Carey’s true heirs will all Carry the Flame: our school song into our next century

Peter Robson, Deputy Principal – Student Wellbeing

This year, our students sang the new version of our school song for the first time. Both the original and the revised verses of the song have a place in telling the Carey story.

The original first verse tells us that ‘Schools there are many renowned in our story’. In 1923, we were new, while many other schools were established. Carey would have been looking to others for guidance as those established schools helped provide a path for Carey. It was only many years later, in 1958, that we were invited to join the APS as part of their sporting competition. Many of those original member schools of the APS had been ‘founded by kings in the days long ago’.

The original words of the school song capture our beginnings, and now in our centenary year, the revised words reflect who we are now. It is not to dismiss our foundations, but it encourages us to be proud of the fact that we can now ‘Boldly stand with great pride in our story’.

And we too can now claim, as we did in acknowledging the long history of other schools, that we were ‘founded by those from a century past’. This recognition of our rich history, something the original could not do, is again expressed with the words, ‘bright burns the torch of our century’s gain’.

There are other changes signifying the change in 100 years. Where the original uses language with the metaphor of war and battle, again appropriate for the time, the revised version uses the metaphor of the torch and flame.

On occasion, the original will be appropriate as a means to capture the courage taken in establishing a new school, whereas on other occasions the revised version will be sung.

The new version of Carey’s school song was written by our current students, reflecting their voice and pride in their school. In our centenary year, we recognise that our history continues to be written by our past, current and future students, staff and families. This song is for everyone in our community, as a celebration of our progress and history.

The below address, delivered at the assembly where the revised song was first sung, aptly summarises our students’ pride in beginning our next century with words that honour the past and embrace the future.

Ari, Senior School student:

‘As we enter our centenary year, it is timely to celebrate, while also looking at how we should continue to change. One of those changes is an updated version of our school song, that we will have an opportunity to sing today.

‘Over the past year, many students have had a part to play in shaping these new words. Part of the discussion included the melody, with unanimous support to keep the original tune. But there was agreement that some words should change to acknowledge we are 100 years old and have a rich history.

‘We once sang that “ours not the glory of centuries’ fame”. Today we will recognise we are 100 years old as we will sing a revised first two lines that say, “Boldly we stand with great pride in our story, founded by those from a century past”, and again in the latter part of the verse we will sing, “bright burns the torch of our century’s gain”. ‘The original first verse acknowledges other schools, weather-worn buildings and a royal foundation. The version we will sing today will look at who we are now, after 100 years. We are our black, gold and blue colours, we are the symbolic torch and we are a shared desire to carry a positive flame into the world beyond school.

‘Let’s be proud of who we are – let’s sing out loudly. For past students the tune will be familiar. For those who are new, it’s your school too, you too should own the pride we all have in where we have come from and where we are heading. Carey is a great school. Let’s enjoy singing our school song together.’

Original

Schools there are many renowned, in our story, Founded by kings in the days long ago, Weather-worn buildings, romantic and hoary, Dimly-lit halls, where the footstep falls slow; Ours not the pride of a royal foundation, Ours not the glory of centuries’ fame, Yet let us claim with a proud exultation, Carey’s true heirs will through life play the game.

When in our school work temptation is strong Shielded by these we shall never surrender Fighting for right, we must conquer the wrong, So in our play let this spirit inspire us

Revised

Boldly we stand with great pride in our story, Founded by those from a century past Steeped in a history with pages of glory. Black, gold and blue to the world we have cast Upholding good is our proud acclamation. Bright burns the torch of our century’s gain We truly tell with a firm exclamation Carey’s true heirs will all carry the flame.

Knowledge and truth be our constant defender, Shaping our choices, conviction is strong Living by this we shall never surrender Fighting for right and dismissing the wrong So through our days let this spirit define us, Courage and Faith in both action and name, This is the motto that constantly binds us Carey’s true heirs will all carry the flame.