Royal St Georges College - Georgian Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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STAFF! STUDENTS Li.

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'REPORT OF THE JUNIOR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL T Over the past four years that l have been Principal, l have tried a number of approaches to this report. My first attempt was a description of the life cycle of a white termite living in Ethiopia. l compared its nest behaviour to that of the College. Basically, the reaction was non-existent, but those who did comment on it did so with an implication that they thought it very strange. Consequently, l then decided that I would use this annual presentation to report events from the school year. Two years of doing that constituted a distinct embarrassment. Since the report is written early in the year, many events l announced never took place. This led to some brutal editing that left sentences truncated in the middle and meanings jumbled. I have, therefore, come to the conclusion that, in view of a reaction to my annual report that is non-existent or disquieting, I will in future write to enjoy and indulge myself, choosing whatever topic interests me that year. This year, l have selected the exciting life history of the sea anemone Anthopleura elegan- tissima. This creature lives in a group of genetically identical members and yet seems capable of wg qt 'f' .' 1 la., Needs Anemones? distinguishing itself from an enemy or other groups with different genetic make-ups. This ability has great significance toward the understanding of the human immune system. lts ability to tell self from non-self parallels the human system that recognizes and defends itself against invading bacteria and viruses and causes rejection of organ transplants because they are different from self . Sea anemones are animals that look like flowers. They live underwater fixed to rocks, and sprout tentacles. Some of the tentacles on an Anthopleura elegantissirna are highly specialized. ln the presence of other ancmones, these tentacles inflate. When one of them touches an inanimate object or fellow anemone of the same genetic type nothing happens. But. if it touches an unrelated arietnone, numerous stinging cells in the tentacle fire micro-harpoons that inject toxins into the stranger. It has been discovered that this attack occurs immediately after electrical actixity in the tetitacle. lt appears that substances on the inxading anemone react with receptor regions on the tlefentling anernone's tentacle. This excites the receptors, and ati electrical message triggers the discharge ol poisons. These toxins can cause the foreign anemone to lose its grip on its rock and to be swept away by the tide. Iiltis has lcd to the specttlation that similar mechanisms may be actixe in the auto-immune system ot human beings and thus xaltiable in' formation may be learned about those diseases which inxolxe a break-down ol' the atito-irnrnune system. There are, I beliexe, three lessons to be learned from this research into the lowly anemone: First, it is an example of the continuing application of pure science to practical solutions of problems. Second. it is a demonstration of the sheer joy of accumulation of knowledge which motivates scientists in the drudgerx of research. Finally, it is the glorification of the triumph of reason So tnuch of modern society seems dedicated to emotional argument in decision-making. and so often do we see the success of books and television shows dedicated to the occult. astrology, Bermuda Triangle. and a belief in UFO's, that we need a constant reminder that we really haxe progressed otit of the dark ages. We have come to an age which sU worships the instinetual that it has become anti-rational. lt is no wonder we have seen reason and lucidity sink to their lowest lex el of esteem since man came down from the trees. We haxe seen how readily the same society that has witnessed the greatest scientific advances in history grasps at halt! truths to justify concepts of .in- cient astronauts rather than to accept the rational .tc- cotnplishments of ancient man. l am not suggesting that there is no place for passion and etiiotion tntotixation comes from the same rootl but rather that it is it platornc horse to be controlled by the charioteer of reason. Kierkegaard best expresses rnx coticcrn that St. Cieorge's Lollege offer an education based on the trittriipli ol reason. NN hen truth conquers xxith the help ot ren tltottsand yelling men. exert sup, posing that that which is it tori.-us is truthg with the lorni .intl riiaiiricr ol' the xtctorx. .t lar greater tin trtttli is xictoriousf'

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