A school song, alma mater, school hymn or school anthem is the patronal

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

of a

school A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...

. In

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, this tradition is particularly strong in

public school Public school may refer to: * State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government * Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...

s and

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...

Australia

The Glennie School The Glennie School (formerly the Glennie Memorial School) is a girls' school in Newtown, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. It caters for primary and secondary schooling from K-12. It has boarding house facilities and is owned and operated by the ...

– ''

Now Thank We All Our God "Now thank we all our God" is a popular Christian hymn. Catherine Winkworth translated it from the German "", written by the Lutheran pastor Martin Rinkart. Its hymn tune, Zahn No. 5142, was published by Johann Crüger in the 1647 edition o ...

'' *

Somerville House Somerville House is an Independent school, independent, Boarding school, boarding and day school for girls, located in South Brisbane, Queensland, South Brisbane, an inner-city suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Es ...

– ''

Our God, Our Help in Ages Past "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" is a hymn by Isaac Watts in 1708 that paraphrases the 90th Psalm of the Book of Psalms. It originally consisted of nine stanzas; however, in present usage the fourth, sixth, and eighth stanzas are commonly omit ...

'' *

St Ursula's College, Kingsgrove ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

- ''Serviam, Ignite the Spirit''

Canada

Upper Canada College Upper Canada College (UCC) is an elite, all-boys, private school in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The college is widely described as the country's most prestigious preparatory school, and has produce ...

– ''

Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven "Praise, my soul, the King of heaven" is a Christian hymn. Its text, which draws from Psalm 103, was written by Anglican divine (clergyman) Henry Francis Lyte. First published in 1834, it endures in modern hymnals to a setting written by John Gos ...

'' *

Bishop's College School Bishop's College School or BCS is an English-language non-profit independent boarding prep school in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada for students in Grades 7 to 12.Thomson, Ashley; Lafortune, Sylvie (1999). Handbook of Canadian Boarding Schools. To ...

– ''

And did those feet in ancient time "And did those feet in ancient time" is a poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic '' Milton: A Poem in Two Books'', one of a collection of writings known as the Prophetic Books. The date of 1804 on the title page is probably when the ...

(Jerusalem)'' & ''Lennoxville Vivat Dicimus''

England

Barnard Castle School Barnard Castle School (colloquially Barney School or locally the County School) is a co-educational Independent school (United Kingdom), independent day and boarding school in the market town of Barnard Castle, County Durham, in the North East Engl ...

– "

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

" *

Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School Haberdashers' Boys' School (also known as Haberdashers', Habs, or Habs Boys), until September 2021 known as Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, is a public school for pupils age 4 to 18 in Elstree, Hertfordshire, England. The school is a me ...

– "

" *

Harrow School (The Faithful Dispensation of the Gifts of God) , established = (Royal Charter) , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent schoolBoarding school , religion = Church of E ...

– " Forty Years On" *

The Skinners' School The Skinners' School (formally The Skinners' Company's Middle School for Boys and commonly known as Skinners'), is a British Grammar School with academy status for boys located in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. Established in ...

– " The Leopard Song" *

The Judd School The Judd School (often known simply as Judd) is a voluntary aided grammar school in Tonbridge, Kent, England. It was established in 1888 at Stafford House on East Street in Tonbridge, where it remained for eight years before moving to its present ...

–

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford King Edward VI Grammar School, or KEGS, is a British grammar school with academy status located in the city of Chelmsford, Essex, England. It takes pupils between the ages of 11 and 18, ie. school years 7 to 13. For years 7 to 11 the school is bo ...

–

Millfield Millfield is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) located in Street, Somerset, England. It was founded in 1935. Millfield is a registered charity and is the largest co-educational boarding schoo ...

School –

The London Oratory School The London Oratory School, also known as "The Oratory" or "The London Oratory" to distinguish it from other schools, is a Catholic Church, Catholic Secondary school#United Kingdom, secondary school for boys aged 7–18 and girls aged 16–18 in W ...

- "Quam Bonum Est" *

Oundle School Oundle School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. The school has been governed by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City ...

– "

Carmen Undeliense Oundle School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. The school has been governed by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City ...

" *

Reigate Grammar School Reigate Grammar School is a 2–18 mixed independent day school in Reigate, Surrey, England. It was established in 1675 by Henry Smith. History The school was founded as a free school for poor boys in 1675 by Alderman Henry Smith with Jon Will ...

– "

To Be a Pilgrim "To Be a Pilgrim" (also known as "He Who Would Valiant Be") is an English Christian hymn using words of John Bunyan in The Pilgrim's Progress. It first appeared in Part 2 of ''The Pilgrim's Progress'', written in 1684. The hymn recalls the words o ...

" *

Sherborne School (God and My Right) , established = 705 by Aldhelm, re-founded by King Edward VI 1550 , closed = , type = Public school Independent, boarding school , religion = Church of England , president = , chair_label = Chairman of the governors , ...

- ''The Carmen'' * Stamford High School - “Within these walls of grey” *The Old Stamfordian Club (Alumni association of

Stamford School Stamford School is an independent school for boys in Stamford, Lincolnshire in the English public school tradition. Founded in 1532, it has been a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference since 1920. With the girls-only Sta ...

) - “Schola Stamfordiensis” *

Tonbridge School (God Giveth the Increase) , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent day and boarding , religion = , president = , head_label ...

- "Of Him Who Dreamed of Founding" *

William Hulme's Grammar School William Hulme's Grammar School is a mixed all-through school in Whalley Range, Manchester, England. History William Hulme (1631–1691) of Hulme Hall, Stockport, was the founder of "Hulme's Charity" later known as the Hulme Trust. Follow ...

– "The Hulme Song" and "

India

Carmel Convent High School, Durgapur Carmel Convent High School, Durgapur is an English-medium Secondary school for girls, affiliated to Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, CISCE and run by the Sisters of Apostolic Carmel, a Roman Catholic organization. Student ...

– '' Within Thy Hallowed Portals Carmel Dear'' *

Loyola School, Thiruvananthapuram , motto_translation = ''Greater''; ''More'' , type = Private primary and secondary school , gender = Boys , established = , founder = Fr. Joseph Edamaram, SJ , rel ...

– '' Cheer Loyola's sons'' * St. Paul's School, Darjeeling – '' The Alma mater'' * St. Ann's High School, Secunderabad – '' Scenes Of Our Childhood''

New Zealand

Dilworth School Dilworth School, often referred to simply as Dilworth, is an independent full boarding school for boys in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest full boarding school in both the country and Australasia. Owned and operated by a charitable tru ...

– ''

St Patrick's Breastplate ''Saint Patrick's Breastplate'' is an Old Irish prayer of protection of the " lorica" type (hence ''Lorica Sancti Patricii'', or "The Lorica of Saint Patrick") attributed to Saint Patrick. Its title is given as ''Faeth Fiada'' in the 11th-century ...

'' *

Auckland Grammar School Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

– ''Per Angusta Ad Augusta'' set to the music of

A Mighty Fortress is Our God "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (originally written in the German language with the title ) is one of the best known hymns by the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther, a prolific hymnwriter. Luther wrote the words and composed the hymn tune between ...

Pakistan

Pakistan School Song "Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua" ( ur, لب پہ آتی ہے دعا ; also known as "Bachche Ki Dua"), is a '' duʿā'' or prayer, in Urdu verse authored by Muhammad Iqbal in 1902. The dua is recited in morning school assembly almost universally in Pakistan, ...

– This poem (prayer) was sung as school song in almost all the Pakistani schools.

Scotland

* Royal High School – ''

Vivas Schola Regia ''Vivas Schola Regia'', officially ''Scholae Regiae Edinensis Carmen'', is the song of the Royal High School of Edinburgh. The Latin lyrics were written by the Rector, Dr. John Marshall, in 1895, and set to music by Sir Alexander Mackenzie, a ...

Sri Lanka

St. Anthony's college, Kandy ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

- "Rally Round The Banners of The College"

United States

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

– "

Far Above Cayuga's Waters "Far Above Cayuga's Waters" is Cornell University's alma mater. The lyrics were written circa 1870 by roommates Archibald Croswell Weeks (Class of 1872), and Wilmot Moses Smith (Class of 1874), and set to the tune of "Annie Lisle", a popular 1 ...

" *

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

– "

Fair Harvard "Fair Harvard" is the alma mater of Harvard University. Written by the Reverend Samuel Gilman of the class of 1811 for the university's 200th anniversary in 1836, it bids the school an affectionate farewell. Of its four verses, the first and fou ...

" *

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...

– “ Dear Old Dartmouth” *

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

– "

Old Nassau "Old Nassau" has been Princeton University's alma mater (school song) since 1859. Harlan Page Peck was the lyricist and Carl A. Langlotz (sometimes Karl Langlotz) was the composer. The lyrics were changed in 1987 to address sexism at the newly c ...

" *

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

– " On the Banks of the Old Raritan" *

San Jose State University San José State University (San Jose State or SJSU) is a public university in San Jose, California. Established in 1857, SJSU is the oldest public university on the West Coast and the founding campus of the California State University (CSU) sys ...

— "

San José State Alma Mater San José State University (San Jose State or SJSU) is a public university in San Jose, California. Established in 1857, SJSU is the oldest public university on the West Coast and the founding campus of the California State University (CSU) sys ...

" *

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...

– "

Hail to the Hills of Westwood "Hail to the Hills of Westwood" is the school song or alma mater of the University of California, Los Angeles. It was written by Jeane Margaret Emerson a 1929 graduate of UCLA, and adopted by the school in 1960. The current arrangement performed b ...

" *

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

– " We Are the Boys from Old Florida" *

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

– " Glory, Glory" *

University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Universit ...

– "

Illinois Loyalty "Illinois Loyalty", also known as "We're Loyal to You, Illinois" or just "Loyalty", is a song associated with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It (along with "Hail to the Orange") is the school's alma mater. It is also used (althoug ...

", "

Hail to the Orange "Hail to the Orange" (along with "Illinois Loyalty") is the alma mater of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Its alternate version, "Hail to the Purple," is an official song of the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. The song was wri ...

" * University of Iowa – "Alma Mater Iowa" *

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...

– " Alma Mater: Stand Forever" *

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

– "

The Yellow and Blue The Yellow and Blue is the alma mater of the University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = ...

" *

University of New Hampshire The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Durham, New Hampshire. It was founded and incorporated in 1866 as a land grant college in Hanover in connection with Dartmouth College, mo ...

– "

UNH Alma Mater The "UNH Alma Mater" is the official Alma mater (song), alma mater of the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire. The lyrics to the song were written by Herbert Fisher Moore, an 1898 graduate of the school, and are sung to the tune ...

" *

University of North Dakota The University of North Dakota (also known as UND or North Dakota) is a public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of ...

– "

UND Alma Mater The "UND Alma Mater" is a school song of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Carillon Americana bells at the top of Twamley Hall on campus play the tune of Alma Mater each day at noon. Notes External links''Alma Mate ...

" *

University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

– "

The Eyes of Texas "The Eyes of Texas" is the school spirit song of the University of Texas at Austin. It is set to the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad". Students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the university sing the song at Texas Longhorns sports ga ...

" *

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...

– "

Spirit of Aggieland The Spirit of Aggieland is the alma mater of the Texas A&M University. It was originally written as a poem by Marvin H. Mimms while he was a student at Texas A&M. Richard J. Dunn, the director of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band at the time, composed ...

" *

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

– " Varsity (song)", "

On, Wisconsin! "On, Wisconsin!" is the fight song of the Wisconsin Badgers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. A version with modified lyrics is the official state song of Wisconsin. "On, Wisconsin!" was also the cry that Arthur MacArthur Jr. used in the ...

" *

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III a ...

- "

Our Alma Mater "Our Alma Mater" is the alma mater of The College of William & Mary.The Colleg ...

", "

William and Mary Hymn William is a male given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norm ...

Notes

{{Authority control Anthems School songs

Australia

Canada

England

India

New Zealand

Pakistan

Scotland

Sri Lanka

United States

See also

Notes