The Education Vector

Transcribed from the printed issue; not yet reviewed. Read it in the PDF of the issue, page 33

In this, my concluding article in this series, I am happy to record how confident I am that my successor, Dr Alan Sykes of the Department of Management Science and Statistics at the University College of Swansea, will fill the post of Education Officer with distinction. I am sure that he will bring to it an infusion of new ideas, to hasten the day when APL is widely seen in the microcomputer world as the computer language which excels all others in the field of education. The I-APL movement provides a focus for growth and an entry point for all, however limited their means. In the longer view it would be good to see APL, seeded from this base, spread through the entire education world, with I-APL acting as a catalyst to fuel ever greater reactions.

Continuing in valedictory mode, I relate how on sifting through the belongings of an elderly relative, I came on a dusty old book entitled "Tales of Many Tongues". Opening it at random, I came upon:

"Once upon a time a great wizard made a wonderful invention which helped the workmen in his village make their tools with greater speed and precision, and thereby enabled them to trade favourably with their counterparts in neighbouring villages who did not have this advantage. At first the wizard was content that the invention should remain in his own village, but some of the elders persuaded him that not only the the tools, but also the invention itself might be traded more widely. When the word of the great invention spread, people came from all around to marvel at it, and to convey it back to their own villages where they were able to improve their own tool-making skills.

Enthusiasm for the Great Invention grew, so that people from all over the land came to regular joyful gatherings to devote themselves to instruction from the great inventor's disciples. Many wonders and signs were performed, and many lesser inventions were made which sprang from the Great Invention.

As the gatherings grew in size, two types of followers began to emerge; first merchants whose skills were able to transform the Great Invention to profit, and secondly missionaries for whom it became a symbol of salvation from an outmoded culture. In time, the Great Invention spread through all the lands, and merchants and missionaries alike would come together to form local cells of the Great Invention Movement. The teachings of the founder would be written down in books giving guidence to fresh converts, and codes of right conduct to existing believers.

One day the Great Inventor departed from his own village and went to live in a neighbouring one, where he made an even greater invention. Not to be outdone, the disciples who had remained in his old village also made another and greater invention, which they spread through the whole world. Back in the villages, and undeterred by this new division, the missionaries continued to preach, ardent that lack of riches should not deter the enrolment of new believers who continued to increase daily. The merchants sought more books to advance their business, although they were too busy pursuing their trade to find time to write them. The scribes therefore came mainly from amongst the missionaries, and their writings ....... "

At this point, a page had been ripped out of the book - perhaps readers would like to continue the story for themselves ...