Since its opening in 1851, The Hill School has been known as the “family boarding school.” Although the underlying foundation of the institution has remained constant, nearly every aspect of Hill has transformed through the years. As a four-year legacy student, I have heard, witnessed and experienced many of the vicissitudes that have marked life at The Hill.  

When I recently spoke with my father and Hill alumnus, Ron Singh ’93, he recalled that “as an all-male preparatory institution in the early ’90s, there was limited focus on gender and race issues.” However, there was a focus on social issues that stemmed from the upheaval in the 1970s. “For instance, we had a year-long focus on the legacy of the Vietnam War with presentations from veterans who included faculty and Hill alumnus Oliver Stone,” Singh said.  

The school was also more traditional in maintaining Saturday classes, required Sunday evening chapel, and three seated meals every weekday. 

When I entered Hill in 2019 as a 3rd former, I was overwhelmed by school spirit and focus on tradition. The L’ville pep rally in the Gillison court was part of my favorite memory at Hill. Covid-19 and the spotlight on social justice, however, have changed the social landscape of the campus.  

On March 24, 2020, students received a notification from the Head of School, Zachary Lehman, through email: “After a great deal of thought and consultation, we have decided to keep our campus closed and continue our Virtual Hill program indefinitely.” Upon our return to campus, Saturday classes returned, seated meals were discontinued, L’Ville weekend was canceled, and school traditions suffered. Our good fortune of being open and back in person was tempered by the challenges of social distancing and health protocols.  

Much like the rest of the world, our microcosm of the Hill suffered from poor morale and the challenges the pandemic brought us. After two years, it feels as if we are finally turning a corner this year with a welcomed return to “Hillness.”  

In 2020, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery became the faces of the Black Lives Matter and social justice reform movement that have inspired change within our Hill community and society at large. Organizations like DEI and schoolwide formal and informal conversations helped us recognize the disparities that continue to exist. Without a doubt, our classes, to varying degrees, have been influenced and shaped by ongoing awareness of societal injustice.  

As I look ahead to my final year, I look forward to seeing how Hill continues to progress and move forward. With the introduction of a new academic schedule and the search for our new Head of School, a new era of the “family boarding school” awaits us.