Pickering College - Voyageur Yearbook (Newmarket, Ontario Canada)

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A Report From The Headmaster it l cf- This report is being written from the heart of Africa, in the city of Lusaka, the Capital of the Republic of Zambia, after ten months of travel in England, Ireland, Scotland and the continents of Europe and Africa. For one who has spent nearly all his adult life, as well as five student years. at Pickering College, this sabbatical year has been rich in its experience of new people and places, old cultures and newly developing nations. The Voyageur, therefore, gives me an opportunity to express my appreciation to the people of Pickering who have made this year's leave of absence possible, to the Board of the College under the Chairmanship ofMr. Samuel Rogers, and the strong school staff under the leadership ofMr. Eric Veale. l am a very fortunate Headmaster, indeed! Such a year for Mrs. Beer and myself is, of course, made up of a series of highlights: the deep satisfaction of revisiting our two Canadian mother-countries of France and England fthe offspring of these two cultures have so much to contribute to each other, surely we can learn to live together! J: the personal fascination of looking up my Devon ancestors, who combined the vocations of blacksmith and lay preacher: the sheerjoy of just being in that wonderful old city of London for two months over Christmasg the elegant beauty of Paris and the warmth of Mediterranean France in the winter months, the wealth of history to be found in Rome, Athens and lnstanbulg the vividness of the old Roman civilization to be seen in the ruins of Ephesus in the Asian part of Turkey: the old world charm of Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Denmark and Hollandl and, throughout all these travels, the simple enjoyment of meeting new people and dealing with them through different customs and languages. five

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our Harry IVI. Beer, B.A Headmaster.

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Probably the most stimulating part of our year has been our sojourn in Africa, where we have visited three independent countries, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya, most of our time being spent in Zambia where our son David, is stationed with the Canadian University Service Overseas. With only a few years of self-government behind them, these countries are making fast strides economically and educationally in an attempt to make up for the exploited state in which they were left by European colonisers. We are greatly impressed by the pride and dignity of these developing peoples and by their determined spirit to thwart the potential economic domination of southern Africa, notably the apartheid republic of South Africa, where a minority of racist whites rule, restrict and oppress millions of black Africans. This spirit in the new nations finds its strength in the belief that man can succeed against great odds and obstacles by virtue of strong and honest effort. ln this way, it reminds me of the Quaker philosophy on which we are nurtured at Pickering with its emphasis ofjudging men on their merit. Here in Zambia the lines of a prayer often used in our Pickering Meetings for Worship frequently come to my mind: Teach us to be worthy of freedoml Free from social wrong, free from individual oppression and contempt, Pure of heart and hand, despising none, defrauding none, Giving to all men in all the dealings oflife The honour we owe to those who are Thy children, Whatever their colour, their race or their creed. ln this year away from Pickering, l have found the teachings of our Quaker school to be true and valid. You will understand, therefore, why I am looking forward enthusiastically to being with you all again and to the challenge ofourlife inthe school on the hill . Harry M. Beer, Headmaster. AIX'