the positive spirit of the time:

At that time a father was President of the Redlands Association and I was Secretary. He was wonderful to work with, such a financial visionary, and really changed the nature of fund raising for the Redlands community. I remember him looking at previous budgets which were about $20,000 and deciding we would raise $200,000 which we did and that made the school bus possible and contributed $100,000 to the Winter Campus acquisition. In the 1989 Lux Magazine the President reports that early in 1989 the Headmaster raised with the Association the availability of approx 150 acres 3 km outside Jindabyne. I followed him into office as President and continued his work with enthusiasm. I was President in the year after that father who was President, and most likely when the land was acquired but his contribution was substantial. …In all the initiatives and innovations taken in those times, to have the support of John, Jack and Bruce made the times extraordinary. They were men who had demonstrated they could take a risk to save the school and make it possible for Redlands to be exceptional amongst private schools. (March 2020)

Stability: essential for school spirit.

T.S.Eliot’s youthful reminiscence on schooling urges a sense of continuity, stability, of continued measured responses to the era in which a school is key participant. Such also identifies similar long term accomplishments of SCECGS Redlands 1973 to 2003:

“We shall return; and it will be to find/A different school from that which now we know;/But only in appearance t’will be so,/That which has made it great, not left behind,/The same school in the future shall we find/As this from which as pupils now we go.” (At Graduation 1905. Poems written in early youth.)

By its actions and carefully formulated philosophy revealed in results the hope of the Directors in the 1970s, 1980s and into 2003 at SCECGS Redlands was always: to thrive meant to offer learning through teaching informed by the ‘proven’ knowledge of the past, informed by the Enlightenment, nourished by the Christian influence. It was always clear: the focus constantly was the student child coming to be young adult; the focus was never ‘the school’. Directors and the community got it ‘absolutely right’.

Trying to lead always for better.

Non-thinkers cannot educate for thinking. Non-readers cannot educate for reading and writing. Teachers offering tuition in any Discipline must be informed, astute, look for wisdom, but also be ready for their pupils to transcend all the teacher can offer.

Governance.

To commence at Redlands in May 1981 was to be aware immediately of the parlous state of finances. On a remnant 2.4 acres, after sale of houses and land after the bankruptcy of the SCEGGS Council, some school buildings, just one tennis court, three cottages and limited ‘open space’ remained. Taking space previously provided for play and recreation, car parking was provided. The small lawn area at the front of the school had to be re-laid by volunteer labour.

It was immediately apparent however that governance at its best was occurring. The Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary each visited often and were always ‘on call’. They did not divest their responsibility: they had fought too hard to do that. They also did not resile from hard decisions required.

The Board meeting in May 1981 passed harmoniously. The tone was positive.

Staff meetings were also positive, those attending having in many cases weathered the storm in conjunction with the Directors. At one point in the late 1970s the Directors had to terminate all staff at 4 p.m. daily, then re-hire all at 8.30 a.m. the following day to avoid potentially trading while insolvent. That way was not needed in 1981 fortunately and deservedly. Loyalty of long-serving teaching and administration staff, some of whom had been employed for decades and whose superannuation had been ‘lost’ in the collapse of the SCEGGS Girls’ Schools’ Council, was to newcomers a lesson in courage. The annual accounts 1980/81 revealed a ‘bottom line’ at best ‘break even’. The only way possible was ‘up’.

The record still shines brightly: governance by the SCECGS Redlands Board of Directors after the battles of the 1970s always kept sight of and acted in accordance with the philosophy of service to children, to families, to teachers and to all who were part of the school since 1884. “Respect and responsibility” was an unofficial motto. Governance was conducted carefully in accordance with best practice and in accordance with relevant Australian law, but also in accordance with the lessons so painfully and fiercely learnt between 1975 and 1981.

The Members of the Company attending Annual General Meetings were met with courtesy, calm consideration, well prepared and presented information. They were provided with visible evidence that each year, year upon year despite all challenges and the attacks of governments, Redlands continued to gather strength. Memorably in November 1983 a gathering of some 5000 people at Sydney Town Hall rebutted Senator Susan Ryan’s plans for independent schools’ funding; SCECGS Redlands’ parents were active. They helped the organisation of the meeting. Prime Minister Bob Hawke stepped in.

The mood at Redlands was: “we are really back!’ Continued existence as an independent school was assured, as the decades have shown with SCECGS Redlands strengthened, seeking continuously improved service to its community.

Be Present to Open the Gates

Why teach? Because SCECGS Redlands 1973 to 2003, and similar schools welcome professional working lives, enhance them, deliver for the children and families, and make the future potentially coherent for the individual who goes onwards after the schooling years.

To 2003, a period known in detail to the writer, SCECGS Redlands strove tirelessly, through the works of its whole community; SCECGS Redlands survived because its Board and community deployed complementary talents, to lasting effect.

PJ Cornish April 2020.