Last week, my family celebrated Easter. Over the past few years, it has become tradition for me to make my version of my Grandma Farone’s Easter Pie. There is no actual recipe, as Gram did not work from recipes. She did, however, write down an approximation of the recipe some years ago for my mother. The recipe is dated and calls for things that I have a hard time finding here in central New Hampshire – prosciuttini and basket cheese are not readily available – even at the new Market Basket – which seems to have everything!
What I make is not exactly the same as Gram’s, but it tastes enough like Easter Pie to me that it mentally transports me to the “kids’ table” at Grandma Farone’s house. I really value this touchstone to my family history, and my kids have come to expect that I make this heavy meat and cheese laden pie every year. It makes me happy to think that this tradition has helped to connect my past to the present and perhaps, the future.
Although The Beech Hill School is young, we have established a number of traditions. Some, like Mountain Day are institutional and will – hopefully, last well after all of the current faculty and staff have left the school. Others, like the 7th Grade Financial Literacy Project, are directly connected to an individual, like Ms. Fries. The students at BHS have come to love this project – with alumni remembering it fondly and younger students eagerly anticipating their chance to complete it.
Like Easter Pie, the traditions at BHS will change over time. Some traditions might not age well and some will resonate more deeply for some than others. In just over twelve years, the students and faculty – past and present – have created an abundance of deep and meaningful memories that will help to connect all BHS students long into the future.