Highlights of my trip were listening to the Chapel Choir (stunning) and the bell–ringing on the stairs thereafter. Tintinnabulation has always filled me with joy! 

The lesson in chapel was ‘The Good Samaritan’ (Luke 10:25-37) and following this, I addressed years 7 & 8 and their parents on the topic of 'Kindness'. I began by saying that doing something good for, or to, someone is what we should do as much as possible. You could say it is what we are here for. I went on to describe how, through my life – and this is surely the same for all, especially as they get older – I have thought back to things that happened to me, or that people said to me, when I was at school. As I have grown older too, my memories of school, of things that people have said to me have become more important. Some of them were negative things, and we remember those. Most of them were kind things, though. It costs us nothing to be kind to someone, especially if they are in need.

I said to Years 7 & 8 that I think this is a real power: I said ‘you can all be superheroes by using it. You all have the special power of kindness, through your words and actions, to change the lives of those around you for the better. And those to whom you are kind may remember them, or remember what you do for them, forever … this also, is how friends are made.’

For many years, I worked at a school in Yorkshire. The boarders were full–boarders, so were at school for most of the time, and over the weekends. I became a Housemaster in a house of many boys. Before that, I was a tutor in that house. It was a special time. It was the greatest privilege to bring up young people, in the absence of their parents. I told Years 7 & 8 a short story – an anecdote - about that time and I tell it again here. It is about a boy – now a man and successful lawyer – who joined that house in his Year 9. Eventually, when I was its Housemaster, he was chosen by me as Head of House. Let’s say his name was William. At the time when Will came to us, I was a tutor. I remember him visiting the school with his parents when he was still in his last year at his prep school. I remember that his dad wasn’t very well. When Will arrived for his first senior year, two months later his dad - a very young man – was no longer with us. That was a very difficult first year at his senior school, for Will. 

In that first year, Will started to do Karate, and at one point went to a competition. There was another young man in the house, in the Upper Sixth, who played Karate too. He was called Harry. They both did well at representing the school at that tournament.

The day after the competition, at House lunch, all sat down at different tables, in their year groups. But then Harry went over to the Year 9 group and put his hand on Will’s shoulder. He brought his fellow teammate Will over to the Upper Sixth table, explaining to him that he had ‘come to lunch’ with the top year because: ‘we play Karate together.’ It was a simple act of kindness, I think. 

Years later at a social event, I recollected this moment to Will, wondering if he remembered it too. I thought he would not. It was a long time ago, after all. But he did remember! I said: “Gosh Will: that must have made your day.” Will, after a pause, said rather emotionally to me, “Sir, that made my year! It made things all right.” Who would have thought that such a little act of kindness would have had the power to change the tone of someone else’s year? We must be kind to each other, if we can. By doing so, you have the power to help others, and in doing so, you can help and change a person’s life - and in the process change the whole world for the better.

A famous Headmaster once said to the pupils in his school: ‘All we ask of you is that when you leave here, you go out and change the world.’ This can be done, by kindness. 

David Moses, Assistant Head (6th Form)