''Disce Aut Discede'' (

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

"Learn or Depart") is a phrase used as the

motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...

of many institutions and schools.

Educational institutions

''Disce Aut Discēde'' is the motto at

King's School, Rochester The King's School, Rochester, is a private co-educational all through day and boarding school in Rochester, Kent. It is a cathedral school and, being part of the foundation of Rochester Cathedral. The school claims to be the second oldest c ...

, the second-oldest school in the world, established in 604 AD. It is also the traditional motto of

Penistone Grammar School Penistone Grammar School (PGS) is a large co-educational secondary school with a sixth form located in Penistone, South Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1392, it is amongst the List of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, oldest extant scho ...

(founded 1392).The

Royal College, Colombo Royal College, Colombo also known as; Royal Colombo, Colombo Royal College or Colombo Royal) is a Single-sex education, boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started by Joseph Marsh (priest), Joseph Mar ...

in Sri Lanka also uses "Disce aut Discēde" as one of its official mottoes. The author and the date that the motto was adopted by the Royal are unknown. The first mention of the motto was during the tenure of Principal Todd (1871–1878) who constantly reminded dullards that they must learn or depart. It is also the motto of Gosfield Independent School in

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

, England, and the variation "Aut Disce, Aut Discēde" ("Either Learn or Leave") is the motto of

Hutton Grammar School Hutton Grammar School is an 11–18 boys voluntary aided, state-funded Church of England comprehensive day school. It is located south west of Preston, Lancashire, in Hutton, England. It provides education for boys from the age of 11 to 16, ...

Preston, Lancashire Preston () is a city on the north bank of the River Ribble in Lancashire, England. The city is the administrative centre of the county of Lancashire and the wider City of Preston, Lancashire, City of Preston local government district. Preston ...

. It was the motto for Middlesbrough High School, and is also carved above the entrance to the old school and

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) is charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the Middle Ages. They were often built for the poor of a locality, for those who had held ce ...

building in

Bunny, Nottinghamshire Bunny is a village and civil parish located in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire, England. The parish had a population measured at 689 in the 2011 census, increasing to 715 residents at the 2021 census. It is on the A60, south of N ...

, built by Sir Thomas Parkyn in 1700. "Disce aut Discēde" is also the motto of the male only high school,

Cornwall College Cornwall College may refer to: * The Cornwall College Group, in Cornwall and Devon, England * Cornwall College, Jamaica * Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School, Cornwall, Ontario, Canada {{Disambiguation ...

located in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

of the

University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The University of Manchester is c ...

Surgical Society contains the motto "disce aut discede". An old painting at

Winchester College Winchester College is an English Public school (United Kingdom), public school (a long-established fee-charging boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) with some provision for day school, day attendees, in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It wa ...

contains an expanded version in the form of a hexameter: "Aut disce, aut discēde; manet sors tertia, caedī" ("Either learn or leave: there remains a third Chance to be Defeated/Stricken/beaten", or more vulgarly "learn, leave or be licked".) "Aut disce" is surmounted by a bishop's mitre; "aut discēde" by a sword and an inkpot, to denote secular professions; the last part of the verse by a rod.

In fiction

"Aut disce aut discede" appears as the motto of the fictitious Roosevelt High School, which

April O'Neil April O'Neil is a fictional Character (arts), character from the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' comics. She is the first human ally of the Ninja Turtles. April made her first appearance in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage Studios), Mir ...

attends in the 2012 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' TV series. "Aut disce aut discede" also appears as the motto of National City University, a ficticitious University in CW's Supergirl universe (Season 3: Ep. 5).

References

THE MOTTO, royalcollege.lk
*Cornwall College, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Cornwall College, Jamaica Cornwall College is a public high school for boys established in 1896 and located on Orange Street in Montego Bay, Saint James, Jamaica. It is the third oldest high school in the county of Cornwall. As of the 2022-23 school year, the school h ...

{{Royal College, Colombo Latin mottos Royal College, Colombo