Rise Of The Idiots

[David Holden]

Quote:

The school may have a very traditional motto, “Consule Cunctis,”

 

Did you blokes have to practise saying the school motto?

 

 

We had to sing it in the school song!

[waggamick]

What did it rhyme with?

[jc]

For the benefit of others less fortunate who have never had the privilege of singing it (from Wikipedia ):

 

"Consule Cunctis: We readily grant it

Who will not hearten the song as we chant it

Some 1000 students assembled in hall?

For the splendour of life shall illumine our faces

While boyhood's a game that delights us and graces

Our "Play for the side with your face to the ball".

 

Consule Cunctis: When school days are ending

There's none shall escape from the duties attending

All 1000 students assembled in hall,

Though the ground to our feet may ring flintily, dustily

Forget not the chorus but sing it right lustily.

"Play for the side with your face to the ball".

 

Consule Cunctis: in fair or rough weather

We'll play to the whistle, stand fast all together

We 1000 students assembled in hall.

Consule Cunctis: the world stands before us

And we'll yet make it join in our full-throated chorus

Of "Play for the side with your face to the ball".

 

Headboy: School! Selah! C'est a dire!

 

All reply: Alors! Oui, bon. Oh, aye. Oh, aye, aye.

 

Zen, Zen, Zen!

 

GRAVESEND!"

 

Brings a tear to the eye.

[waggamick]

Brings a tear to a glass eye!

 

I reckon the author had 'sing it right lustily' in mind and did it tough to come up with 'flintily,dustily'.

 

Can't remember my old school song but given the socio-economic situation 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' would have sufficed.

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted By: jc

For the benefit of others less fortunate who have never had the privilege of singing it (from Wikipedia ):

"Consule Cunctis: We readily grant it
Who will not hearten the song as we chant it
Some 1000 students assembled in hall?
For the splendour of life shall illumine our faces
While boyhood's a game that delights us and graces
Our "Play for the side with your face to the ball".

Consule Cunctis: When school days are ending
There's none shall escape from the duties attending
All 1000 students assembled in hall,
Though the ground to our feet may ring flintily, dustily
Forget not the chorus but sing it right lustily.
"Play for the side with your face to the ball".

Consule Cunctis: in fair or rough weather
We'll play to the whistle, stand fast all together
We 1000 students assembled in hall.
Consule Cunctis: the world stands before us
And we'll yet make it join in our full-throated chorus
Of "Play for the side with your face to the ball".

Headboy: School! Selah! C'est a dire!

All reply: Alors! Oui, bon. Oh, aye. Oh, aye, aye.

Zen, Zen, Zen!

GRAVESEND!"

Brings a tear to the eye.

They've bloody changed it

It wasn't 1000 students when I was there it was 400 fellows.


C.G. I can't believe you missed Mel Brooks off of your list wasn't you a 'Mels Angel'?

[David Holden]

It was 600 when I started, but then we lost the first and second years and it dropped to 400

 

 

 

[Graham S]

Indeed, I was the last of the 1st years for some time. I believe you were in the year above me, in Steve Willis's form. (Steve & I were both in the swimming team, hence my tentatively confident stab.) That whippersnapper CG would have come as a 3rd year.

[Harry J Allstars]

Originally Posted By: Graham S

Indeed, I was the last of the 1st years for some time. I believe you were in the year above me, in Steve Willis's form.

Unfortunate name. I bet he had fun with the pupils. I was at school with a David Willy, you didn't mess with him though.

[waggamick]

All of the above inspired a googling of my alma mater.

First reference was the conviction of a 'Brother Bernard' for serial paedophilia including the years I was there.

 

He didn't touch me...was I that unattractive?

Thinking of suing the Catholic Church for neglect!

[bsmith]

Originally Posted By: Slartibartfast

It wasn't 1000 students when I was there it was 400 fellows.

Definately was fellows, because that was always one of the words to be shouted.

[Graham S]

I know there are some current & recent GGSfBs students on this website.

 

Does the tradition, when forced to sing that fecking awful Song & Shout, still exist that:

 

1. One mumbles it all until loudly proclaiming the motto, with the "C" consonant obviously omitted.

 

2. One subtly changes the refrain fron "Play for the side with your face to the ball" to a booming "Play for the side with your face to your balls..."

 

Please tell me this noble adaptation still haunts all poker faced heads & white, blond haired, rugby playing, secretly gay, establishment supporting, head boys. (Fecking hell!!! My daughter's 1st serious boyfriend was one of these - though I don't believe the b*stard was gay, more's the pity)

[Harry J Allstars]

Originally Posted By: Graham S

Please tell me this noble adaptation still haunts all poker faced heads & white, blond haired, rugby playing, secretly gay, establishment supporting, head boys. (Fecking hell!!! My daughter's 1st serious boyfriend was one of these - though I don't believe the b*stard was gay, more's the pity)

Your description Graham is reminiscent of a film called "If...." Ever seen it?

The fourth dot is important apparently.

It is one of the best films ever made and stars Malcolm McDowell, one of the worlds best actors.

[waggamick]

Originally Posted By: Graham S

I know there are some current & recent GGSfBs students on this website.

Does the tradition, when forced to sing that fecking awful Song & Shout, still exist that:

1. One mumbles it all until loudly proclaiming the motto, with the "C" consonant obviously omitted.

2. One subtly changes the refrain fron "Play for the side with your face to the ball" to a booming "Play for the side with your face to your balls..."

Please tell me this noble adaptation still haunts all poker faced heads & white, blond haired, rugby playing, secretly gay, establishment supporting, head boys. (Fecking hell!!! My daughter's 1st serious boyfriend was one of these - though I don't believe the b*stard was gay, more's the pity)

A brilliant post.
I really am laughing out loud.

Surely not everyone omitted the "c" consonant.
The 'face to the ball' lyrics really left themselves open for abuse. My initial image was a crying lad staunching a bleeding nose after a mistimed header.

Hints of Tom Brown in your 'head boy' tirade.

I'm still laughing.

[Charles Webster]

I too am an alumni of the Gravesend Academy for Young Gentle Folk. Butch Bowen, Challis the Carpenter, Stourton, PT Sanderson, Arnold Craft...................oh the memories come flooding back.

[Richie]

Another alumni here, '64-'71, and another memory from those far off GGSB final assemblies which preceeded the absurd School song detailed above, was the hymn 'Cod be with you till we meet again' with some overstress on the first word, causing a certain deputy head on stage to sport a highly reddened face.

[Santa]

Joey Geaton (Oh My ! You are the limit); Herbert Halas (Keep ze klips shut); Bowen (in you go handstanding); Jimmy Hall, who'd sneak up behind you in class and clip you behind the back of the head more or less for fun; Sam Rutherford, who with his stiff middle finger which rubbed off on the board what his thumb and index finger had written a nano second previously; McKeough and his army gym shoe he kept in his cupboard for those whom differential calculus didn't seem at all natural...........

[Slartibartfast]

Chris Waller was so committed to teaching german that he modelled his life on an SS Obersturmbannfuhrer.

 

My last german lesson was in 1974, the scars are still there the forgiveness should come along any year now.

[Richie]

To be fair, CW was a great German teacher....provided you weren't sitting in the front 4 rows, where waterproof facial protection was strongly advisable.

[Slartibartfast]

Originally Posted By: Richie

To be fair, CW was a great German teacher....provided you weren't sitting in the front 4 rows, where waterproof facial protection was strongly advisable.

front 4 rows? do you mean the deep end?

[David Holden]

If you are going to discuss German Teachers then all I can say is:

 

DOG

 

WUFF