Rector’s eNews 23: 31 July 2024

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When dealing with young people, one has to be frank and realistic about potential outcomes at times, but generally speaking it is better to be optimistic about and celebratory of the many activities with which they are engaged. Recently, when reading one of Steuart Pennington’s newsletters, South Africa – The Good News, I encountered these statistics which certainly make for optimism.

 

MEASURE	1954	2024
Global Life expectancy	47 years old	73 years old
African Child mortality	30% of births	6,6% of births
Famine deaths	32 per 100k of population	0,5 per 100k of population
Extreme poverty	56% of world population	9% of world population
SA kids at school	40% of school going age	85% of school going age
Autocratic governments	83% of 195 countries	48% of 195 countries
Home computers	0	42%
Access to Internet	0	63%

Source James Peron, Free Market Foundation

In a world where one has got used to statistics reflecting over-population, increased poverty and an environment which is constantly under threat, it is heartening to see some statistics which give cause for optimism. Let’s be optimistic about their accuracy, and be grateful for the many aspects of our lives which see us in a good place.

There was an opportunity over the weekend to celebrate with our boys in respect of several of their activities. We had some success in soccer matches and the Hockey Dinner certainly showcased the superb talents of some of the 1^st XI, but the event which most demonstrated the versatility and wide-ranging capacity of our boys was a dinner at the Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine on Friday: here, many of the same boys who have excelled in sport also turned their hand to cooking and serving, along with a contingent of St Anne’s girls, a wonderful three-course meal to invited guests, thereby showing their versatility and breadth of interests. It was a delight to be there and, indeed, I would not have wanted to be anywhere else. Our message to Michaelhouse boys is to embrace all the opportunities open to them; they benefit so much from them, as opposed to boys from many schools who are driven by a single sport.

 

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