Grammar School Tradition: Shaking Hands

You may know that at the end of each week, students in the Grammar School receive a small pack of Smarties candy. You may not know the other half of this ritual; they receive their candy on their way out the building when they shake hands with Mrs. Palumbo and practice looking her in the eyes and saying “thank you” or “have a good weekend.” “This is a ritual that teaches students how to be socially gracious,” says Mrs. Palumbo. "We teach students how to shake hands and look someone in the eye, just like we expect students to say 'please,' and 'yes, ma'am.'"

What is the purpose of being socially gracious, you may ask? One of the highest goals of classical education is wisdom and eloquence, which benefits not only the individual student, but ultimately also helps our society achieve more grace and civility. In a world where more grace and civility are sorely needed, Regents seeks to form true, courteous and virtuous citizens who can impact the world around them. Gracious and articulate citizens are increasingly rare in our online culture, and they are created by intentional formation - which sometimes looks like a hand shake and a Smartie every Friday afternoon.