20 things only a Hampton girl would know

Observer Online spoke with members of the school’s alumni community, who shared fond memories of their time at the institution and some insights on things a person would only know if they attended Hampton. 1. The Quadrangle — While mainly used for devotions, the Quadrangle was the meeting place for the entire school, including teachers, who looked on from the staffroom balcony. Devotions became known as ‘quad’ and were mandatory for ladies to start the morning with the good word. With girls lined up in order of forms, the fifth formers would get exposed to the sun first as it rose higher, but the longer quad went on, especially if it’s a Monday or a Friday, just prepare for everyone to be hot! 2.

The ‘sacred’ garden, stairs and blocks — The principal's garden leading to the front office with its turtle pond was strictly out of bounds for students, and most would only walk through it if they returned after graduation. Similarly, no student was ever supposed to set foot on the steep teachers' stairs leading to the staff room, and no lower school students should ever be seen on the sixth and fifth form blocks. 3. Blueprint — Blueprint is one of the only all-female steel bands in the country, and Hamptonians will tell you it’s the best! Tickets for the band’s annual show, Echoes, sell out quickly. Founded by the school's long-time music teacher Alison Morris, Blueprint often performs alongside the school’s celebrated choir. 4. Seniors rule the seats — Hampton was one of the few schools in the country with a fully functional private bus system decades before the new Rural School Bus Programme, and seating charts were no joke. As an informal rule, only seniors were allowed at the back of the bus, and girls would sit in descending order. 5. Late-bugs walk! — Hampton ladies…