For a School with over 400 years of history, things are bound to change. Change is constant after all.
When it comes to a School Motto however, in Latin, you don't expect it.
So when did DE MIEVLX EN MIEVLX PARTOUT become De Mieux en Mieux Pour Tout?
From Good, to Better Everywhere.
Often mentioned, but I have yet to see a full explanation. Forder wrote his History of the Paston School and published it in 1934. My Second Edition, 1975, has the Crest and 'Pour Tout'. The Latin/Franco origin might be described within, but I have not yet found it.
The Pastonian magazine is another great clue. It changed in Summer 1948 there, to Pour Tout. But why?
Could it be that a Latin Master changed in that year, as did the printing of the magazine, and it was 'corrected'. It had been the 100th edition of the magazine in Easter 1947. The whole School was re-decorated/branded that year with 'gallons of white and green paint' and even the Pavilion on the School Playing fields had a new thatch. John Bloomfield was School Captain that year - I should ask him what happened! The Pastonian was termly in those days, and it changed to annual in 1951 (51-52) 'because of the rising cost of material and labour'.
So post 1948, the motto change stuck. But still no explanation as to why it was changed.
If anyone has access to the Summer 1947, Winter 1947 or Easter 1948 editions, this might contain a reference to it.
Any thoughts?
-John Dring
Footnote: The 1946 Pastonian, edition 99, mentions the new motto, in passing in the opening editorial page. Whilst the front cover remains the older. So it must have been a variant already at that time.
When it comes to a School Motto however, in Latin, you don't expect it.
So when did DE MIEVLX EN MIEVLX PARTOUT become De Mieux en Mieux Pour Tout?
From Good, to Better Everywhere.
Often mentioned, but I have yet to see a full explanation. Forder wrote his History of the Paston School and published it in 1934. My Second Edition, 1975, has the Crest and 'Pour Tout'. The Latin/Franco origin might be described within, but I have not yet found it.
The Pastonian magazine is another great clue. It changed in Summer 1948 there, to Pour Tout. But why?
Could it be that a Latin Master changed in that year, as did the printing of the magazine, and it was 'corrected'. It had been the 100th edition of the magazine in Easter 1947. The whole School was re-decorated/branded that year with 'gallons of white and green paint' and even the Pavilion on the School Playing fields had a new thatch. John Bloomfield was School Captain that year - I should ask him what happened! The Pastonian was termly in those days, and it changed to annual in 1951 (51-52) 'because of the rising cost of material and labour'.
So post 1948, the motto change stuck. But still no explanation as to why it was changed.
If anyone has access to the Summer 1947, Winter 1947 or Easter 1948 editions, this might contain a reference to it.
Any thoughts?
-John Dring
Footnote: The 1946 Pastonian, edition 99, mentions the new motto, in passing in the opening editorial page. Whilst the front cover remains the older. So it must have been a variant already at that time.
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