SPEECH DELIVERED BY:
MR ISRAEL O PARPER
Secretary-General,
Sierra Leone Grammar School Old Boys Association (UK), a Guest Speaker at the Service for the Opening of the 2nd Term 1986/87 School Year -
12 January 1987 - 9:30am
********************************
MR PRINCIPAL
MEMBERS OF STAFF
FELLOW REGENTONIANS
I would first of all thank you Mr Principal, for your eloquent introduction and for giving me this opportunity to address this assembly.
I feel immensely proud to be standing here, for little did I know when I was in this school I will be so honoured.
An opportunity such as this, to fraternise with fellow alumni of a school which we hold very dearly to heart, is one that does not call for second consideration.
As an ardent believer in the doctrines of "TOTAL INVOLVEMENT" and "ACTIVE PARTICIPATION", I had no qualms whatsoever in accepting your Principal's invitation to address this assembly, this first day of school after returning from your Christmas holidays. (I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND LOOK FORWARD TO A BRIGHT AND PROSPEROUS 1987).
Old boys and present pupils, I think, must be totally involved in the uplifting, progress and welfare of the school, especially our own institution whose reputation, standard and role in educational leadership is well renowned. It is with this thought that some of us have come to form the U K Branch of the Old Boys Union enabling us to carry out our quasi-welfare activities.
But I must stress more that fraternity, among Old Boys living in the UK is also a key reason for our collective – so that we can meet from time to time, exchange ideas and socialise. This gives us the opportunity of knowing each other, whilst at the same time gives us a chance to render our assistance to the school as a group.
Let me brief you a little about our set-up in the U K. Roughly, over two years ago, four of us came together subscribing £25 (Twenty Five pounds) each as our initial contribution in launching the Old Boys Union. Today, I as Secretary – General am proud to report that we have over 160 Old Boys in our register most of whom are very devoted in promulgating the aims and desires of the branch.
Our mobilisation was extended to contacting former teachers such as Mr and Mrs Pulin, Mr and Mrs Welford, Miss Elizabeth Hirst, Miss Van-Oven, Mr and Mrs Jacobs and a few more who are not readily to mind.
-2-
We have within this short period, held two Thanksgiving Services, and also recently a Memorial service for the late Mr S E E Taylor, the former Vice – Principal. We have held Fund-raising dances, prepared our Constitution governing our operations and will continue to expand our activities as time and money permits.
We have a very able executive team who work closely with each other in keeping with the aims and objects of the Association. Your principle here is a member of this executive in absentia.
As your Principal said, our branch have been able to provide you with a consignment of books, and science equipment, to help meet your laboratory requirements, costing over £1,000 (Sterling).
Before I left for holidays here, we have launched an appeal specially for the restoration of the roof of the school building which, as we all know, needs immediate attention. We have started to get responses from Old Boys and will continue to give our assistance to areas where our help is required for the benefit of you the pupils.
Fraternity, my friends is a word that hoovers around the 'FEELING ' principle of HUMAN NATURE. To back up this principle, one must add REASON and ACTION. The later sub–divided into what is known as INSTINCTIVE REFLEX MOVEMENT, and CONTROLLED / CONDITIONED REFLEX MOVEMENT.
The challenge which you face is to find a place in history. However, to be able to take advantage of these various parts of nature, one must make use of one's heart and must have guts – courage to act!
By using your head, you develop your sense of reason – the intelligence needed for decisions of vital interests to you to be taken. You develop internal and external feelings, some emotional, some, to persuade you to get or not to get attached to any person or thing or idea or thought and for the action part of this principle, you move whether instinctively – sudden reflex action, or through conditions reflexes; – you have been used to doing things this way. All the same, you take action before it is too late.
And so fellow Regentonians, this leads me to consider what you do within your 5 - 7 years you spend in this school - a fair bit of time!
"TIME IS A FACTOR OF DISCIPLINE IN THE MOULDING PROCESS OF YOUTHS AND STUDENTS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT" and youths have rightly been referred to as leaders of tomorrow.
To prepare for this leadership role, they have to have a full grasp of the problem of the society to which they belong and for your purpose, my friends, your school is that society in this context.
The sense and value of time must never be lost if progress is to be made. One must recognise the fact that time is the essence of growth and development – know when to do what and when to avoid what.
-3-
As pupils attending a Christian missionary institution, perhaps my young school mates, you may understand me better if I gave by way of an example here the story of "six fat years and six lean years". This is the story of Joseph The Dreamer in captivity. At that time Pharaoh had a dream which Joseph interpreted to mean seven fat years with plenty of food in the land followed by seven lean years, when there would be famine.
Joseph's advice was that a lot of grain should be stored during the season of plenty so that these could be available for consumption during the famine period.
This was a wise and meaningful use of time. It saved the Society of famine, suffering and death.
All through history, knowledge of the right use of time has proved beneficial to the advancement of a nation. In time of war, strategies must be well planned to be able to determine when to strike, when not to strike and so on.
Even when it comes to retreat – this is to be well planned. Time involves ORDER and responsibility.
A good wall clock or wrist watch makes it possible to programme one's activity well. Sound economies involve the effective use of time resources and opportunity.
In our quest for development, there is so much to be done and very little time at our disposal – you need to make the fullest use of the time at your disposal – to learn all you need to know, which will fit you for life.
Among you sitting and listening are future Scientists, Doctors, Mathematicians, Lawyers, Bankers, Accountants, Engineers, etcetera, etcetera.
********************************
The extent to which you could succeed will depend on the valuable use you are making of the time available to you now. Your contribution to the general development of this country will depend to a great extent on your appreciation of the three uses you are expected to make of time, namely: –
(1) There is a time to receive a time to give.
(2) Time to acquire and time to apply.
(3) Time to learn and time to put into practice what you have learnt.
What you can give in life is not necessary conditioned by what you received. You may find yourself called upon to give leadership to your local community – but not having taking the advantage of the opportunity to benefit from your experience in the more advanced areas of the society when you had the time, you find yourself incapable of providing such leadership – it is a very frustrating and disappointing experience to find oneself in such situations.
I hasten to caution you, young Regentonians, that "Opportunity once lost can never be regained".
-4-
You must take advantage of every opportunity to benefit from your days in this school – that is to say, SQUEEZE ALL THE JUICE from the orange of time, and indeed you will find it is the only juice which will see you through life. "This institution is not a certificate machinery". I remember my Principal, Frank B Wood, MA. Oxon, once said in my days here. "You are trained for the world in this school and not merely to pass examinations". I do very vividly remember him walking around the school and will suddenly rush into a noisy class shouting " ONE BOY, ONE BOOK, ONE DESK - "SILENCE"!
When I entered this school together with your Principal some years ago, we did not know what we were going to get at the end or what we were going to be. We travelled through the classes, ended up in the science division, but today, he is the Principal with background in History and Arts area. I am now a Banker and my Treasure who also was on the Arts side, is now an Accountant. I ask you my young friends, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE? Do you know what you want to do? You will have to use your head, feel with your heart and have guts to take action. Adopt these principles my friends and you will be preparing yourselves for future involvement with beneficial future development of yourselves, your school and your country.
Before I leave you, I wish to offer as a PRIZE Le.50 (Fifty Leones) to the best sportsmen of the last inter-house spots, whom I am informed is of QUARTUS HOUSE. By dint of coincidence and no bias, myself and my Treasure sitting here, both hail from QUARTUS HOUSE whom we understand won 5 Trophies in the sports, even though they came third. This shows that the race is not for the swift, but it is the participation that matters.
I shall convey your fraternity, love and greetings to the other members of the executive and the UK Old Boys Union when I return and we will continue to try our level best in assisting the school for your benefit.
I thank you once again for listening to me and wish you all good luck in your endeavours.
Thank you
Israel O Parper.