In assembly this week, Dr Heathcote gave a presentation on what Seneca called “that precious commodity”: time. After a brief, but spirited, description of what life might be like inside a black hole, Dr Heathcote settled on his second favourite topic: the College timetable.
This year, we have been reviewing the timings of the school day. Minor changes will be seen from September: lessons will begin at 9.00am instead of 8.40am, for example, allowing space for more structured tutor sessions before the start of Period 1; the start times for evening activities will be streamlined. A full summary of these temporal tweaks will be issued before the start of next term but, for now, all you need to understand is the ‘why’.
In Chapel on Thursday, on the suggestion of Miss Kirby, Dr Tapley, read an extract from Seneca’s Moral Epistles to Lucius which provides the answer: “Set yourself free for your own sake; gather and save your time, which till lately has been forced from you, or filched away, or has merely slipped from your hands. Make yourself believe the truth of these words – that certain moments are torn from us, that some are gently removed, and that others glide beyond our reach. The most disgraceful kind of loss, however, is that due to carelessness”.
So, in an effort to avoid carelessness, to bring greater clarity to our daily routine, and to ensure that our use of time is (as Mr Dyer would say) optimal, we have made subtle alterations to the shape of our week.
The Master’s Voice takes, on average, three minutes to read. This one will have taken you less than one minute. What are you going to do with the extra time?
Use it wisely.