As fall is quickly morphing into wintery cold, October has also come and gone, taking a beloved holiday with it - one of special importance at Stuart Hall. Although it may not be the most popular or celebrated holiday, it is one of the only major holidays that students are in school to celebrate. Most notably, it allows for students to showcase their creativity and come to school in costume. Claire St. John-Kelley, ‘27, was one of the imaginative students who showed up in costume this year. Drifting away from the traditional, and possibly repetitive to some, costumes of ghosts and cats, Claire instead donned an ensemble accustomed to the end times. She stated, “[my] costume was conquest, of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.” On a much brighter note, middle school student Margaret Harris, ‘30, went heroic with a DIY Supergirl costume.
Although costumes may be a favorite aspect of the holiday, it is the traditions that come with Halloween, both inside and outside of the walls of Stuart Hall, that make it such a cherished event. For Claire St. John-Kelley, her favorite Halloween tradition was a hayride put on by the family of Alyssa Byers, ‘27, who's costume was a fellow harbinger of the end times. Margaret Harris, on the other hand, shared her love for trick or treating, a nostalgic joy that many students at Stuart Hall can surely relate to. Inside the school, Margaret cites “Spooky science labs with Ms Hyde” as her favorite STU Halloween tradition. On a more school-wide scale, she enjoyed the annual pumpkin carving contest. While this competition is hotly contested every year, it also provides a fun outlet for students and faculty alike to get outside and engage in some friendly (required) competition.
This day is undoubtedly special at Stuart Hall. When most holidays happen over break, it is important to be able to come together to celebrate Halloween with the school as a whole. The Stuart Hall traditions around this holiday, such as pumpkin carving, Boo for your boo, and “Fright Feast”, allow for a fun and silly break in the middle of a fall slump.
Amory Harris