[Editor: This article, about private schools in Australia (in comparison to those in England), was published in The Southern Cross News (Southern Cross, WA), 24 January 1936.]
Alma Mater
When we compare the Public Schools of our State with those of England, we are forced to the conclusion that the oldest of them are still comparatively young. What are 50 or 60 years when compared with several hundreds of years — the length of time for which the majority of the English Public Schools have been established? Practically nothing, we may say.
Nevertheless, our Public Schools, in the short time during which they have been established, have built up a wealth of tradition. From them have gone forth men who have made their mark in the world to-day — and from them, at their country’s call, went forth many who laid down their lives for the generations which were to come. All honour be to them.
We have all heard of the “Public School Spirit,” that spirit of true-citizenship, good-fellowship, and unselfish service. That is the spirit by which the glorious traditions of our colleges have been built up. From “honour your school” to “honour your country” is but a step, when the former has been carried out. To make “good sportsmen” is the aim of all schools. Not only upon the playing field, but in every walk of life, that trait is looked for, and must be there, if a man is to be a good citizen. By turning out good citizens, our public schools are not only conforming to English tradition, but are also setting up an everlasting record of service and honour for themselves.
Perhaps expression can best be found in those lines:—
“Maker of men, and moulder of souls,
To Thee we look, by Thee we are.
From Thee the path of truth unfolds
Itself, dear Alma Mater.”
Source:
The Southern Cross News (Southern Cross, WA), 24 January 1936, p. 7
Also published in various other newspapers, including:
The Coolgardie Miner (Coolgardie, WA), 24 January 1936, p. 3
The Midlands Advocate (Moora, WA), 24 January 1936, p. 3
The Perenjori Pioneer (Perenjori, WA), 25 January 1936, p. 5
Editor’s notes:
Alma Mater = (Latin: “nourishing mother”) the school, college, or university which one attended (one’s “mother school”); the phrase derives from the Latin “alma”, meaning “nourishing” (it can also mean “bountiful”, “dear”, “kind”, or “nurturing”), and “māter”, meaning “mother”; the modern use of the phrase comes from the Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (the University of Bologna, in Italy), which is Europe’s oldest university
See: 1) “Alma mater”, Wikipedia
2) “University of Bologna”, Wikipedia
Maker of men, and moulder of souls = God
Public School = a privately-run school (in England, privately-run schools are called public schools, in contrast to the old days when upper class children were tutored privately at home); in modern Australia, privately-run schools are called private schools, whilst government-run schools are known as public schools (schools for the general public)
Thee = (archaic) you (regarding a person as the object in a sentence); in a religious context, and capitalized, a reference to God or Jesus Christ
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