Kurt Hahn, “The Seven Laws of Salem”, and the Founding Principals of Outward Bound. Part 7

A bit of a delay getting these last two write-ups on Kurt Hahn’s “Seven Laws of Salem” together. They seem simpler in some aspects than the preceding, but in other aspects are slightly more complex in looking at their social impact here in America.   Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. Part 5. Part 6.

Kurt Hahn was an educator and vocal anti-Nazi in the early days of their rise to power. The principals he called “The Seven Laws of Salem” (the basis for the school he founded in Salem, Germany between the world wars) became the founding principals of the Outward Bound programs now offered at independent schools around the world.

Hahn was focused on developing social change through education of the younger generation. He placed the natural world, our earth, in a position of great importance to the heath and development of a human being at a time when industrialization and modernism was beginning to over take more traditional life styles.

The Seven Laws of Salem

1. Give the children opportunities for self-discovery.

2. Make the children meet with triumph and defeat.

3. Give the children the opportunity of self-effacement in the common cause.

4. Provide periods of silence.

5. Train the imagination.

6. Make games important but not predominant.

7. Free the sons of the wealthy and powerful from the enervating sense of privilege.

"Free the sons of the wealthy and powerful from the enervating sense of privilege."

The great promise of this country has always been "equal opportunity." Its easy to forget over 200 years later that our government was the first to make this a vision for the country. Aristocracy still held most of Europe through the early 1900's, and when it shifted toward republics and parliamentary systems the land owners and business owners still held the majority of the wealth and political power. When Hahn wrote these "Laws" this was shifting in Germany - the world was moving toward greater democratization and socialist ideas of equality were beginning to take root. In America however power was shifting through the 1800's from farmers and land owners into the hands of industrialist. 

There is no denying there is an imbalance of wealth or pools of consolidated political power in this county today. Under the law we have "equal opportunity," but some start the game closer to finish line, while others are further back with legs tied together. 

But this is not what Hahn was getting at. He is speaking about entitlement. The sense that a person has inherent rights and power over others because of wealth, political power or social position. Hahn believed that "the 'poor' rich girls and boys wholly thrown into each others company are not given the chance to grow into men and women who can overcome." Believing this led to idleness and decadence Hahn encouraged mixed classrooms and schools.

What I think he missed though is that in larger schools (he was talking about a private boarding school with less than 500 students) the student population can more easily segregate into groups or cliches with common background or interest. In my experience it is the common interest or activity that breaks down the social and economic barriers.

School aside thought its important to look at this concept of entitlement in our lives - not just in relation to others we work and live with, but as citizens locally and globally. 

A good definition of entitlement would be "I expect what I want to be there, exactly as I want it, when I want it." That could be in a relationship with a romantic partner, with co-workers, with our parents or children. I'm thinking of you guy in the coffee shop agitated and pissed because the staff not getting him is double-decaf-mocha-skim-frapachino fast enough.

When we feel entitled what we are really doing is shutting the world out and making ourselves and our interests more important and valuable than those of others. We also take the gifts we have and abandon any gratitude for them. 

The desire to make the world a certain way to satisfy our unmet needs only leads to the subjugation of others. We spend our time and energy trying define roles for others and trying to keep them within those roles. This can only lead to frustration, anxiety, and depression when these needs are not met. 

There are two remedies that I see. First we need to be able to see ourselves with a sense of humility - an accurate humility recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, our smallness compared to larger forces at work in the universe and our incredible human power to change and influence the world. These are not "rights" they are part of the gift of being human. The ability to have gratitude for the things we have and the circumstances of our lives, not pride but gratitude, helps us to meet others as they are - not as reflections of ourselves.

The second is in pointedly and purposefully meeting and talking with others from different backgrounds. Hear their stories and how they overcame their struggles. Share your own. Learn from each other. Nothing else will help you recognize our shared humanity more fully than curiosity about your fellow human being.

Before closing though I think we need to see this idea not just in our personal lives, or our local economic and political structures. As Americans we have and feel entitled to certain rights, a certain sense of freedom, and luxuries and amenities that 2/3rds of the world don't have - things like running water, freedom of speech, choice in education, religion, career. 

So be grateful, learn from others struggles, remember the world isn't here only for you.

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6.

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Kurt Hahn's School's and Legacy by Martin Flavin was the primary source for these posts.