St. Bernard's School - Traditions

St. Bernard's is home to a number of traditions. The most noteworthy (and oldest) of these is the annual Shakespeare Play, performed by the entire eighth grade. Other important traditions include:

• The Budget - a biannual student-edited literature magazine with poems, essays, compositions and photographs of artwork of boys from every grade.
• The Keg- the school's yearbook edited by the ninth grade.
• Friday Assembly - each Friday, the entire school gathers in the small gym, during which sports scores are announced, school news is related, the Alligator is given away, one homeroom performs a play, and hymns and school songs are sung. By the end of the academic year, each homeroom will have performed once at Friday Assembly. This tradition teaches boys to be comfortable speaking in public from an early age.
• The Alligator - At each Friday assembly, a taxidermal baby alligator is presented to the neatest classroom by the class which held it the previous week. This ceremony usually involves an elaborate skit.
• School Songs - a number of school songs, most of them written by one of the school's founders, and collected in a beloved "Red Song Book" are sung regularly. The songs vary from descriptions of life in each of the school's divisions ("The Lower School Song", "The Middle School Song", "The Upper School Song") to an exemplification of values the school deems important ("The Sportsmanship Song"), to a celebration of some of the sports played at the school ("The Baseball Song", "The Football Song"--which refers not to American football, but rather soccer.)
• Sports Day - once a year, the entire school gathers in Central Park to engage in a fun day of athletic competitions, sports games and races. The day used to include events that have subsequently been canceled as they are no longer appropriate in 21st century America (e.g. a chauffeur's race) and which indicate the historic socio-economic status of St. Bernard's families, which has remained largely unchanged.
• The Debate Society - the entire eighth grade engages in an Oxford Union / Lincoln-Douglas style debate once every other week during the second semester of the year. Topics range from questions of national interest such as the legalization of marijuana to those of more local interest, such as the abolishment of the school's dress code.
• Christmas Carols - on the last day of classes before the Christmas Recess, the entire school gathers at a church on Madison Avenue (the location sometimes varies from year to year) to sing a number of traditional Christmas carols. Students, faculty and friends of the school tend to participate regardless of religious affiliation, as the event's major purpose is to celebrate the values of Christmas (and, by extension, unity as a school) rather than specific Christian events. Historically, however, most of the school's students have nevertheless been Christian, although the number of students of different religions is on the rise.
• The Singers & Special Singers - there are two boys' choirs, the Singers and the Special Singers, both of which are selective in terms of admission. The Special Singers have performed at Carnegie Hall and some boys have sung children's roles at the Metropolitan Opera. The group of singers from the 7th through 9th grades is called the Glee Club.
• "Britishness" - the school has a British tone and feel to it, and historically many of its faculty have been (and continue to be) British. This aspect of the school is accompanied by a respect for old-fashioned methods of education. In fact, St. Bernard's now has a short exchange with The Dragon School in Oxford, a prestigious English prep school. Students are often called lad; the school is very proper.
• The Raffle - every year the school has a raffle, often with over one hundred prizes. It is organized by several St. Bernard's parents and members of the faculty. At the end of a three week or so span, the prizes are drawn, and the class with the most tickets sold will win a trip to a New York Yankees' baseball game. There are other prizes for classes that sell a lot of tickets. Many of the prizes are provided by St. Bernard's parents who might work in the business of the prize. This event is enjoyed by many "St. Bernard's Boys."
• The Shakespeare play - every year the eighth grade performs a different Shakespeare play for which they rehearse for much of the school year.
• Grammar - the school is very particular when concerning English grammar. They take exams for it and receive a grade on their report cards. This gives them not just a foundation, but rather a mastery of the English language. One example of its importance in the life at St. B's would be the Oxford Comma, which, as the school sees it, is most certainly required.