Plato was a philosopher of Ancient Greece and the founder of the first academy of higher learning in the Western world.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
From the 16th Century BC philosophy was used to make some sense out of the world in a non-religious way and has continued to influence Western culture ever since.
Others have since appeared with philosophies and religions to shape our lives and our thinking.
Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Gandhi, Einstein and many more have shared their thoughts and knowledge to guide our lives.
This month the Orange Oral History Group did not quite reach the heights of Plato’s thinking, but it did attempt to recall the people who had an influence on the direction of their own long lives.
Dick had given the question a lot of thought and decided “there were a lot of people who had an influence on me all through my life, at different stages and they were all helpful for the most part”.
“I remember teachers at school who impressed me, although a few didn’t. It was my flying instructor who shared his knowledge and experiences who stays on my mind,” he said.
Bruce’s father had been killed in the war and so his childhood was touched by the sadness of that loss.
“When I was 18 I worked for a childless couple who owned a dairy farm and they really made me one of the family,” he said.
“They taught me that there was much more to farming than working with your hands.
“He showed me how to handle the finances of the farm, fostered my interest in classical music and taught me all about carpentry. He made a big impression on me.”
“Bob Weir was a farmer and beekeeper at Glenn Innes,” said John, who was, in his professional life, the Manager of the Agricultural Research Station.
“Bob had an extraordinary appreciation of the Australian bush and I was lucky that he shared some of his knowledge with me when I spent time with him checking bee sites,” he explained.
“He also had a commitment to family and community which certainly made him an important figure in my life.”
Tim said that “the man who influenced my life had flown Halifax bombers during the war”.
“He had a block of land near my parents’ property and although he had had a hard time when he was young, his philosophy and his joy of in just being alive had a great effect on my young life.”
Keith had an unusual story to tell.
“I think my handicap was the greatest influence on my life because from when I was an infant I had sight in only one eye,” he said.
“Although my ambition was to be either a fireman or a policeman, my lack of vision ruled out those careers, as well as a lot of others. I ended up being a successful farmer.”
When Rosemary told us that she had had five children under five years old, we gave a collective sigh of admiration.
“I felt overwhelmed and fenced in,” she said, as the group nodded its understanding.
“Then I met a professor from New Zealand who told me, rather to my horror, that I could be doing so much more with my children. How could I possibly do more I wondered?
Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.
- Plato
“In the end we formed a family education group where I learned a lot by observing my children at play and becoming much more aware of them and what was motivating them. It made all the difference.”
Reg’s influence, like others, had a military background.
“It was a WWI army chaplain who had been at The Somme who made a difference in my life,” he said.
“We were a bunch of scallywags and he formed us into a group, took us to festivals and began a choir. I was breaking in horses at this time and I would ride into choir practise.”
Pat was also introduced to a choir by a teacher. “She gave me an interest in singing and music which has lasted all my life,” she said.
“I grew up with a boy who used to stay with my grandmother in Mudgee for school holidays,” was the start of Elma’s tale.
“Over the years we went our own way and lost touch but were later reunited. His kindness and care for others left a lasting impression on me,” she continued.
“He started the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross and his name was Ted Noffs. He was my first cousin.”
Lynne, who had a long career in nursing, had great respect for the matron at her hospital and also for a teacher who introduced her to woodwork, which she has enjoyed ever since.
“I was working on a property north of Nyngan after having only farmed around Orange,” said Jeff.
“It was an eye opener to me as the country out there is so vast and sparse and I was helped by a mate who had been there all his life.
“He certainly made a difference to the way I saw it.”
When the question was put to Dot her reply was “where do I start?”.
“I’ve met so many good people in my life and have gained strength from all of them,” she said.
“I think the main thing is to look for the good in people and you’ll mostly learn something worthwhile.”
We had to agree with that and left the last word to Leslye, who expressed her thoughts on Christmas.
“This is our fourth Christmas together and I like the feeling of renewed hope and generosity of spirit and the chance to evaluate oneself at the end of the year.”
And with that we would like to wish our readers a very happy Christmas.