Saturday, June 7, 2008

School Crest

The School Coat of Arms stands for everything that is grand and noble in the school’s tradition. It serves to inspire Paulians a spirit of pride and loyalty and teach a love and respect for the past. An examination of the present design will reveal that it contains many features familiar to La Sallians around the world.
The first quarter - the place of honour in any shield with armorial bearings - is occupied by a star, a well known emblem to every Brother's boy throughout the world, for it is the symbol of Faith featured on the Arms and Official Seal of the De La Salle Order and incorporated in the crest and badges of La Sallian Schools. It recalls the Spirit of Faith, the Spirit of the Order, a faith that should burn brightly in every student. It should stimulate in him the renewal of faith in the eternal truth and inspire him to trust anew in himself and his future. This is what the Star should mean to every Paulian.
In the second quarter is the sword of St. Paul, patron of the school. Strength and fortitude and determined purpose may be read into this quarter, virtues so sadly lacking in these troubled times. In these days of clenched fists let us have a little more of the firmly held Sword, more discipline and restraint in our fight for worthwhile and well tried principles.
The open book in the third quarter symbolises learning and knowledge which the school is to provide, and students should acquire and excel in. Present Paulians can look back to proud tradition of devotion to learning and perseverance in study, which Paulians down the years have so firmly established.
The State Emblem of nine sheaves of paddy grains, occupying the fourth quarter, reminds us that St. Paul’s traditions reach far back into history of Negeri Sembilan, with a proud and unbroken record of close to a century of unsurpassed achievements. Paulians look with pride to the standard of their State and pledge unswerving loyalty to the state and ruler.
Faith and fortitude, Learning and Loyalty symbolised in the four quartering in the Paulian Coat of Arms may only be acquired by a virtuous life through earnest painstaking work which truths are aptly expressed in the School Motto “VIRTUTE ET LABORE” – Virtue and Labour – appearing under the shield.

Paulian Spirit

The Paulian "Spirit", which includes so many diverse elements, defies full analysis or definition. A scholar might identify one component as La Sallian ethos, another as the will to persevere; but this is murdering to dissect. The Paulian Spirit is simply that indefinable intangible something in the air one senses the moment one steps into the school compound. It is as old as SPI but yet lives on, having evolved and adapted to ensure its relevance to the needs and demands of the present day.
Paulians are not perhaps the most modest of people. The famous rhetorical question of "Who's the Best?" followed by the rousing full-throated roar of "SPI" is symptomatic of their unabashed self-confidence. This sentiment, one might hasten to add, is not born of arrogance or superiority, but results from a justifiable pride in belonging to a school that has a tradition, a sense of values and a glittering record of achievements. New schools may have excellent facilities, competent staffs, intelligent pupils, but more often than not, things simply do not "click" - for missing is TRADITION - that sense of being part of a great institution and an epic history. Other things being equal, the Paulian Spirit is what carries the Paulian over the final threshold and on to success.
The Paulian Spirit then stems from our being the great custodians of a great tradition of which it is our duty to cherish, nurture and enhance as we pass it on to future generations. It is our most valuable asset, our most prized possession. It will sustain us, and give us strength as we confront the obstacles Life places in our way.
The Paulian Spirit today is a torch that has been handed down from each succeeding generation of Paulians to the next. It burns ever bright and illuminates our future, driving away the shadows of despair and disillusionment that may at times encroach upon our souls. It is our common identity, the symbol of our oneness, the bond that unites all Paulian as we advance through life true to our Alma Mater.
May the Paulian Spirit shine through us.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

School Rally



School Rally
All through our college a voice is resounding,
Promptly respond to your duty sweet call,
Hearken you all for the trumpet is sounding,
Your Mater's proclaiming her watchwords to all.
(chorus)
Forward her children dear,
Ever with hearts sincere.
Render with joy to your Mater her due.
All that is vile reject,
Heaven will e'er protect.
Sons of St Paul's valiant and true
(verse 2)
"Virtue and Labour" your motto still bearing,
Forward with courage in ways that are just,
True to your standard be doing and daring,
As faithful Paulians in Heaven your trust.
(verse 3)
Forward and upward in life's earnest battle,
Joyously bearing the brunt of the fight,
Nobly forgiving for aught that may pain you,
And bravely defending the cause of the right.
(verse 4)
Seek not the baubles displayed by this vain world,
Heaven's the centre to which you must tend,
Serve Him alone who at death can reward you,
And vow to be faithful and true to the end.

Victory March (somewhat similar to St Paul's Institution's School Rally)

Cheer, cheer, for Old St. Paul's,
Wake up the echoes cheering her name.
Send a volley of cheers on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky.
What tho' the odds be great or small,
Old St. Paul's will win over all.
While her loyal sons are marching,
Onward to victory.
St. Paul's.
Rise boys and fondly proclaim,
That ye will never sully her name.
Let the hills and woodlands ring,
Live up your hearts and loudly sing.
What though the way be rough or steep,
We unto virtue summons will keep.
And if e'er our country needs us,
Loyal and true we'll be.
St. Paul's.