The best children’s stories often feature things in threes: the three little pigs; the three bears of Goldilocks; and that trio of a lion, a witch, and a wardrobe.
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Now Goulburn has the best children’s story of its own, featuring three bright students from Wollondilly Public School, off to take on the world in the field of robotics. The Post is proud and shouting it from the rooftops (aka the front page), and we are certain the nearest and dearest of Mary, Lucas, William (pictured) are very proud, too.
The fortunes of our public schools, whether primary or secondary, are never assured in the ebb and flow of changing governments and education funding policies.
But the fame of these three achievers can only assure the school a world of good as a leading model of public education, teaching tomorrow’s skills today.
Robotics, especially, is as certain a future now as computers were a generation ago, bringing together engineering and science in a multitude of applications.
There is some hand-wringing around the future off-loading of people’s jobs to robotic machines, and it is an understandable human reaction to fear the unknown.
But there also needs to be more hand-clapping, giving thanks for opportunities the robotics industry will bring, in agriculture, medicine and at home, to name a few.
Moreover, there needs to be some hand-shaking, not least with Lucas, William and Mary, but also the greater Wollondilly Public School and its community.
Congratulations to you all; good luck; and we can’t wait to read the next chapter.
...AND STORIES NEED AUTHORS
While we’re on the topic, it must be said that every story needs an author.
But it’s hard to know who’s telling the tale when it begins with an anonymous note.
Monday morning’s routine at the Post often involves collecting mail that’s been pushed under the door over the weekend, invariably with a news tip for a reporter.
But increasingly these notes are unsigned, unsourced, and therefore unhelpful.
Serious questions can’t be put to people, whatever their status in the city, when the source material amounts to no more than hearsay. Reporters need to be able to cross-check facts, not just as a professional responsibility, but as a public right.
The identity of sources can always be protected, but uppermost on publication, the truth must be known.