our traditions

Ceremony, Continuity, Camaraderie

From the Armistice Day Flagpole Ceremony, which began in 1925, through the "Head of School for a Day" noontime party, a recent tradition, Milton cherishes the celebrations of our community.

An annual tradition since the end of World War I: Students gather in silence around the flagpole each Veterans Day to honor those who have fought and died for our country. The bells of Apthorp Chapel ring as a trumpeter plays “Taps” and the American flag is lowered to half-mast.

Every Spring Forbes House Faculty hosts a senior steak dinner. During the event, sophomores put on a skit about the seniors. The dorm also sends a farewell to any departing faculty.

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Every Halloween, Robbins House and Norris House hold a pumpkin carving contest.

Individual Milton houses have their own lore, including:

Pumpkin carving with marshmallow-roasting and scary stories

Adding plants each year to the Hathaway Garden in the name of graduating seniors

Robbins theme bowling in February: everyone dresses up!

Poems chosen for seniors and presented on the last night of school

The Walk for Hunger: some Hallowell girls walk, others cheer for the walkers during the last three miles

Hallowell "Climb the Wall Night" - meet at the climbing wall, go "over the top," celebrate with Rocky Road ice cream

Special holiday dinners

Theme decorating parties around festive seasons

Welcoming gifts made by the house council on each girl's bed at the start of the school year

House picnics and barbecues

"Good talk:" Hathaway house dinners with discussion led by seniors about issues chosen by the girls

Birthday parties

House-designed t-shirts

Boys caroling at girls' houses the night before winter break

Jazz Combo final exams held before an audience in Forbes Common Room

Small dinners in the house head's apartment

After-dinner tea and conversation

House community service projects

The whole school shares in many traditions, whether they're staged in houses, on the quads, in formal settings, or at graduation, looking up at the chapel

	Convocation at school opening, when the entire school provides a sustained cheer as the Class I students enter
	Class IV talks
	Skits at morning assemblies to announce activities
	Assembly performances of the Miltones or Octet (to wild applause!)
	Mr. Millet's calligraphy on awards and diplomas
	Awarding the Milton sock filled with quarters from each senior to the last person receiving his or her diploma at graduation
	Graduation morning parade from Hallowell to Faulkner house, saying good-bye and cheering at each house
	Athletes wear Milton colors on game days
	Senior auction - seniors auction their own "wares" to support their prom
	Boarding and day student softball tourney, spring nights after dinner
	Senior Project Day - all students visit, admire, watch and listen to the presentations of the senior projects
	Culturefest - an outdoor, day-long celebration of cultures within the Milton Academy community
	Seminar Day - a day-long series of seminars featuring guest lecturers addressing national and global issues
	Swap-It Dance - students come dressed in vintage clothes purchased at Swap-It, the historic Lower School flea market
	Class IV play
	1212 Productions - plays staged in the intimate 1212 classroom in Warren Hall
	Class I Ice Cream party