Bringing Amor Caritas to the New School Year

On a bright sunny day with a touch of fall in the air, students and faculty filed into the historic Bardwell Auditorium for Opening Convocation and to ceremonially begin Dana Hall’s 145th school year.

Head of School Katherine Bradley used her remarks to provide context and reflection about Dana Hall’s motto, Amor Caritas, which is taken from the name of a statue by the artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Bradley, a Latin teacher and scholar, explained the meaning of the two words, with a focus on Caritas, which is the origin for the English word charity. “I think Caritas is more challenging than Amor,” Bradley shared.  “If you’re embodying Caritas, it means you are looking for and focusing on what is good in others — and that takes more discipline than focusing on others’ faults or shortcomings.” She noted, “It’s also the case that a mindset of Caritas will more quickly bring us into friendship with one another, into uplifting one another and into a spirit of finding common ground with one another.”

After C. Zhu ’27 performed “Novelletten, Opus 21, No. 1” by composer Robert Schumann, Bradley turned the stage over to All-School Co-Presidents R. Greene ’26 and P. Wheelan ’26, who shared their goals of creating new connections, prompting self-discovery and engaging in more school spirit throughout 2025-26. They introduced their theme for the year: SPARK, which stands for spirit, passion, authenticity, relationship and knowledge. Middle School Co-Presidents W. Holmes ’30 and G. Li ’30 told the assembled community that Middle School is where we start to discover who we are, and the Dana Hall community is here to support us. Student speaker A. Khera ’26, who was honored with the John Means Spencer Award for Student Enrichment last spring, shared her summer experience with Vote16, a national movement to lower the voting age in local elections.

Dana Hall opens the 2025-26 school year with 453 students, including 96 who are new to the school. Assistant Head for Admission and Strategic Initiatives Angela Brown reports that in this new student cohort there are accomplished athletes — from basketball to badminton, figure skaters to flag football enthusiasts, rowers to equestrians, and gifted artists — actors, stage managers, costume designers, painters and poets, dancers of every style from ballet to Bharatanatyam, and musicians who sing or play everything from bassoon to piano. “We have entrepreneurs, including a student running her own butterfly earring business, and writers whose work has won international recognition. Some of our new students are dedicated to public service and have campaigned for local politicians,” said Brown. “We know that they will bring these passions to life at Dana Hall, and, undoubtedly, uncover brand-new ones they never imagined.”

Students and faculty concluded Convocation with the singing of the Alma Mater before heading to their first full day of classes. In addition to a regular schedule of academics and co-curriculars, opening activities will continue during the next two weeks, with Class Retreats, Harbor Cruise and Community Weekend.