Esprit de corps, to my mind, means that we all stand shoulder to shoulder, loving our school, helping each other; doing our duty in home and school, and in after-life, more perfectly, because we are proud of our school and mean to be worthy members, so far as in us lies; helping others because “our advantages are trusts for the good of others.”  Remember our school motto, “Ad Lucem,” and, because you have been brought nearer to the light, help to be sunshine in all shady places.  And while you are at school, have the esprit de corps which will make you do everything you can, for the good and credit of the school.

For one thing, be careful to get it a good name outside.  “Manners are not idle”—­people are quite right when they judge a school, as they largely do, by its manners.  If girls are really growing as they should in gentleness, courtesy, reverence for age, and all that makes true womanhood, it must tell on their manners, and if they are not doing so, their school is not doing for them what it should.  If you have real esprit de corps, you will not give people who are prejudiced against us, any reason to think ill of our School in this respect.

Another point of true esprit de corps concerns those who have power—­whether as prefect, or VI. form, or head of a form, or through being popular.  Power was given you that you might do more work for others—­you are made a chief in order that you may be as he that serveth; privilege means responsibility—­not enjoyment.  There is nothing so mean as to take the loaves and fishes of any post, and not to do its duties; to order others about, and to be lax with yourselves.  A ruler is contemptible who does not rule himself.  Whether we are teacher, or prefect, or head of a form, or a leader in any way, it ought to make us hot, and sore, and ashamed, in exercising our rightful rule over others, whenever we are conscious (as we must all be at times) that we have failed in ruling ourselves—­failed in temper,—­failed in carrying out minutely, every law, great or small, that we help to enforce on others. Esprit de corps will make us use our power for the good of the school and not for our own pleasure.

Esprit de corps means being ready to give time and trouble to all school interests—­without any thought of whether you will have a leading part given you, or of whether it is very amusing to do it.  You would be unworthy members of the school if you simply came to do your lessons, and took no part in the little things which make corporate life go with a swing.  You might as well think you were worthy members of your home because you ate and slept there.  Membership in a home means being ready to take part in all its little tiresome duties; to throw yourself into amusements which sometimes do not amuse you personally; in all ways to help on family life.  The girl who distinguishes herself in the tennis is thought a good public-spirited member, and so she is,—­she helps the school and shows esprit de corps,—­but, to my mind, the girl who fags well at the match, and gets small thanks and no credit, shows even more esprit de corps than the one who has the excitement of distinguishing both herself and the school.