Once upon a time, Padua was a place filled to the brim with traditions. From Ring Mass, to grilled cheese Fridays, Padua’s traditions are unique to our school, and distinctive from the cliché traditions of other high schools. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of tradition is this – “the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction.”
While it is an absolute truth that traditional ceremonies like the Ring Mass and programs like the Big Sister – Little Sister program still remain steady traditions in our high school, there are many other traditions that have been altered in some way(s) and others that have been abolished all together.
Change is inevitable. Despite the fact that many individuals may have a difficult time adapting to change, it is undeniable that in many instances, change is for the best. Be that as it may, you cannot have a positive without also having a negative. In some cases change is not for the best, and we should leave well-enough alone. There is a delicate line between the need for change, and the need for traditions to prevail. In deciding that one of these needs outweighs the other, careful consideration is certainly required.
For many years it had been a tradition at Padua for the sophomores to transition from wearing the navy-blue uniform to wearing the deep maroon uniform upon becoming upperclass women. While this custom may seem trivial to some onlookers, we students cannot deny that as underclassmen we have all awaited this change with nothing less than enthusiasm. Students understand that this change is more than just being permitted to wear the different colored threads. The maroon is a symbol of our developed sisterhood, it is a symbol of all of our hard work over the past two years to get to this point in our high school careers, it is a symbol of our successfully becoming “Young women rooted in the Catholic faith, challenging ourselves to live Christ-centered lives of leadership and service.” However, with the new uniforms, this tradition is no more.
Another tradition that has been lost at Padua is Brother Mike’s grilled cheese Fridays. While it is the popular opinion of the student body that this year’s lunch system is superior to the lunch system that we had last year, Brother Mike’s grilled cheeses are a part of Padua’s history! It is my humble opinion that once a year we should still have grilled cheese Friday, so as to keep the tradition alive.
On a more positive note, not all of Padua’s traditions have been lost. Every Christmas season the students and faculty at Padua Academy still have the privilege of admiring the trains and the beautiful Christmas village set up on the second floor hallway outside of Mrs. Mann’s office. We realize that Brother Mike is maturing, and may have a more difficult time doing all the things that he did when he was younger; that is a prime reason why this year Mr. Wills and his class helped set up the Christmas Village. We love Brother Mike and we know this tradition is important to him, and so it is important to us to keep this tradition alive.
Another tradition that continues to exist is the Junior year ring mass. The ceremony is awe-inspiring, and leaves the junior class feeling united and the parents who attend feeling heart-warmingly proud. Some of the mothers who are alumnae of Padua present their daughters with their rings at the mass. This tradition is a lovely way of tying the past to the present.
Although over the years Padua has lost some of her cherished traditions, there are a number of traditions that still remain true to our school. In addition there are many new traditions which are in the process of being incorporated into Padua’s history. From a student’s perspective, one can only hope that the traditions we see within our school today will follow Padua into the future. One can only anticipate that all of our Padua sisters who come after us will also have the pleasure of appreciating these same highly regarded traditions.
