• “The problem with political jokes is that they get elected” Henry Cote

• “We hang petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” Aesop

• “If we actually got one-tenth of what was promised in these State of the Union speeches, what would be the incentive to go to heaven?” Will Rogers

• “Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge where there is no river. Nikita Krushev

• “When I was just a boy, I was told that anybody could become President. Now, I believe it.” Clarence Darrow

• A politician is someone who will lay down your life for his country” Tex Guinan

• “Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.” Oscar Amernger

• “I offered my political opponents a bargain: if they stop telling lies about me, I will stop telling the truth about them”. Adlai Stevenson

Dr. Rourke goes on to say, “For an adolescent with such dismal prospects and years of entrenched antisocial behaviours, modern behavioural therapies, which fall within a standard scope of practice, simply do not work. What is required is a radical paradigm shift within the adolescent’s mind: for the child to realize that what they consider acceptable for their own behaviour is incongruent with acceptance in society. Robert Land Academy is capable of introducing and enforcing this drastic shift, a shift towards a behavioural mindset where an adolescent is expected to work hard, listen to their seniors and respect others. “

During our visit, Kevin relayed that he has chosen a double specialty in both adolescent and forensic psychiatry because of his experiences leading up to Robert Land, those transformational experiences he had at the Academy and his subsequent significant achievements.

He writes, “In grade 6 I was absent for the majority of school days. The days I was present involved giving the teacher the “finger” and punching other children in the face for insulting me. Grades 7 and 8 were spent at RLA. I finished grade 9 at a prestigious school on the Honour Roll. Today, I am writing this letter after my 1st day of being a medical doctor.

I am sure you will join me in wishing Kevin all the very best in his continued studies and work in Australia. He has certainly chosen a challenging field. He will be keeping in touch as he wants to head up a research project at the Academy.

His letter concludes with the following, “My interest is adolescent and forensic psychiatry so that I can help other children in my situation. Behavioural disorders in youth are known for their resistance to treatment and poor long-term outcomes. Because of Robert Land Academy, I know this does not have to be the case.”

Have a great day, GSB

To download the newsletter, click on the link below.

S. Bowman

https://www.robertlandacademy.com/…/default/files/SITREP%20…

Special thanks this week to Alumnus, Scott Bacon, who not only has become an internationally renowned martial arts expert, but I think a philosopher as well. He sent a wonderful email this week and I would like to “piggyback” on his quote from Marcus Aurelius, which if you didn’t see it on his site, I think it certainly merits repeating for all of us.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive; to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

The last of the five great Roman Emperors, Marcus Aurelius was also a stoic philosopher and wrote prolifically. I would highly recommend for your own reading his “Meditations”. I would equally recommend this beautiful collection of his thoughts if you are searching for a meaningful gift for someone in your circle who is suffering from a debilitating illness or who has recently suffered a loss in their lives, or examining what is meaningful in their lives. Perhaps a Christmas gift for someone who has, “everything”? It is one of those books that finds its home on your bedside table, which you can visit for 30 seconds or hours. One of my favourites has always been,

“The happiness in your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”

For all of you leading the frenetic lives of work, family, kids, some of you grandkids, (good grief!) Marcus Aurelius is always worthy of a brief moment and provocative thought.

Isn’t it nice to know that things of true quality last through the ages and are always relevant in whatever era we find them? Thanks again to Scott Bacon for sharing this beautiful quote.

Best wishes to all. I will “Ring the Bell” again next week.
S. Bowman

Ralph Waldo Emmerson left us many great insights and, in today’s world, perhaps none more poignant than this quote.

I was keenly reminded of Emmerson’s insight attending a gathering of “older” Alumni in Toronto this past September, some of them from the very first years of the school. Many thanks to Alumnus Peter Merrick, who very kindly arranged the gathering, Dave Murdoch who came from Ottawa and Bob MacKenzie who travelled all the way from Nova Scotia. It was an evening of warm fellowship, grounded in the spirit of men who share common experiences, memories and values. First and foremost, Alumni share a unique and lasting association and on this night were simply happy to be in each other’s company.

With good wishes, common recollections and “catch up” conversations, the theme of the evening moved from the past to the present and laid claim to the future. The collective desire of the group was to have a more structured means to communicate with each other and to encourage Alumni through the years to remain in touch.

As a first step towards structuring communication and conveying information, we have undertaken to revive the Robert Land Academy Official Student Alumni Facebook Page for informing each other of events and happenings in our lives. With this in mind, please encourage other alumni to join this site to do the same.

After 38 years as the Headmaster, I have officially joined the ranks of the Alumni. I am pleased to announce that Mr. K. Wendling has assumed this position effective July 1st, 2016. I will be doing some projects with the Board of Governors in the arena of advancement and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities this next chapter in life presents.

I leave you today with Emmerson’s wisdom and will “Ring the Bell” again next week. In the meantime, I very much look forward to re-connecting with you and other Alumni you may be in touch with.

Warmest regards to you and your families,

G. S. Bowman
Founder 1978