Elements of the School Badge

Adapted from W.H.Pentreath Kinsela (November 28 1939)

The design is an appropriate tribute to the Australian natives, giving a typical scene from their daily life of old - such as the first white settlers were aware of.

...the scene as a whole suggests a glimpse of the foreshore alongside of Parramatta River... scrub grown shoreline... two cabbage tree palms... a rocky bluff. The old time steamer on the horizon... The principal interest lies in the foreground...

From a student writing in 1953 and of particular interest in today's reconciliation debate

The use of an aborigine motif in the design of a seal is rare... We have every reason to be proud of our insignia. The motto has truth and dignity. Look at the badge and you will see that the colour is the clear, spacious blue of Australian skies. Look again and you will be reminded that all humanity is akin, for the white man's vessel and the aborigine's canoe are companions on the great river, their occupants going about their daily occupations within sight and sound of each other.

...and some more from the web-site author:

The motto: fax mentis incendium gloriae
Translated literally:
fax mentis is the "torch of the mind";
incendium "a fire", "conflagration", "fiery heat", "passion";
gloriae "glory", "fame", "ambition", "renown"

Click to hear Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) say our school motto, with suitable passion and fire.

There are many translations in English of this Latin expression.
Mr W.L.Atkins, the first Headmaster (1913-1933), rendered it thus:

"The torch of the mind lights the path to glory"

An alternative suggestion of around the same vintage was:
"The torch of the mind kindles life to glory"

The PHS Magazine of July 1929 featured this oft-quoted editorial in which R.K.Scott, the English Master of the day, explained the meaning of the motto.

Just as the graphical style of the badge itself has evolved since 1913, so too has the most popular rendition of the motto. A commonly accepted version now is:
"Knowledge is the Pathway to Glory"

The current website designer does not necessarily embrace this latter translation as either lexically correct, or sufficiently stirring. The original uses passion and fire to invoke a desire to learn. "Knowledge is the ..." sounds like a lukewarm "motherhood" statement, issued as an expression of resignation, on a breath of (sig-h-h-h-h) expired air and a trailing downward inflection.

As a logical progression, the next mistranslation (updated and modernised) could read:

"Learnin'z good... I think?"

Tommy chose the motto and, Latin scholar that he was, translated it as:

"The torch of the mind lights the path to glory"

Ipsissima verba - The very words

Is it time for a new badge?
Click on the above suggestion for more...

Such a motto is a potentially rich source of materials for anagrams. View one possibility here.

The word Parramatta is derived from the indigenous expression meaning:
"the place where eels lie down" or "head of the river".

Steamer or Schooner?: Our school badge has evolved over the years. The seal of the Parramatta City Council is shown below, with the motif which we share in common. As you can see, that version depicts the vessel as a steamer. Our current school badge suggests a schooner (now there's an idea!) -- maybe a sloop.
Who is to say who is "right"? Steam vessels were in their infancy in the 1780's - certainly not commercial - and did not become ubiquitous until the late 19th century.
Parramatta was founded in 1788.
There is no explicit suggestion that the scene depicts "first contact" -- in which case a sailing vessel would be appropriate. If instead it depicts "peaceful extended coexistence", then a steamer could well be appropriate.
Further research seems to indicate that it indeed should be a paddle-wheel steamer.

Next, you might like to explore the evolution of the Parramatta High School badge.

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The Seal of the City of Parramatta, as depicted in the Parramatta City Council logo.