On September 6, as the last rays of the sun stretched across campus before dark, a sea of eager Blair students spilled from the Romano Dining Hall. Coming together as a student body for the first time, they gathered on the flagstones, dressed in formal attire, and sorted themselves into order, ready for the procession to begin. Then, with bagpipers leading and the flags of 28 countries represented by Blair’s student body fluttering, the stream of students filed through the Arch and past Blair’s storied stone buildings, much as Blair Bucs have done for the past 174 years.

The procession marked the beginning of Convocation, Blair’s annual tradition that sets the tone for the year and affirms the sense of belonging that comes from sharing an experience that thousands of Blair students have participated in since the School was founded in 1848.

Click “play” below to watch the Convocation ceremony in full:

The entire Blair community extends a heartfelt welcome to our new and returning students. In the words of Head of School Peter G. Curran, who addressed the community at the ceremony: “If the last two years have taught us nothing else, it is how important it is to build relationships and connect with people, and these should be priorities for all of us this year...We are excited to open up our homes this year and for us to spend time together in a more natural setting. I know we will embrace all of the regular, day-to-day moments of boarding-school life that we were unable to fully enjoy last year, and I, for one, can’t wait!”

With campus once again teeming with eager students sharing hugs, conversation and stories for the first time in the 2021-2022 school year, we can’t wait to see the connection, learning and growth that this year will bring to each member of our Blair community!