** THE SCHOOL HYMN **

Music by Geoffrey A. T. Varley (Music teacher in mid 1950's)

Words by Rudyard Kipling (with slight alterations)

1. Land of our birth, we pledge to thee

Our love and toil in the years to be;

When we are grown and take our place

As men and women with our race.

2. Father in heaven who lovest all,

Oh, help Thy children when they call,

That they may build from age to age,

An undefiled heritage.

3. Teach us to bear the yoke in youth

With steadfastness and careful truth,

That in our time, Thy Grace may give

The truth whereby the nations live.

4. Teach us to rule ourselves alway,

Controlled and cleanly, night and day,

That we may bring, if need arise

No maimed or worthless sacrifice.

5. Teach us to look in all our ends

On Thee for judge, and not our friends;

That we, with Thee, may walk uncowed

By fear or favour of the crowd.

6. Teach us the strength that cannot seek,

By deed or thought, to hurt the weak;

That, under Thee, we may possess

Man's strength to comfort man's distress.

7. Teach us delight in simple things,

And mirth that has no bitter springs;

Forgiveness free of evil done,

And love to all men 'neath the sun,

8. Land of our birth, our faith, our pride,

For whose dear sake our fathers died;

O Motherland, we pledge to thee

Head, heart, and hand through the years to be!