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The
Madras College Magazine
for June 1936 reports: Many former pupils of the Madras would learn
with regret of the death of Mr. James Beattie, who for a number of
years was English Master at the Madras, and whose death look place in a
nursing home in Edinburgh on 23rd June 1935. Mr. Beattie was a
prominent educationist and a Past President of the Educational Institute
of Scotland. Born in Kemnay, Aberdeenshire. he proceeded, after
receiving his elementary education in the village school, to Gordon's
College. Aberdeen. and thereafter to Aberdeen University where he
distinguished himself in classics and graduated Master of Arts.
His first
appointment was to an assistantship in Rothesay Academy, thence he went
to Morrison's Academy, Crieff, going later to Madras College. St. Andrews,
as English master. He wrote the Madras school song. From St. Andrews he
was transferred to Oban as rector of the High School (in 1892). In 1910 he became
rector of Greenock High School, retiring in 1928. Mr. Beattie, who was a
scholar with a wide knowledge of the Classics and English, was a
singularly attractive personality, courtly and refined. He enjoyed a wide
reputation, especially in the west of Scotland, as an educationist and a
Churchman.
The
School Newsletter
for Christmas 1991 reports:
| A description of a visit to that area
(Jena in Germany) is the subject of a little book, published in 1891,
entitled Notes on Germany. Its author, James Beattie, was the
then Principal Teacher of English at Madras. His book is dedicated to
the 'senior pupils of the Madras College' and his notes first appeared
in the school magazine.
Incidentally, James Beattie has another claim to literary
distinction, since he was the author of the College song which
continued to be used at concerts and prize-givings right up to the
late 1960s. |
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The archive has a copy of the song and the music;
James Beattie wrote
the words and the music was by S. Warren.
MADRAS COLLEGE
SONG
Come, let us raise in full acclaim
Our song of old Madras,
Come let us sing her honoured name,
Her doughty deeds, her mighty fame,
Come, let the chorus pass
From heart to heart—let all unite,
Ring out her praise with main and might.
Chorus—Then a hip! hip! hurrah for the College,
And a cheer for the white and the blue,
For none can surpass
The dear old Madras
With her sons so sturdy and true.
II.
Full many a "don" within her walls
First drank of learning's fount,
The "classic" rare from Oxford halls,
The "wrangler" keen in Cambridge stalls,
Her loyal sons we count;—
And proudly smiles the proud St. Rule,
Such glory brings our grand old school.
Chorus—
III.
(For Boys) Come, sing the triumphs of the field—
Our stalwart Rugby men,
When shock met shock and forwards reeled,
They knew not what it was to yield,
But rallied once again;
Come, sing our gallant cricket team,
Long may they wield the bat supreme!
Chorus—
III.
(For Girls) Come, let us sing with gladsome strain
The pleasures of the lawn,
Where games of love their court maintain,
Where beauty holds her sportive reign,
Sweet as the smiling dawn—
Come, sing then, girls, sing one and all
There's health and joy in the bounding ball.
Chorus—
IV.
Our Alma Mater shall we sing
When years have flown away—
When boyhood's echoes round us ring
And haunting memories softly bring
Our class mates at their play—
We'll live our school-days o'er again,
We'll sing the dear old College then.
Chorus—With a hip! hip! hurrah, &c.
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