MPs and their leaders have public playground spats, Prime Minister’s Questions is less enlightening than meetings of the Wildman Society, long term policy is sacrificed for short term political expediency. Don’t worry, this is not a piece undermining politics or our representatives and is certainly not Party Political, but, now that the youngest MP in the House of Commons is less than half my age, I have been reflecting on Abraham Lincoln’s contention that “the philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next.”

Which elements of National schooling would lead to the best Government?  Certainly we would want those who make choices on our behalf to be literate and numerate and, I suspect, most are adequately so.  It could be argued that we should have politicians with expertise in their areas of responsibility, a former doctor, for example, as Health Minister although I am unconvinced that this is necessary or even desirable.

Some skills and knowledge are however surely required for good policy making.  Many of us would observe a woeful lack of understanding of basic science undermining reasoned decisions, reflecting a similarly poor understanding from many of the public.  The cultural insight into those different from ourselves learned through studying languages, philosophy, religion, geography and history must surely be a prerequisite for effective diplomacy, negotiation and foreign policy.  Value judgements about our own heritage, culture and arts require a diversity of appreciation and discernment of aesthetic, even if we cannot expect those who make them to mirror our own preferences between soccer, Schumann, Seurat and the Sugar Babes.  All these elements suggest to me the importance of strengthening the type of ‘Liberal Arts’ curriculum that we enjoy at Sherborne but which is being eroded elsewhere.

Do any of the above though really capture Lincoln’s “Philosophy of the school room”?  My Sixth Form Maths class this year were shocked and rather disappointed when I told them at the beginning of the year that I would not be telling them anything new nor revealing whether what they said was correct or not.  An exaggeration, of course, but teaching through questioning and listening, and learning through thought and reflection are a philosophical style going back to Socrates.  How might this type of ‘school room’ affect future government?

Our ‘school room’ extends to the House, where a boy will learn how to support those around him who are most vulnerable, to pick up unspoken cues of temperament, to negotiate for good outcomes.  Might any of these be helpful in diplomacy or policy-making?

The Upper, BSR and Tindall are also our ‘school room’ for sportsmen, actors and musicians who all learn to make personal sacrifices for the good of the team, who appreciate that we achieve more together than as individuals.  They also understand that a good performance relies primarily on preparation. To quote Lincoln again, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”  How strongly do we see these ‘philosophies’ reflected in those who lead us?

I picked (perhaps unfairly) on politicians for this article but I hope similar philosophies and qualities would be reflected in every walk of life.  As Old Shirburnians you carry the legacy of our school room into your own daily work and leisure and I know that others see in you the philosophy which stems from your time here.  The boys who are here now will follow you into every corner of the Earth, pursuing activities both ancient and modern.  They take with them one final all-pervading philosophy to be found in every aspect of life here at Sherborne and captured simply by Lincoln: “Whatever you are, be a good one.”