Forest School (Walthamstow) - School Motto and Song

School Motto and Song

"In Pectore Robur", meaning Heart of Oak (or more poetically 'Strength in the heart'), initially appeared in the 1850s under John Smith Gilderdale. It is referred to in the School Song (below)

Eja! Felices! Hodie vacandi
Cantico dulcis celebretur hora!
Laus sit in linguis, animo voluptas,
Pectore robur, pectore robur!
Gaudeant pensis pueri peractis,
Gaudeat cura vacuus magister;
En! Domus gaudet! Sua concinamus
Gaudia quisque, gaudia quisque.
Pectoris robur, puerique custos,
Qui Puer quondam in pueris fuisti,
Fac Tibi semper placeamus omnes
Pectore puro, pectore puro!

The school song has been set to music and is sung regularly at end-of-term chapel services and other important occasions.

More recently, a previous Master of Music, Stefan Reid, arranged this for orchestra and it premièred at the annual End of Year Concert (now traditionally held in the Sports Hall). It is sung at certain significant assemblies (e.g. end of year) and at Commemoration Day, however current convention is that only the first verse is sung.

Read more about this topic:  Forest School (Walthamstow)

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