Traditions

Group photo of 4th graders dressed like Notable Women

Notable Women 

Positive role models are actualized with the longstanding Notable Women tradition. Fourth graders thoroughly research female business execs, Olympic athletes, scientists, and all-around trailblazers. Dressed in full costume at the annual reception, the girls fully embody the persona of their selected woman.

Pool Jump 

Before they depart on their last day of school, the senior class holds hands and jump in the deep end of the Carol and John Butler Aquatic Center pool. They splash around, sing the alma mater, and bid farewell to HB.

Legacy Program

Hathaway Brown Legacy Day on front campus

At the core of the Legacy Program is service, sisterhood and school spirit. It builds on the class color tradition and fosters a strong sense of full-school community and creates connections, friendships and camaraderie across divisions.

This program is a hallmark of the Hathaway Brown experience and resonates with students and community members long after they have leave HB.

Legacy Groups

Legacy group – sets of cross-divisional students, teachers, administrators, and support staff participate in legacy events throughout the year. 

Each groups is affiliated by class color - blue, purple, green, red and rainbow. The Legacy color corresponds to the traditional class color for students. 

These legacy groups are part of the way one belongs to the Hathaway Brown community, strengthening sisterhood while giving all the members of our diverse community a common experience.

Legacy Days

On fall and spring Legacy Days the entire school gathers in their legacy groups to celebrate school unity and complete service projects. 

Upper School girls smelling roses and taking a selfie

IDEO

The IDEO tradition began in 1939 by then Head of School Anne Cutter Coburn as a way to thoughtfully and reflectively end the fall term and embrace a spirit of gift-giving in the HB community. As a gift to the head of school, students processed through the halls singing one of her favorite holiday songs.

Through the years, the tradition evolved to include other symbolic gifts. The day begins with a senior class brunch, a gift from the Alumnae Association, and continues with the presentation of several other gifts — a theatrical performance, roses given by the seniors to the juniors, the fourth graders singing the alma mater for their senior sisters, a vocal presentation of “Bless This House” by the senior class to the student body, and personal reflections about each of the soon-to-be-alumnae from their teachers and the Head of School.

Middle School girls jumping hurdles outside

Brown & Gold Days

Brown and Gold Days are a Middle School tradition. Girls are assigned to the Brown or Gold team. 

Throughout the year, the teams compete in a series of friendly competitions, including seasonal field days and various spirit and service-related initiatives where each team accumulates points.

At the end of the year, the winning team receives a trophy and team members receive a Brown or Gold chevron. These spirit-filled events provide opportunities for student leadership, team building, and healthy competition.