Traditions
Our traditions are the unique rituals and customs that unify the school community. As the years pass, through observance and repetition, these traditions recall our common history, enrich the events of the present, and guide us into the future.
Motto
Teach Us Delight In Simple Things
The Saint Mary's Hall motto, Teach Us Delight In Simple Things, first appeared on the French Place Campus in the 1920s where it was set in bronze lettering in the stone steps of the school building.
When Saint Mary’s Hall moved to the Starcrest Campus in November of 1968, the bronze lettering was moved from the French Place Campus to its current home on the steps of the Administration Building.
School Uniforms
Girls: White middy, a tie, a skirt (white for dress uniform and black at other times), socks, and saddle oxfords.
Boys: Black blazers, ties or bowties, and khaki slacks for dress uniform and khakis and plain white “polos” at other times. Shoes are black dress shoes that must have a heel and the ability to be polished.
School Colors & Mascot
School Colors: Purple, white, and black
Mascot: The Baron
Saint Mary's Hall was "mascot-less" from 1879 until 1970. During the 1970-1971 school year, references indicate that we were called the Saint Mary's Hall Bobcats. Over the years, other mascots have come and gone including Snoopy from the Peanuts cartoon.
In 2009, a committee of students from the Upper and Middle School was formed to determine and define the SMH Baron, and what he embodied to current students. Today's Baron is a warrior that is symbolic of the inner toughness, grit, and determination of our students.
School Ties
Purple Tie: Standard and Dress Uniform
Upper School
- Blue Tie - Senior
- Red Tie - Student Council
- Yellow Tie - Sports Council
- White Tie - Fine Arts Council
- Maroon Tie - Honor Council
- Green Tie - Community Service Council
Middle School
- Maroon Tie - Student Senate
- Green Tie - Sports Council – Bennetts
- Orange Tie - Sports Council – Baileys
- Teal Tie - Community Service Council
School Teams
Capers & Elliott
In the fall of 1925, Headmistress Ruth Coit organized an athletic association in the Upper School, and two intramural teams were formed: Elliott and Capers, named in honor of Bishop Elliott and Bishop Capers, the two Episcopalian Bishops who were instrumental to the founding and modern re-organization of Saint Mary’s Hall. Teams are typically chosen during the first week of school, and students remain on their team throughout his or her time in the Upper School.
Today’s Capers and Elliott team captains are still elected by the Upper School student body and compete throughout the year, including at the annual Bishops’ Day.
Teams are typically chosen during the first week of school, and students remain on their team throughout his or her time in the Upper School.
School Events
Bishops' Day, held annually since 1930, is a celebration of intramural activity. Held in the spring, each division hosts its own version of the traditional Upper School Bishops' Day. Named after former bishops of the Episcopal Church, the teams for Upper School are known as Elliott (blue) and Capers (yellow), while the Middle School teams are called Bennetts (green) and Baileys (orange). In Lower School, teams are separated into purple and white.
The first Blue Tie Ceremony was held on September 10, 1940, when blue ties were awarded to the Class of 1941. The Blue Tie Ceremony is traditionally on the Friday of the first week of school.
Blue ties and senior rings are bestowed by senior sponsors and the head of school. In true SMH tradition, family members who attended Saint Mary's Hall, faculty or staff members, and trustees are given the honor of presenting a blue tie to their senior.
At Commencement, faculty, family, and friends gather for this special graduation ceremony, hosted on our Starcrest Campus. Faculty attend in academic regalia to honor the graduating class. In a tradition dating back many years, senior girls wear formal white gowns and carry 12 red roses, while senior boys wear tuxedos.
Fiesta, our annual all-school fall festival, was first held in the 1940s. The event was originally held as a fundraiser, and the booths at the early Fiestas were created and run by students, representing a variety of school clubs. Today, Fiesta is a “fun-raiser,” for more than 1,000 members of our community.
