Reflections of Havergal: 1994-2019

Appendices

To Sing or Not to Sing BTI , December 2010 By Lorraine Capone & Miranda Taylor

Carol Service is a long-standing Havergal tradition. Not only does it excite us about the upcoming winter break, but it also commemorates the holiday season. However, since the service was established so many years ago, many people question whether it is an outdated event or an important tradition. Students practice the carols for weeks in Prayers and then miss half a day of school to practice a dress rehearsal before the performance that takes place on a school night, usually lasting two hours. However, although Carol Service is an age- old Havergal tradition that celebrates the Christmas season, many students find themselves dreading this date marked in their agendas, having grown tired of the tunes long before performance night. Nevertheless, all that Carol Service stands for - the celebration of the holidays and the warm feeling that winter break is approaching, not to mention the beautiful sounds of our Havergal choir - is not in dispute. Although some students don’t look forward to this particular Monday in December, Carol service is a very important tradition at Havergal that should not be disregarded. The Havergal College Carol Service is a longstanding tradition that has occurred for years and is just as important today as

it was years ago when it was first introduced. %rough Carol Service, the entire HC community, students, teachers, Old Girls, parents and guests can come together for a celebration of the approaching holiday season and the New Year. Events like this are few and far in between, and it is only at Carol Service and Founders Day when we can all gather together for a like cause. As well, Carol Service is not only an important tradition, but also a great time for singing. Regardless of whether you are an avid singer or not, Carol Service is your chance to shine. And if singing just isn’t your thing, you don’t have to; you can simply stand when needed and just listen to the beautiful music surrounding you as it echoes through the marvelous acoustics of St. Paul’s Church. Perhaps we as students must abolish our tendency to label Carol Service as a “tiring, old tradition” and instead view it for what it really is: an event that brings the Havergal community together, past and present. It is a time to celebrate singing, music and the talent we all have when we sing in unison. It is a time to value the past, which serves as a link to Havergal’s history. Carol Service is all of this, but at the same time, just a group of students singing together. It is this simplicity of the service and the history behind it that really makes the Carol Service a valued part of the Havergal year.

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