What do the pillars indicate about the philosophy of the school

The four pillars reflect the professed ethos of this private ivy league school. The boy's wearily repeat the four pillars, tradition, honor, discipline, and excellence. These are traits that the school prides itself on and maintains their wealthy client base with. The boys, however, do not take these pillars seriously. In private they recite their own version of it, travesty, horror, decadence, excrement.