A Taste of Thomson

The Thomson Society – the after-school lecture club where teachers do their own particular thing – has been busy this term. You can find out more, watch a lecture and sample the Thomson 'vibe' by following the links below

When Deputy Head of Senior School, Andy Woodward founded the society a decade ago, he envisaged it as a 'place to stretch, challenge and engage the able and curious.'  And this term as usual, teachers have been busy delivering challenging after-school sessions on subjects that transcend curriculum content and showcase their special interests, knowledge and passions. The latest Thomson Society lecture took place last Tuesday with Mr James Gledhill presenting 'What is a Flag? and how to design a good one', a fascinating exploration of flags as signals of a nation's cultural direction and its sense of identity.

The Society takes its name from  Harrodian's former Principal, Mr Peter Thomson, who was known for his thirst for knowledge and passion for stretching pupils' knowledge beyond the classroom. Initially the Thomson audience was visualised as pupils from 14s/ Year 10 and above, but the lectures now also draw an audience that includes staff and some parents. And the auditorium on 'Thomson Tuesdays' is very often packed out. 

The freedom provided by an open brief offered to Thomson lecturers is reflected in the huge diversity of the subject matter:  Life Drawing, the Atomic Bomb, The Crusades, Myra Hindley, ISIS, Utopia, Artificial Intelligence, the Northern Ireland peace process, the Psychobiology of Sexual Orientation, Being Liverpudlian have all add an airing in the past.

Alongside Mr Gledhill's 'What is a Flag',  this term's lectures – two of which you can watch on You Tube by following the highlighted links below – have been similarly eclectic. They ranged from Mr Digby Don's reflection on the the theme of Dystopia in twentieth century literature, through Mr Guy Holder's 'The Digital Iron Cage - the surveillance economy of the 21st Century and its effects on the young', to Mr Woodward's ambitious historical reflection on 'How 9/11 Changed Everything'  

Thomson lectures almost always involve personal musing and deep reflections on the subject under discussion. But for some lecturers, their topic can become a serious passion or a mission.  Mr Holder was so disturbed by what he learned about the impact of smartphones on the young in his research (chief sources were The age of surveillance capitalism by Shoshanna Zuboff and a collaborative research paper led by Jonathan Haidt and Dr Jean Twenge) that he has petitioned the Government to ban them, starting with 11 and 12 year olds. If you want to sign it, you can find his petition here

Aside from their always distinctive content, Thomson Society lectures also stand out for the consistently brilliant graphic design of their posters created by Mr Jake Murray, Harrodian's Head of Design. 

With thanks to Sixth-Form student Fynn for filming Mr Woodward and Mr Holder's lectures