3305 The DBTI Tugboat
austraLasia #3305

 

The DBTI Tugboat
by Dr John Rougham (+ 24 October 2013) in an article for the Bosconian DBTI

HONIARA:  28 October 2013 -- While it is a little unusual for us to provide obituaries or a more general nature, it is clear that this good soul, Mr John Rougham, has been a tower of support for the Salesians in the Solomon Islands, especially in the communications field, and more recently at Don Bosco Tech in Henderson, where Fr Ambrose Pereira is the Rector. A brief article he wrote for the school magazine is possibly the best way to present him to the Region at large and to ask, in your charity, a prayer that as his own tugboat steams home to Paradise, he may be welcomed on shore by the Father's eternal embrace:

'Every young person needs a no-nonsense tugboat. Tugboats are strong engine ships with great pulling power and great knowledge just where the deep, safe water lies.
 
Ship captains welcome tugboats' work. These powerful small ships lead larger ship safely away from the shore, out of the harbour, into deeper water. Tugboats know exactly where the reefs lie and other obstacles that can slow down or even sink unlucky ships. In fact, a good tugboat is a great help getting to the open sea so the ship can begin its journey on the ocean.
 
Schools act a bit like tugboats. Classroom teachers have much experience to share with students about the world of work. It knows what is needed in the big world to make things work well and, most importantly, prepares students before hand to fit in well with the outside world.
 
Sometimes it seems to some passengers on a big ship that the tugboat is pulling in the wrong direction. Or it's going too slow or that the big ship could do the same job much better, certainly quicker. But the tugboat rarely gives much weight to these opinions. After all, the tugboat has been in this teaching business for more years than any of the students have been alive.
 
"Sit back, relax and let the tugboat do its job!" says the tugboat. When it insists that passengers be on time for class every day, listen well to teachers, etc. it knows what it's talking about. It is well aware that the Lord made us with two eyes, two ears but only one mouth. This means that seeing and listening are four times more important than talking.
 
Take your tugboat seriously. It knows where it's going, what to do and how to safely get you started in the big outside world.'

Dr. John Roughan,
School Board member
BOSCONIAN - The School Magazine - 2013