{{refimprove, date=January 2017 ''Disce Aut Discede'' (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

"Learn or Depart") is a phrase used as the

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...

of many institutions and schools.

Educational institutions

''Disce Aut Discēde'' is the motto at

King's School, Rochester The King's School, Rochester, is an English independent school in Rochester, Kent. It is a cathedral school and, being part of the foundation of Rochester Cathedral, the Dean of Rochester serves as chair of the school's governing body. The sch ...

, the second-oldest school in the world, established in 604 AD. It was also the traditional motto of

Penistone Grammar School Penistone Grammar School (PGS) is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located in Penistone, South Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1392, it is the 45th oldest extant school in England with its most notable alumnus being Nicholas S ...

(founded 1392), until it was changed in the early 2000s. Royal College, Colombo motto

The

Royal College, Colombo Royal College, Colombo is a selective entry boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started as a private school by Rev Joseph Marsh in 1835, it was established as the Colombo Academy by Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton in Janua ...

in Sri Lanka also uses "Disce aut Discēde" as one of its official mottoes. The author and the date that the motto was adopted by the Royal are unknown. The first mention of the motto was during the tenure of Principal Todd (1871–1878) who constantly reminded dullards that they must learn or depart. It is also the motto of Gosfield Independent School in

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

, England, and the variation "Aut Disce, Aut Discēde" ("Either Learn or Leave") is the motto of

Hutton Grammar School Hutton Grammar School is a voluntary aided Church of England day school for boys, with a co-educational Sixth Form. It is located south west of Preston, Lancashire, in Hutton, England. It provides education for boys from the age of 11 to 16, an ...

Preston, Lancashire Preston () is a city on the north bank of the River Ribble in Lancashire, England. The city is the administrative centre of the county of Lancashire and the wider City of Preston local government district. Preston and its surrounding distri ...

. It was the motto for Middlesbrough High School, and is also carved above the entrance to the old school and

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...

building in

Bunny, Nottinghamshire Bunny is a village and civil parish located in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire, England. The parish has a population of around 600, measured at 689 in the 2011 Census. It is on the A60 south of Nottingham, south of Bradmore and no ...

, built by Sir Thomas Parkyn in 1700. "Disce aut Discēde" is also the motto of the male only high school,

Cornwall College The Cornwall College Group (TCCG; kw, Kolji Kernow) is a further education college situated on eight sites throughout Cornwall and Devon, England, United Kingdom, with its head office in St Austell. Campuses There are eight campuses within ...

located in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

of the

University of Manchester , mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity , established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...

Surgical Society contains the motto "disce aut discede". An old painting at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

contains an expanded version in the form of a hexameter: "Aut disce, aut discēde; manet sors tertia, caedī" ("Either learn or leave: there remains a third Chance to be Defeated/Stricken/beaten", or more vulgarly "learn, leave or be licked".) "Aut disce" is surmounted by a bishop's mitre; "aut discēde" by a sword and an inkpot, to denote secular professions; the last part of the verse by a rod.

In fiction

"Aut disce aut discede" appears as the motto of the fictitious Roosevelt High School, which

April O'Neil April O'Neil is a fictional character from the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' comics. She is the first human ally of the Ninja Turtles. Her main love interest in the series is Casey Jones. April made her first appearance in the Mirage comic ...

attends in the 2012 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' TV series. "Aut disce aut discede" also appears as the motto of National City University, a ficticitious University in CW's Supergirl universe (Season 3: Ep. 5).

References

THE MOTTO, royalcollege.lk
*Cornwall College, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Cornwall College, Jamaica Cornwall College is a public high school for boys established in 1896 and located on Orange Street in Montego Bay, Saint James, Jamaica. It is the third oldest high school in the county of Cornwall. As of the 2018–19 school year, the sch ...

Latin mottos Royal College, Colombo