THE PETERITE Vol. LI I
MAY, 1960
No. 354
EDITORIAL Tradition is a word which rarely fails to arise in any discussion on Public Schools : indeed, they, with the Universities and the Services, are the stronghold of tradition, and in it lies much of their strength, but also some of their weaknesses. For tradition is frequently used as an excuse for behaviour and practices, which do nothing to strengthen the spirit of a community, but only bring it into disrepute. As Voltaire somewhat cynically remarked : 'The more ancient the abuse the more sacred it is'. No one would wish to decry in a school healthy traditions, of scholarship, sportsmanship, good manners—these are, indeed, the qualities which each generation should strive to hand down to their successors and which distinguish a school in the eyes of the outside world. In addition to these essential and general traditions, however, each school, like a regiment or ship, has a number peculiar to itself, mostly connected with a desirable system of seniority; these are, in fact, the unwritten laws which really constitute the code of behaviour and discipline within the school. But unwritten laws depend for their observance on self-discipline and mutual respect : tradition cannot provide a substitute for these essential qualities, and those traditions which are based on humiliation rather than humility only breed a spirit of self-important intolerance and vindictiveness. Each new generation should be taught and, more important, shown by example what is expected of them; respect must be commanded—it cannot be compelled, if the object is not worthy of it. Although few members of a school or other similar community would agree with the poet who said `Tradition, thou art for suckling children, Thou art the enlivening milk for babes, But no meat for men is in thee' yet there is a grain of truth in his words. For tradition can and should strengthen, but can never replace the virile spirit of enterprise, enthusiasm and unselfish service, without which no community can ever hope to live.
