THE TEST OF SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 35, 10 August 1925, Page 6

THE TEST OF SERVICE

In several of the speeches made at the Old Boys' Reunion on Saturday evening there was reference to the part which the ex-pupils of secondary schools might take in the community. One speaker expressed the opinion that old boys hitherto had not done all that they should in this respect, and he emphasised further the duty of old boys to do more. We are inclined to agree with that opinion. Expupils of the older schools are proud of their association, proud of the ideals which they received; but are all of them striving as they should to share those, ideals with the community? We know the excuses which can be given— that' public life contains much of pettiness, that the man who tries to serve has to submit to abuse and p,ossibly misrepresentation, and that the man of finer feelings is strongly tempted to keep to private life. But this is not a courageous course; nor does it help to remove the abuses which now deter many talented men from entering public life. If the ideals of the secondary school and its standards of honour and fair play were .carried into public life there would be much less of pettiness. We do not suggest that Parliamentary politics should be the goal in every case. There are many other walks of life in which service may be given for the benefit of the community ; and, of course, no organised, effort of old boys could possibly be of a party political character. But the spirit of the school is undoubtedly an excellent one, and there can be no reason for limiting it to the school. Indeed, the worth of that spirit may be measured to some extent by the desire of those imbued with it to induce all others to make it their guiding rule of conduct.