The moment we were all waiting for. At 9 p.m. sharp on January 29, the senior prefects confirmed the rumors circulating throughout the Circle, donned green tutus and capes, and announced that the next day would be Surprise Holiday. Cheers filled the Forum as students scrambled to get a donut of their choosing, and all ’round was merriment and joy.

But despite Surprise Holiday’s status as a beloved tradition at Groton, there are some mysteries that surround its origins: When did the event first begin? Why are there different announcement times for each term? Most important: Why is it associated with the color green?

The earliest mention of Surprise Holiday in the Groton Archives is in the October 5, 1957, issue of the Third Form Weekly, a retired Groton publication dedicated to weekly school announcements. Nestled in “The Grapevines” section, the statement reads, “Surprise?: There was a surprise(?) holiday for the whole school last Monday.” This evidence would lead us to the likely conclusion that Rev. John Crocker, Groton’s headmaster at the time, established the tradition.

Back then, though, the school’s senior and house prefects didn’t always reveal the holiday.  Surprise Holidays used to be “in honor of someone or something,” said Assistant Head of School Andy Anderson. For instance, one Surprise Holiday was dedicated to the discovery of a small Greek statue by Hugh Sackett, a famous archaeologist and former Groton teacher. That meant the headmaster from 1978–2003, William Polk, would make the announcement. It was only at the end of Mr. Polk’s tenure that the prefects started announcing the holiday. Making the announcement at night during winter term is also relatively new. In previous years, it was announced at the end of chapel but, according to Mr. Anderson, was changed “so kids could catch up on sleep.”

Ecology Teacher and Groton alum David Black ’80 provided the answer to the final question: Why is green the color picked for Surprise Holiday? “The headmaster at the time, Mr. William Polk, had a green sports jacket that he would wear periodically,” said Dr. Black. “Over time, whenever Surprise Holiday got unveiled, Mr. Polk would wear his green jacket. Students took to observing Mr. Polk to see if he had his jacket on to guess if it was a surprise holiday.”

Dr. Black also recalled how back then, varsity practices still went as scheduled, and added regretfully that, as a result, he did not recall going on a school trip. He did mention that the punishment was much more severe for missing the bus: before Uber, students would have to hire a taxi, and it certainly wasn’t cheap.

Although there isn’t a clear answer as to how Surprise Holiday arose, over the years it has certainly grown into a custom treasured by Groton students. Senior prefects also always have worked hard to make its announcements extra special. As prefects continue to brainstorm extraordinary ways of announcing the holiday (some notable examples include circling the school in a helicopter, popping out of a trash can wearing green, and waving green flags from the roof of the Schoolhouse), let’s hope that the elusive date for the next “Soliday” will continue to keep us on our toes!