Groton School

Groton School is a private Episcopal boarding school located in Groton, Massachusetts. Often known as the "bastion of the elite", its student body of about 350 covers the eighth (IInd Form) through twelfth grades (VIth Form). The academic environment is very rigorous and Groton students regularly compete for positions at Ivy League and comparable universities.

Sports, Clubs, and Traditions

The school motto "Cui Servire est Regnare", loosely translated as "to serve is to rule", emphasizes the school's dedication to public service, and to raising students both intellectually and morally.

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The School is a member of the Independent School League.

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The school is a close-knit community. The faculty lives almost entirely on campus. Classes are very small, with a typical class ranging from 12-15 students. All students are required to participate in sports or theater. There are regularly scheduled sit-down dinners during the fall and spring terms, where students and faculty dress formally. On the school's birthday, sit down dinner features a jolly singing of a song called "Blue Bottles" (which is similar to "100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall"). At the request of the VIth form, the Vth form gathers at the entrance to the dining hall and, under the conductorship of a faculty alumnus who sets the tempo of the song by swinging a large carving knife back and forth, counts down the age of the school. Following Thursday evening sit-down dinners, many students and faculty gather in a room below the dining hall for a generally impromptu intramural debate featuring members of the school's Debating Society -- Groton's oldest extracurricular organization.

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On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, the Groton community begins the day with a non-denominational (and often a non-Christian) Chapel service. Daily chapel begins with a short prayer and is followed by a a "chapel talk" authored and delivered by the Headmaster, Chaplain, a faculty member, or a member of the student body. Most students give a chapel talk before graduating, usually as Vith formers. Daily chapel concludes with a hymn and is followed immediately by a student work program and "Role Call."

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Originally intended for taking attendance, Role Call is now a general assembly where daily announcements are made. Lead by one of the school's two Senior Prefects, the Brooks House Prefect, or the Hundred House Prefect (all of whom are members of the VIth Form and are elected by their peers), Roll Call usually features clever and entertaining skits. Once a term, the Headmaster calls off class and announces a Surprise Holiday. Surprise Holiday is announced at Role Call when a distinctive bright green jacket appears in a skit. One day near the end of the year, the VIth form will collectively conduct a filibuster during Role Call, causing the meeting to run well into first period.

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The most notable of the school's traditions is that of hand shaking. As noted above, each day at Groton concludes with students shaking hands with their dorm heads and prefects. As part of the school's commencement proceedings, every member of the VIth form shakes hands with both the entire faculty and all underclassmen. After examinations, a similar ritual takes place as all underclassmen shake hands with the faculty before leaving for summer vacation.

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