Every boarding house at Oundle has its own traditions, some of which have been passed down for decades. St Anthony (known as St A), is no exception. Many of our traditions are unknown outside the House, but they play an important role in welcoming new Third Formers and creating a strong sense of community.
The year begins with one of our most competitive traditions: the annual St Anthony vs Fisher football match, played on the Sunday evening before the first day of term. From what I have been told, the last time St A lost this fixture may well have been sometime in the twentieth century.
Before the match begins, the entire house gathers together, takes a knee and says the Lord’s Prayer — an experience which must be quite intimidating for the opposition. The match itself is split into two halves, with the St A Head of House refereeing one and the Fisher Head of House refereeing the other. If you are lucky enough to score, you can expect to turn around and see almost the entire house charging towards you in celebration. For a new Third Former, it is quite an introduction to life in St A.
Another important tradition is the Names Test, which normally takes place before the first Exeat. Its purpose is to help the new Third Formers learn the names of everyone in the House.
Each Third Former pairs up with someone else and performs a song of their choice in front of the whole House. They begin by singing the opening few seconds alone before everyone else joins in. Afterwards, the Head of House points to someone in the crowd and the Third Former has to correctly name them.
That might sound straightforward, so therefore everyone taking part is dressed in a costume. My good friend Jack and I have already ordered inflatable dinosaur costumes for this year’s Names Test.
As Christmas approaches, the number of House traditions increases. One of the highlights is the Hootenanny, held during the final week of term. It gives the musicians in the House an opportunity to perform, either individually or as part of a small band, in front of everyone. The evening finishes with Christmas carols and mince pies prepared by the Third Formers, making it one of the more relaxed traditions of the year.
On the penultimate day of term, we also have our annual House quiz and movie night. There are usually twelve teams, each named after a member of the Upper Sixth. One pupil from each year group is assigned to a team and must dress up as the Upper Sixth pupil their team is named after. The quiz, written by the Head of House, normally contains questions about St A and its history. Afterwards, everyone gathers in the games room to watch a Christmas film together.
Although many of these traditions are light-hearted, they have a much greater importance than simply providing entertainment. They help different year groups mix, give new pupils a sense of belonging and preserve the history and character of the House.
Traditions naturally change over time, and not every one can last forever. However, I think it is important that the traditions which bring people together are protected. They are part of what gives St Anthony its identity. Without them, the House would still be a place where pupils live together, but it might lose some of what makes it feel like St A.
