Tradition Stands: E/a Kilts for Four-year Seniors

During the fall Exeter vs. Andover (E/a) games in past years, four year seniors proudly wore their red tartan kilts, passed down from each senior class to the next. It has been a long tradition at both Andover and Exeter for four year seniors to wear kilts in their school colors at fall E/a. This tradition fell into jeopardy recently, prompting discussion in Student Council.

The conversation was prompted when a deficit in the number of kilts was brought to light. Student Council was charged with deciding whether to provide all seniors with kilts, or to not have enough kilts for all four-year seniors, as they were 60 kilts short of having enough for all the four-year seniors. The school wouldn’t pay for kilts unless they would be provided to the whole class.

“[The administration] see kilts for only four year seniors as discriminatory,” senior and Student Council President Matthew Robbins said.

“I believe it is a nice token that helps connect the four-year seniors."

When boxes of additional kilts were found, the problem was solved. However, students began to question whether the kilt tradition is exclusive or not. The discussion has spilled over from Student Council into the community Facebook forum “Bus Ride.”

Many in the community are supportive of maintaining the kilt tradition. They believe that it unites four-year seniors and serves as a symbol of the unique experience they have, rather than isolating them from the rest of their class. “I think it’s a great thing that only four-year seniors get the kilts,” Robbins said. “It is a great unifying thing for four-year seniors and it keeps in place a good tradition.”

Senior Joel Lotzkar, the senior class president, voiced a similar opinion: “I am in full support of four year seniors receiving kilts. It is a longstanding tradition that should be continued,” he said.

Lotzkar went on to emphasize the unifying power of the kilts, saying, “I believe it is a nice token that helps connect the four-year seniors. It is great that we have enough kilts for all the four-year seniors!”

Other members of the community feel that the tradition of the kilts ultimately excludes more than they bring people together. Lower Junze Ye felt that the custom sidelined all other seniors and invalidated their experiences.

“Even though I will be a four year senior, I still feel that it’s marginalizing other non-four-year-seniors,” he said.

Upper Greg Miller felt that the tradition was clearly discriminatory. “I don’t understand how you can deny someone something based on something as arbitrary as year entering and not call that discrimination.”

StuCo advisor and health instructor Carol Cahalane disagreed with the council’s decision to not accept additional funding from the school in exchange for providing kilts to all seniors. “I understand why the council has made the decision that they have, but I disagree.”

She felt that the tradition contradicted the unifying spirit of E/a, and undermined the idea that all seniors, regardless of when they came to the Academy, can contribute positively to the community.

“At a time when we are celebrating our unity and school spirit, it seems a funny time to be highlighting only some of our seniors, as they all bring something special to our school,” she said.

Others in the community were indifferent towards the tradition and felt that rules dictating who can and cannot wear kilts were inconsequential.

Upper Ali Hassani said, “I don’t see a problem with four-year student wearing kilts. I think they’re ugly. Even if I were [a four-year student] I probably wouldn’t wear one.”

Only four-year seniors will be sporting the traditional red and gray kilts this E/a, but the future of the longstanding custom remains in question.