Disce aut discede
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Disce Aut Discede (Latin "Learn or Depart") is a phrase used as the motto of many institutions and schools.
Educational institutions
Disce Aut Discēde the motto at King's School, Rochester, the second-oldest school in the world, established in 604 AD.
The Royal College, Colombo in Sri Lanka also uses the motto. 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. However, the motto can be found in the foundation stone which was placed in 1835. Since then the motto is associated with the school's high educational standard.
It is also the motto of Gosfield Independent School in Essex, England, and the variation "Aut Disce, Aut Discēde" ("Either Learn or Leave") is the motto of Hutton Grammar School in Preston, Lancashire. It was also for many years the motto of Middlesbrough High School.
"Disce aut Discēde" is also the motto of the male only high school, Cornwall College located in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The coat of arms of the University of Manchester Surgical Society contains the motto "disce aut discede".
An old painting at Winchester College 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 fate, being 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'Neal 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