School Songs

On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
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Muster on the side of right,
March like warriors to the fight,
Mark the foe, and strike with might,
Nec Dextrorsum, nec Sinistrorsum.
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On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
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Keen alike in work and play,
Keen right through the hottest day,
Keen until your hair turns grey,
Nec Dextrorsum, nec Sinistrorsum.

On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
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Driving through the foaming main,
Buffeted by storm and rain,
Answering to the helm again,
Nec Dextrorsum, nec Sinistrorsum.

On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
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When you leave the good old school
Be no coward, knave, nor fool;
Yours be still the grand old rule,
Nec Dextrorsum, nec Sinistrorsum.

On! Straight on!
On, Cottonians, On!
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See this motto on your scroll
Point you to a heavenly goal,
Seek it body, mind and soul,
Nec Dextrorsum, nec Sinistrorsum.

We build our School on Thee, O Lord;
To Thee we bring our common need;
The loving heart, the helpful word,
The tender thought, the kindly deed
With these we pray
Thy Spirit may
Enrich and bless our school always.
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We work together in Thy sight,
We live together in Thy love;
Guide Thou our faltering steps aright;
And lift our thoughts to heaven above.
Dear Lord we pray
Thy spirit may
Be present in our school always.
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Hold Thou each hand, to keep it just;
Touch Thou our lips, and make them pure,
If Thou art with us, Lord we must
Be faithful friends and comrades sure.
Dear Lord, we pray
Thy spirit may
Be present in our school always.
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We change but Thou art still the same,
The same good Master, Teacher, Friend,
We change, but, Lord, we bear Thy name,
To journey with it to the end;
And so we pray
Thy spirit may
Be present in our school always.

We the Cottonians,
We are all here,
We want to do yes,
Always our best.
Our motto is,
Nec Dextrorsum,
Nec Sinistrorsum,
Hip Hip Hurrah!!!

Pettigrew House was named after the Rev. S. T. Pettigrew, Chaplain of St. Mark's Cathedral and founder of the school.
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Pettigrew House was formed in 1933.

Shoot straight and true
House of Pettigrew,
Forward our best endeavor
Aim for the right,
Keep it in sight,
Soiling our honor never,
What though the struggle be long
this be our watchword and song
Vivat Pettigrew and
The good old green and black

The House is named after the Rt. Rev. Herbert Pakenham-Walsh in 1933.
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The Rev. Pakenham-Walsh left the wardenship of the School in 1913 and became the first Bishop of Assam in 1915.
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Purple and red forever,
Colours the best of all
Making our best endeavour
Smiling we fight or fall
So we'll all pull together
With nothing untrue or false
And we'll work to the end of our tether
For the honour of Pakenham-Walsh!

Pope House is named after Rev. George Uglow Pope, the first warden of the School, 1871 - 1882.
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Rev. George Uglow Pope came to the School from the Nilgiris and is remembered beyond the bounds of the School as a great scholar in Tamil.
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There is a House, a grand old house,
In mind and spirit strong,
Its cause is good, its motto bright
To cheer its sons along
Tally ho! Pope House!
Tally ho! Pope House!
Pope House on forever!
The yellow and White
Our colours so bright,
Are unfurled forever.

Elphick House was formed in 1956 and was named after Rev. Canon Elphick , Warden from 1930- 1955.

Canon Elphick came to the School from Oxford Brotherhood in Calcutta, India and his Wardenship was the longest of any since the founding of the School.
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Elphick House come rally around
Loyal to the core,
Play the game with body sound
Heroes to the fore,
In all we do let's do our best,
Carrying our colors high always
Knowing it's all for the blue and grey,
Honest is our endeavor,
Onward with a smile,
Upward we must steer,
Striving all the while,
Elphick House forever!

Thomas house was formed in memory of the late Rev. lowerth Lewis Thomas who was the Warden from 1956 to 1970.
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It was instituted in 1996 by Dr. Abraham Ebenezer (Former Principal)
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Thomas House awake! Arise!
Upward let your banners fly,
Let heart, mind and spirit soar
To reach heights beyond the sky.
We'll do our best for the green and red
With faith in ourselves and God o'er head