The First Graduation

I’ve been to a couple graduations: from kindergarten in 1988, with mortarboards made from cardboard and yarn and a graduating class of about twenty, to graduate school in 2006, with black robes, velveteen hoods, mortarboards that are still made of cardboard and a class of 2,500 people. But last night was like nothing I have ever been apart of before.

I should have known this would be no ordinary graduation, nothing at my school in ordinary. For starters, the ceremony took place in the Great Hall at Faneuil Hall (photo not from graduation) as opposed to the dingy, frigid auditorium in the school complex. Doors did not open until 6:30pm, yet when I arrived at 5:15 there were already about 75 people jockeying for optimal position in “line.” When the doors finally did open it was like Pamplona: parents and grandparents hold babies, cousins and friends charged up the old stairs. Someone should have given the junior class officers who were distributing programs riot gear, because I definitely saw one girl dodge multiple elbows. Once the hordes of ecstatic spectators made their way to the wooden seats, it was time for the waterworks to begin.

The mayor, the superintendent, the commissioner and school committee members all spoke, still dry eyes and mild golf claps. The valedictorian spoke, a few tears and a couple cheers. Then a surprise scholarship. Even the babies stopped crying. A man who graduated from the school in 1950 donated his entire pension to set up $500,000 scholarship. The scholarship will start off at $12,000 for the first year of college and grow to $50,000. The only people who knew about this scholarship were the four administrators and the college counselors, so even the teachers sat with baited breath. The headmaster began to describe the individual who would be getting the award, “Energetic and passionate, SHE…” and with this little word, 2/3 of the graduating class slumped back in their chairs. The headmaster called the man up to the stage to say a few words before announcing the winner. His speech left the entire audience bawling as he shouted to the graduating class, “and remember NEVER QUIT!” It was the class president who won the award, fortunately she was sitting on the stage because she could barely stand when her name was announced. Thanking the man for the unbelievable scholarship, she began her presidential address by recollecting some fond memories: the senior skip day….in January…in the rain….to get Chinese food…and the phone calls home that the headmaster made to each and every parent…

Only one speech stood between the graduates and their diplomas: the Headmaster’s, “Many of you would not have made it if it were not for the teachers holding you up, but there have also been sometimes when the teachers would not have made it, if it were not for you holding them up.” She paused briefly before continuing, “I had only known you for three weeks when I stood before you and told you that I had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and in the coming weeks I would lose all my hair, wear a wig and be very sick…Over the past four years we have buried mothers, grandmothers, brothers and friends, we have been without homes and families, we have even had one birth. Yet tonight we are here, 91% of you going to 2-4 year colleges and having raised $1.25 million dollars in scholarships.” Finally it was time to give out the diplomas. This was the most unbelievable part of the night, people rushed the stage when their student was called. Behind me one grandmother stood on a chair screaming and snapping pictures. Families waved homemade pennants touting their student’s name and held up camera phones to quickly share this moment with others. I have never seen so much energy, happiness and pride in one room in my entire life; it was truly something exceptional.