SPIRIT & SPIRITUALITY

WHERE A HOUSE IS A HOME

It is a culture of caring that each boy encounters when he enters one of the seven Houses at Hilton: vibrant ‘homes away from home’. In his early years in the House, a boy will enjoy the congenial atmosphere of the dormitory and benefit from supervised study in the prep room. This will be followed by increasing freedom to develop self-reliance and responsibility. Ahead, in recognition of his growing maturity, his own study/bedroom marks his entry into his Matric year.

The Houses are managed by Housemasters, senior staff who live in comfortable homes which adjoin the houses. The Housemasters are carefully selected members of the academic staff and their lightened teaching loads enable them to pay close attention to their charges. They are assisted by Assistant Housemasters, Tutors and House Managers. In order for boys to take full advantage of their time at Hilton, it is essential that they are treated as individuals and provided with adequate support. Each boy has an academic staff member as a tutor, with whom he meets at least once a week, and has access to the School Counsellor, the Chaplain, the School Doctor and the Sanatorium Sisters.

At the centre of the school, appropriately, stands the beautiful stone Chapel, an unequivocal statement of the importance of Hilton College’s Christian foundation, and the value structures that prevail. Here, the resident Chaplain truly embraces the ecumenical approach to the spiritual life of the school.

The non-denominational status of the school is affirmed by the fact that although worship is rooted in the main Protestant traditions, visiting preachers from various churches often taken Sunday services. Provision is also made for the number of Roman Catholic boys, with Mass celebrated on most Sundays. On the understanding that a life based on a personal relationship with God is important to a meaningful existence, boys of any faith are welcomed, respected and provided for.

Tradition & Transition