Koala in the jungle.

10/10/2006 02:49:00 pm

An exciting day for wildlife lovers on Armidale's South Hill. Well, more precisely, just my mum, who saw a koala in the gum tree above our mailbox this morning being attacked by magpies. The photo isn't that great, but it's the first time we've had a koala in our garden, usually we only get the more boring creatures: lizards and the occasional feral cat. He looks like a fairly chubbers koala though, so is probably quite well fed.


As a totally unrelated topic, if anyone reading this is an AHS-er, I was trying to remember the entire words to the school song but could only think of them in snippets and am using the song as a form of torture for Scottish Andy.

Armidale, tho far away we will remember,
On the hill, the school where we were young together,
Happy days...?

Here's a hand, for you and you my friend,
Seed of oak unites us til our journey's end,
...

Verse 2.
Fortiter, with courage may we bear each burden,
Fideliter, good faith and truth in every doing,
Feliciter, be this our geurdon,
A smile along life's way...

And when we part, remember hands that clasped,
And voices singing School Ave.

Anyone care to fill in the blanks? I know there's something that goes along the lines "and if oh school, we miss your three brave words la la la la la la la la la." I think that comes at the end of verse 1?

And actually, while I'm reminiscing, here we all are at the Valedictory assembly, Armidale High School 2003. Not really sure how I got the smell of rotten oranges, soy sauce and shaving foam out of my hair in the end, but I know it took more than one wash, thanks Jo.

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8 comments on this post

  1. Anonymous10:44 pm

    I know the words of the Dubbo HS song. Will that do? Starts:

    Kurrajong: the school must live
    By you may she be sustained
    Brigalow: allegiance give
    Serve her as ordained
    Coolabah: at duty's call
    Do your task courageously...

    The sports house were all named after Australian trees if that helps!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wayne9:13 pm

    Hi, I'm also trying to find the lyrics of the Armidale High School
    Song! (çlass of 76!)
    Thanks for all the lines you've
    remembered! My possible additional
    words are in italics below,

    Armidale, tho far away we will remember,
    On the hill, the school where we
    were young together,
    Happy days...?*of life's
    endeavour(s)
    Toil and laughter shared
    ??*

    ..btw I have discovered the writer
    of the song was Norman Gould,
    a former language teacher at the
    school, who was also President of
    the Arts Council of Armidale in
    1950, and who had a vision of
    Armidale as the Athens of the
    North. see http://focusmag.com.au/ne/interviews/armidale-dumaresq-civic-precinct
    (subheading: Do you have a
    deadline?)
    If you've found the rest of the
    lyrics please post them! :-)
    Thanks again

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Wayne

    I think your italics are close, but on reflection I'm quite sure that the missing line is, "Happy days, of youth's endeavour, toil and laughter shared... "

    And I think the missing part at the end of verse 1 is, "And if old school, we miss your three brave words, for what will come we'll be prepared."

    I hope that helps!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wayne3:18 pm

    Thanks Ellie!
    ...this sounds right to me :-)
    Fantastic --
    Am sure many former AHS students
    will find your posting
    of the old Armidale High School
    song lyrics!
    Thanks so much again, wayne.

    ReplyDelete
  5. one more thing,,
    I found out that Norman Gould *wrote* the song's lyrics (and possibly music too) but am not sure if the tune was his or whether he put it
    to another known piece or melody??

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wayne9:16 am

    Have just rechecked the lyrics of the Armidale High School song as per your workings out above (am trying to write the music!),
    and it seems there are two lines missing from verse 2 after
    *a smile along life's way*

    When I sang it out, verse one is perfect but verse 2 is missing those lines/syllables, which if you also sing out the words you'll see what I mean??
    cheers wayne
    Hope you can find them and post on your blog..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wayne2:40 pm

    I have turned to the AHS site in order to try and find the final/official song lyrics, *and also* the composer of the music. Will keep you posted. Btw I'm a composer/arranger and therefore am keen to know as much as possible about the song (it's lyrics and music)..cheers Wayne (former AHSer)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wayne4:24 pm

    Hi again,
    Someone from the AHS website has answered my request
    for the lyrics to the school song!
    Here they are:

    Armidale High School Song


    Armidale, tho’ far away we will remember,
    On the hill, the school where we were young together,
    Happy days of youth’s endeavour,
    Toil and laughter shared;
    How we fought for wisdom’s fleeting gleam,
    How we played, all hearts and hands for the team;
    And if, O School, we learnt your three brave words,
    For what may come we’ll be prepared.

    “Fortiter” with courage may we bear each burden –
    “Fideliter” good faith and truth in every doing –
    “Feliciter” be this our guerdon,
    A smile along life’s way.
    Here’s a hand for you, and you my friend;
    Seed-of-oak unites us to our journey’s end,
    So when we part, remember hands that clasped,
    And voices singing, “School, Ave”.

    *******************
    Thanks so much for starting the ball rolling, and hopefully anyone looking for the Armidale High school song lyrics can now find them here! ~cheers Wayne

    ReplyDelete

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