On Tuesday, we had our first full day of classes, which also meant our first day of weekday chapel. For the first time since COVID hit, we were allowed to sing hymns! So, instead of the typical Sixth Form talk, we celebrated the return of hymns by singing many Groton favorites. For almost all Groton students, this practice was entirely new.
We began with “Amazing Grace” and “Tell Out My Soul.” Our next hymn was “One More Step,” a hymn that I liked but did not remember. In that hymn, the Sixth Form sang one stanza and everyone else sang another. Our rendition of “One More Step” made it clear that, for now, we Sixth Formers were the most confident in our chapel-singing abilities. I hope that once the other forms get more practice, the enthusiasm the Sixth Form brought to the hymns will spread and continue throughout the year. When everyone knows the words, like for "Amazing Grace," it makes it especially fun to belt out the centuries-old tune with gusto, regardless of your actual capability in the vocal arts.
Spierer’s Dorm must agree with that sentiment because, on Friday, they sang "Amazing Grace" to our dorm as part of their proposal to be our brother dorm. The dorm carried an electric keyboard all the way across campus so Max Fan could perform the live piano accompaniment. Rather than setting down the keyboard on a table, two of the Spierer’s prefects held it in front of Max for the duration of the performance. With a keyboard suspended in the air, top-tier piano skills, and a gaggle of enthusiastic singers-slash-proposers, it was quite a sight to see. Ms. Keeling, our dorm affiliate, called it the best dorm proposal she had ever seen.
Now that our two dorms are joined in "marriage," the next step is to plan a joint check-in and, possibly, a big feed!