General assembly conducted on the theme ‘House Fervor’
A general assembly was conducted in the school ground on the beautiful sunny morning of Friday, 11th May 2018. The assembly was conducted by the Principal, Mr. Alistair Freese, himself and was attended by all the students and staff of the school. While the students stood in neat long rows according to their houses, the flags of all the six houses stood tall on each side of the proud Delhi Public School flag. The assembly commenced with the prayer ‘Sahibo’ sung melodiously by the Music department of the school. After the prayer, the Principal took over and single-handedly conducted the rest of the assembly. The special theme of this assembly was the ‘house fervour’- and the motive was to inculcate in the students the passion for their respective houses. The Principal elaborately explained what each house stood for and the qualities associated with the kinds of trees that the houses were named after. He also shared the motto for each house highlighting a valuable message that the individual house members ought to proudly stand for.
‘Maple’, the red house, bears the motto ‘We lead to help others follow’ which signifies the leadership qualities that set an example for others to follow. The Maple leaf is widely recognized as the symbol of Canada. The Principal, while addressing the Maple house students, said that they had a great responsibility on their shoulders as they must lead from the front and set examples for others to follow.
‘Deodar’, the green house, stands for ‘Determined in Duty’. The Principal said that a Deodar tree stands firm against fungus or other destructive agents even if it’s in water for years, the students of the house must take inspiration from such qualities of the Deodar tree and stand firm and strong against all odds. They must perform their duties with utmost dedication and determination, not allowing anyone or any situation to put them off-track.
‘Oak’, the blue house, bears the motto- ‘We Live and Learn’. Just like an oak tree is considered a cosmic store house of wisdom within its towering strength and is honoured for its endurance and experience due to its long existence. The Principal encouraged the students of the house, while highlighting the qualities of the Oak tree, to learn from experience and gain knowledge with each passing day; learning from the mistakes and living each day to the fullest.
‘Chinar’, the yellow house, stands for ‘Courage is Fire’. It signifies that the greatness of Chinar should be the guiding force for the students. The way the majestic Chinar turns from green to yellow and the shedding of its leaves marks the onset of Autumn season in the valley, the students of Chinar house must exhibit the qualities of courage and sacrifice when under fire or complex situations, just like the most notable heroes of history.
‘Poplar’, the orange house bears the motto ‘Loyalty and Service’. The Principal told the students to be inspired by the tall Poplar tree which is a symbol of loyalty and service. The students of this house must exhibit continuous allegiance, loyalty and faithfulness towards their school and the responsibilities and duties towards their house.
‘Willow’, the brown house, bears the motto ‘Perseverance Conquers All’. The tree, though believed to be sinister due to its shape which makes its drooping branches look as if weeping when rain falls on them, holds a beautiful significance of perseverance. The Principal told the students to take inspiration from the Willow tree, and stand firm and always keep going forward in life, calmly facing the obstacles that might come their way. The students were encouraged to achieve their goals by conquering all through perseverance.
It was inspiring for the students to be enlightened about their respective houses and it definitely was a welcome step for inculcating the house fervour in our students. Apart from imparting the knowledge about the various houses, the Principal also encouraged the students to pull up their socks and work towards bringing laurels to their respective houses by earning points which he said will be awarded for any achievement of the students in different fields like sports, academics or behavior. He also announced the names of the staff members who will be the flag-bearers of various houses as the ‘House Masters’, ‘House Mistresses’ and other members. These members were called up on stage where they proudly held high their respective house flags, further increasing the enthusiasm in the students regarding their houses.
The eventful assembly did not end with just the theme of house fervour but also had another special component in it. It was the felicitation of the administrative staff of the school by the Principal; wherein the best performing drivers and attendants were rewarded with mementos from school. It was undoubtedly an encouraging and inspiring step by the school management.
The assembly ended on a positive note and the students were sent off to their respective classes.
