Gryphon Gallery: Traditions—The First Edition

School traditions are elements of school culture that endure over time. These might include customs, practices, programmes, events and co-curricular activities. They can also include aspects of student culture that emerge independently of a school’s administration. Traditions can give a school a unique character and provide students with shared experiences and a sense of school pride and identity. There are a myriad of examples of what could be called a tradition at GNS and certainly would include: Junior School Conkers, Historical Halloween and Friday Morning Live!; Middle School Greek Day, Gallery of Fame and Camp David; and Senior School Spirit Day, Lifer’s Lunch and Night of the Gryphon.

But while determining this list of traditions, I wonder how many would also include the school magazine Traditions. The first Traditions appeared at the end of the Norfolk House School’s 1983-84 school year. It began the continuing production of a magazine that has taken on a variety of forms and frequency but continues to this day to be an integral part of GNS communication for past and present members of the school’s community.

Its beginning coincided with Norfolk House’s 70th Anniversary, the first year of its new headmistress, Mrs. Margaret Wilmot, and the enthusiasm, energy, and creative ability of a parent, Mrs. Mary Ross. Being a special year of celebration and of new beginnings, Mrs. Ross, who held the role of public relations with the Parents’ Auxiliary and was a NHS Board member, initiated, produced and edited what was a review of the year, not covered by the Yearbook. This included Special Activities, Memories of the past 70 years, Students in the News, a section on the Parents’ Auxiliary, an Old Girls Update and a Calendar of dates to remember for the upcoming year. It was a big success and now, after 41 Years and 57 editions, Traditions has evolved into a first-class magazine produced by the Advancement Department with a greater focus on Alumni news and interest.