Graduations

It’s Graduation time all over the world. So my mind pauses and catches images of graduations, my own and many others. First, mine. Graduation from 8th grade at Zion Lutheran School, Walburg, Texas was a big deal. We dressed up in freshly starched and ironed shirt, tie and coat. We graduates sat on the outdoor stage under the trees between the school and the area where the kids who rode horseback to school tethered their rides. The motto “Climb Though the Path Be Rugged” was emblazoned on the wall behind. The class salutatorian welcomed all. The guest preacher preached the appropriate words. The diplomas (duly rolled and ribbon enclosed were distributed.) Then the valedictorian (that would be I) gave the closing address, carefully following the rules: thank the parents, the congregation, the school board, and the teachers. Assure your classmates of everlasting friendship and say it LOUD so that all can hear because there was, of course, no speaker system. Lemonade, cookies and angel food cake climaxed the celebration.

Four year later there was very little focus on my or any else’s high school graduation. It was May 10, 1945 just 2 days after V-E Day (Victory in Europe) had been declared. To my own surprise I still remember the graduation address/sermon was based on John the Baptist’s words “ He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease!” The class was all male, all preparing for rostered church ministry. I remember my Aunt Elizabeth being there and I especially remember her telling me that what made her proud was that I had been recognized for my high marks in religion. A female friend who came on her own all the way from Thorndale (35 gas-rationed miles away) was not someone whose presence I could really acknowledge and I do not even recall speaking with her. A few of us guys celebrated afterwards by going to the amusement park and enjoying the baseball-pitching machine. I look back frankly in great surprise that I do not even recall trying to buy an underage beer in that beer-saturated culture.

I remember nothing of my college graduation ceremony. Of course, I was extremely proud to have my mom and dad there (dad had graduated from the same school exactly 30 years earlier). I wish I had been more sensitive to the financial sacrifices they made to come from Texas to Illinois to be there. But the big excitement of the day was that a couple hours before the ceremony I had slipped a package into Jane’s hand. It was our engagement ring. (Incidentally, it was made possible financially when the one head of cattle I owned sold at auction for $100.00) So graduation activities quickly fell much lower in matters to which my head or heart was attuned.

Years (and many other graduations later) I was the pleased parent as each of our five kids received diplomas, in each case with high honors from bachelors through Ph D’s. Tim’s (forever the middle child) was in the midst of other compelling events. The news of my father’s death arrived just as he was lining up for the procession into the beautiful Valparaiso Chapel (He and Jane got the message and had decided to tell me only after the ceremony. The next day we rushed to my dad’s funeral and then later, back to Valpo where daughter Peggy was getting married. Never did attend son John’s graduation from high school, college or graduate school. He is really not into such things and attended none of them.

In the many years since my own I have attended countless graduations. I figure I have been the speaker for at least a hundred elementary and high school graduations. It has been a challenge and a joy to speak at 5 university/college graduations and always a humbling experience to receive honors and awards at others. All are merely pointers to the blessings of an education, a reminder of the challenge to use what has been taught and to be an instrument so that an increasing number of people around the world might receive the benefit of developing their gifts through education for the cause of service and world peace.