Bermuda High School
The Bermuda High School is an all-girls private school in Pembroke, Bermuda. It was founded in 1894. It is an all-girls school from Year One to Year Eleven, and co-educational for the two-year IB Diploma Programme.
Foundations
BHS was founded in 1896 by Grosvenor Tucker, who found that not everyone could afford to send their daughters to England. The school was based on the lines of Cheltenham Ladies' College in England.[citation needed] The school was situated on Reid street and in the beginning had 60 students and three teachers.
Matilda Tothill was the first head mistress. William Barr donated the premises, Russel Hastings donated a large amount of money to the school and Mrs. Middleton was an art teacher at BHS for over 30 years. Thus the four houses were named after them: Tothill, Barr, Hastings and Middleton.
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bhs location
Round Square
Bermuda High School for Girls became the first school in Bermuda to offer its students access to this world-renowned program in 2005. Round Square is a worldwide association of schools which share a commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility through service, international understanding, challenge, adventure, democracy and environmental stewardship. www.roundsquare.org
The Torch Bearer ceremony and Old Girls Day
This is a ceremony that takes place every year as current students and old girls gather in a spiral circle in order of youngest to oldest. The Head Girl walks through the spiral carrying the school's torch. Each girl touches the torch with their right hand as she passes by, signifying the passing of the torch. The first ceremony was in May 1937. It is always conducted on a Thursday. Also known as Torture Ceremony, this ritual requires students to stand silently in midday sun for extend periods, which always results in at least one girl fainting. The ceremony is carried out in complete silence as the torch bearer walks the torch around the spiral.[1]
Administration
The Head of School is Linda Parker. The Head of Upper Years is Kate Ross, Middle Years is Joanna Jackson-Smith and Primary is Martina Harris.