Ormond College and Proving a National Good
Dr Areti (Ari) Metuamate, Master and Head of Ormond College
Thursday 15 May 2025
When young people challenge inherited assumptions or engage with social issues in new ways, that is not a sign of decline. It is a sign of vibrant and healthy intellectual engagement.
Dr Areti (Ari) Metuamate, Master and Head of Ormond College
In 1881, Francis Ormond, our founding benefactor, expressed his hope that Ormond College would “satisfy the requirements of the people and prove a national good.” More than 140 years later, this aspiration still shapes who we are and what we do. In a rapidly changing world, the commitment to contribute meaningfully to society through education, leadership, service and innovation remains central to our mission. This responsibility, as I often say to our students, extends beyond our gates, to the wider society we are a part of.So, what does it mean for Ormond College to prove a national good today? It means being a place where education is not just about personal success, but about the advancement of those around you, the local community, and the nation as a whole. It means cultivating an environment that excels intellectually while fostering leaders of character, people who are thoughtful, ethical and committed to making a positive difference in their chosen profession. It means creating a setting where ideas are explored, values are tested, and a deep sense of responsibility to others is formed. In a speech at the Scotch College prize giving in 1881, Francis Ormond said that “the future of this great country will be largely fashioned by you,” and urged them to “grapple intelligently with the knotty subjects of your time”. And so, to prove a national good today, is to prepare students to grapple with the most urgent challenges of our time – social, environmental, cultural, and economic – with the courage to lead and the humility to serve.At Ormond, we continue to be committed to this. But the College does not seek to prescribe how our students should think or act. Since the days of our first Master, John MacFarland, and the early Scottish influence, rooted in the Enlightenment and Presbyterian tradition, we have championed independence of thought. Education was always seen as a means not just to better oneself, but to contribute to society. Our role remains to encourage students to be open, reflective and intellectually courageous, and to embrace the responsibility of contributing to something greater than themselves. From time to time, I hear claims that Ormond is straying from its traditions or has become “too woke.” But these criticisms often misread both our history and our present. Ormond has always encouraged its students to question, to explore and to grow. That was true under Macfarland, and McCaughey, and is still the case today. Just recently I spoke with a group of our international students about how the electoral system works in Australia. I was pleased at the end of my talk, when one of the students asked me, “So, what party do you support?”. My job as an academic, and as Master, is not to tell students what to think, but to help them learn how to think. To guide, to challenge, and to educate, not to control, sway or indoctrinate. At its best, education is not about persuasion or prescription. It is about equipping students with the tools to ask questions, weigh evidence and form their own judgmentsWhen young people challenge inherited assumptions or engage with social issues in new ways, that is not a sign of decline. It is a sign of vibrant and healthy intellectual engagement. At Ormond, we offer guidance and support, and do not dictate beliefs. The autonomy of young people, their right to explore, challenge, and engage with the world on their own terms, is central to Ormond’s ethos.I have been told by a number of people that when Ormond became co-educational in 1973, there was some resistance from older alumni. Most students, however, embraced the change. Few today would question that it was the right decision. The inclusion of women has strengthened Ormond, enriching it and shaping the inclusive community we are proud of today. Our traditions have not been weakened by change, they have been deepened and enhanced by it.The role of the Council, staff and fellows at Ormond is to create the space for growth, to offer a safe and vibrant community where students can explore ideas, test boundaries and define what matters to them. This culture of growth does not come from rigidity. It comes from a living tradition, one that evolves as each generation brings fresh insight and energy. True respect for tradition lies in understanding its purpose and carrying its values forward. We can honour our heritage while also embracing new ideas and forging new traditions. That is not a betrayal of our past. It is the continuation of it. I say all this both as an educator and as someone whose life has been deeply shaped by tradition. I was raised in a Māori and Catholic family, grounded in strong cultural and spiritual foundations. My father’s service in the army meant we lived among military families, where discipline, duty, and respect were part of daily life. In those communities, tradition wasn’t just honoured, it was lived – woven into routines and a shared sense of responsibility to our nation and its people. That experience instilled in me a lasting respect for the values that bind communities together. It also taught me that respect for tradition and openness to new thinking are, in fact, complementary.At Ormond, we balance a deep commitment to our heritage with a fearless embrace of progress. It is through this interplay that our students develop the strength and wisdom to grow, and the curiosity, courage, and vision to shape what comes next.We honour our founder’s vision not by standing still, but by ensuring the College remains bold, relevant, and outward-looking. We aim to equip students with the courage to lead, the heart to serve, and the curiosity to keep learning. This is how we continue to prove a national good. It is what Francis Ormond hoped for in 1881, and it is what we remain committed to today.