House System
Similar to many boys' schools in England and Australia, University School's has a House System. Every student is assigned to a house, which integrates students from all grades and provides a structure for the boys to connect with each other for companionship and support. Houses participate in community service activities and spirited athletic competitions. Every year, younger and older boys compete in Founders’ Day, a tradition that celebrates the school’s founding in 1890. Houses are organized to encourage greater interaction between students, especially students at separate campuses and in different grades. As such, the House System is a large part of student life at University School. House meetings occur regularly at the Upper School, in which faculty and students may plan activities and community service projects such as the annual Thanksgiving food drive. Each House elects a prefect from the senior class who acts as the House leader.
Houses are typically named after former Headmasters or notable alumni donors, and each House has a color to represent it. The numbers, names and colors of Houses have changed over the years.
The current House names are: Anderson (maroon); Cruikshank (white); Goodwillie (navy blue); Hawley (purple); McCarraher (orange); McKinley (royal blue); Peters (red); Pettee (black); Pickands (green); and Sanders (gold).
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Famous quotes containing the words house and/or system:
“Hours before dawn we were woken by the quake.
My house was on a cliff. The thing could take
Bookloads off shelves, break bottles in a row.
Then the long pause and then the bigger shake.
It seemed the best thing to be up and go.”
—William Empson (1906–1984)
“In the end we beat them with Levi 501 jeans. Seventy-two years of Communist indoctrination and propaganda was drowned out by a three-ounce Sony Walkman. A huge totalitarian system ... has been brought to its knees because nobody wants to wear Bulgarian shoes.... Now they’re lunch, and we’re number one on the planet.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)