Rare student badge associated with one of the secondary schools of Lwów. The centre depicts an open book bearing the Latin inscription “DISCE PUER” (“Learn, boy”), surrounded by a torch of knowledge and a laurel wreath. The Latin phrase Disce, puer had long been one of the best-known educational mottos used in classical schools and gymnasiums, emphasizing the value of learning and education.
The openwork design combines traditional symbols of education and scholarship. The torch represents the light of knowledge and enlightenment, the book symbolizes learning, while the laurel wreath refers to academic achievement and success. Badges of this type were worn as marks of membership within the school community and formed a characteristic element of student life during the interwar period.
Pin-back fastening.
Badge from the Collection of Lech Kokociński, Honorary President of the Polish Numismatic Society.
