We love tradition at NBS, not for tradition’s sake, but for the connectedness and community it brings to us all. Whether you were part of the school in the ’80s, ’90s, oughts, teens, or ’20s, you know that the North Branch Thanksgiving tradition is centered around students preparing and serving a simple meal of soup and cornbread to their families. And when you mention Thanksgiving and NBS in the same breath, someone – or several someones – will start humming “Tis a Gift to be Simple” and/or “Dona Nobis Pacem.”
While tradition is rooted in familiar practices, we don’t have a problem giving them an update from time to time. Current Head of School Smith Coleman brought his love of all things outdoors to NBS in 2019, including cooking our Thanksgiving Stone Soup in a cauldron over an open fire. Now, anyone who has enjoyed NBS Thanksgiving soup during his tenure immediately thinks of the depth of flavor cooking over a wood fire imparts to this simple dish.
We are thankful for our NBS families – current, past, and future – as we continue this decades-old tradition.
