Design Your Own Graduation
So, we’re in graduation season again. Mine’s this weekend, though I’m not going. When you haven’t been in residence since 2007, fond farewells and “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” are all fairly irrelevant. Plus, 850 miles (from St. Paul to Ithaca) is a long way to drag two small boys for a ceremony in which they are guaranteed not to behave themselves.
Still, the occasion has gotten me in a bit of a sentimental mood, and I’ve been thinking about graduations. They’re mostly very silly these days, but in principle I do think commencement ceremonies serve a purpose. It is appropriate to celebrate the completion of a period of formation (which is what education ought to be), while looking ahead to the next phase in life. What would it take, though, to make a graduation ceremony worthwhile?
My husband and I put our heads together and came up with a list. Feel free to add your own, or quibble with ours.
1) There should be live music. Not Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance,” please. That’s just so corny.
2) The graduates may be congratulated on successfully completing an important phase of life. No one should imply, however, that finishing school is any kind of stunning achievement.
3) The speaker should be a scholarly figure. No movie stars, no rock stars, and absolutely no politicians. The speech should have scholarly content without being overly technical – something along the lines of an evening lecture. It would be nice to have some kind of message about education, its place in society, its role in a well-lived life etc.
4) There should be no fawning over the graduates. (This is one of many reasons for keeping the politicians far, far away.) They should be reminded of the serious responsibilities of adult life, and told that much is expected where much has been given. I feel, however, that graduation is not the occasion for berating graduates for their failures and collective shortcomings. That will only leave them feeling angry and demoralized, and in any case, if a graduating class is collectively ill-prepared for the challenges of the world they face, I’m inclined to think that more the fault of their elders than of the graduates themselves.
5) No to honorary degrees, valedictory speeches, and “Oh Great Deity of Your Choice” prayers. Yes to robes and hat-throwing. We all long for a big hooray at the end of a graduation. I think that’s healthy.
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Feb '12
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
Agreed on all points. This reminds me of everyone who was bored to tears by the speaker at my graduation, while I rather enjoyed him: He completely ignored the graduates and gave a fundraising pitch to the parents.
I suppose a few words to the graduates would have been nice, but then those speeches always end up in dire need of a rebuttal.
Jun '10
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
My extremely thoughtful response:
1. Disagree. Show a little love to one of the last white European males still allowed to show his face once a year. Plus I like the music.
2. Completely agree. This is like filling up the car with gas for the first time on a long road trip. Yes, you made it this far, but you're still in Snake's Navel, [insert name of state].
3. Does it have to be a "scholarly figure"? Most of them are unrepentant leftists. How about this: someone with some actual achievements and a serious view of the world (gravitas). Totally agree on celebrities. Absolutely NO JOURNALISTS, unless their names are George Will or Charles Krauthammer (both of whom will obey all the other rules, keep the talk short, and actually impart some wisdom).
4. Agree on all counts.
5. Agree. It merely lengthens an already interminable process. I gave a talk at my Jr. High graduation in 1966. I still have a copy. It began with the most cliched opening line in history: "We, the youth of today, and the leaders of tomorrow . . . ." 46 years later, I'm still embarrassed. Save young people from themselves.
Edited on May 23, 2012 at 4:16pmApr '12
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
I guess I intended "scholarly figure" to be somewhat broad. It doesn't necessarily need to be an academic per se. An author or some of the more erudite journalists might qualify. I don't per se care about the person's level of formal education, but it should be someone learned, who, as you say, can impart some real wisdom, and leave parents feeling that they must have gotten something for their money if the school can provide such quality lecturing. (Don't universities ever worry about that? Valedictory speeches in particular always make me cringe. They reflect so poorly on the graduating class.)
Aug '11
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
I disagree on your first point also. "Pomp and Circumstance" is a requirement, and I don't care if it is corny.
As valedictorian of my high school class (there wasn't a lot of competition I tell people), I had to give a little speech, too. I can't remember what I said, but I'm sure it was dumb and clueless, and if Time Travel would allow me to go back and listen to myself, I'd probably run up on stage and smack that 18-year-old idiot.
Aug '11
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
When I graduated from college, there were two ceremonies. Governor Tommy Thompson spoke at the morning ceremony. The afternoon ceremony -- the one I had to sit through -- featured one of those unrepentant leftist professors from the history department lecturing us on Indian treaty rights.
Should have skipped it.
Aug '10
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
When I graduated from high school I told my parents, "I will only agree to take part in one graduation ceremony. High school or university. Choose now."
They chose high school, so I got my university diploma in the mail.
Jun '10
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
Rachel Lu
I guess I intended "scholarly figure" to be somewhat broad. It doesn't necessarily need to be an academic per se. An author or some of the more erudite journalists might qualify. I don't per se care about the person's level of formal education, but it should be someone learned, who, as you say, can impart some real wisdom, and leave parents feeling that they must have gotten something for their money if the school can provide such quality lecturing. (Don't universities ever worry about that? Valedictory speeches in particular always make me cringe. They reflect so poorly on the graduating class.)
As you've restated it, I'm with you. Now if you could just give a little love to Elgar.
By the way, this is a great thread.
Edited on May 23, 2012 at 4:56pmJun '10
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
Misthiocracy: When I graduated from high school I told my parents, "I will only agree to take part inone graduation ceremony. High school or university. Choose now."
They chose high school, so I got my university diploma in the mail. · 1 minute ago
I got my undergraduate degree in the mail too. I'd already been admitted to law school, so I saw little point.
After all these years, I haven't a clue who spoke at my law school ceremony (I skipped the big one). I do recall that he was blessedly brief.
Dec '10
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
Fresh off my son's college graduation. Small university, great (quick) ceremony. Commencement speaker was an Associate Professor of Literature and gave an incredible speech. Two parts humor - one part counsel. Gave God the glory which, while not surprising (it's a Christian university) is always appreciated. I was surprised, however, that there was no formal "tassle move" as I recall from my high school graduation.RE: Live music - totally agree. Kill Elgar? Not so much. Big fan of tradition. I guess the only thing I'd want to see different is that there actually be something memorable about the ceremony for the graduate. Something appropriate that will stick with them as they move to the next phase of their life. Could be an amazing student overcoming story. Could be a direct tie to history (I'd imagine the grads the semester after 9/11 have far more vivid memories of their commencement). It would seem most schools shoot for staid, vanilla programming.
May '10
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
If Elgar is a must, change it up with the Enigma variations.
Apr '12
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
The anti-Elgar bit was a particular point of emphasis with my husband. I'm willing to tell him that the Ricochetti (or whatever we are, though as a Catholic and a medievalist I like the Italian connection) have overruled him, if necessary, but why so much love for Elgar? There are plenty of nice, stately pieces by dead white males that we could bring in to mix things up a little. Were you all married to Mendelssohn's Wedding March as well? It'll be harder to get decent live music if you always demand "Pomp and Circumstance". Orchestras get so tired of playing the same famous pieces.
I graduated (from college) the semester after 9/11, actually. It does add some poignancy to my memories of senior year, but I don't know that it affected graduation so much. Maybe that's just an indictment of the university, but what would you have wanted them to do/say?
Jan '11
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
No love for Pomp and Circumstance here. We had the band from Fort Lee and Sousa, which to my mind is a serious improvement. Would have been even better if they'd played all the way through Katie Couric's talk.
Coincidentally, Couric complained that others had accused her of lack of "gravitas."
Aug '11
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
Rachel Lu:
Were you all married to Mendelssohn's Wedding March as well?
My wife and I used a very non-traditional piece for our wedding processional. I picked it. I can't believe she let me get away with it.
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
Ben Hurst: No love for Pomp and Circumstance here. We had the band from Fort Lee and Sousa, which to my mind is a serious improvement. Would have been even better if they'd played all the way through Katie Couric's talk.
Coincidentally, Couric complained that others had accused her of lack of "gravitas." · 21 minutes ago
Ben, did she actually make that complaint during the speech? If so, that's remarkable. Having written commencement addresses before, the first rule from behind the podium is: it's not about you. Somehow, I'm not surprised that point was lost on the solipsistic Couric.
Sep '11
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
I like your list and especially agree with number 3. At Skidmore we have a faculty speaker, who was terrific this year, as well as honorary degree recipients who say a few words. So all these talks are quite short--under 10 minutes. My wife Natalie had the honor of introducing one of the recipients this year, Ron Chernow, who gave a nice talk. It was a great moment for the Taylor family!
Jun '10
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
Love it, but isn't it a bit hard to march to.
I love Elgar--he's very underrated. He was British, so I think we need to keep him as a symbolic reprimand to Obama for returning the bust of Churchill (how's that for an esoteric defense?).
If you want a great choral work, listen to Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius.
And perhaps the best reason of all: the moustache.
May '11
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
6) Fireworks. Definitely fireworks.
Jan '11
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
I've seen that Frank Luntz guy. He has a standard application where he superimposes line charts over a video of the speaker, showing how people are responding to each argument, broken out by parties.
They should have that in real time, projected onto giant screens behind the podium. Instead of parties, split it into parents and graduates.
And if the speaker starts to flat-line, perhaps they can switch the video to something more interesting. Of course, by then, everyone will have pulled out their iPads to resume their sexting.
Feb '12
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
I like the idea of a live band, but I distrust the ability of 21 year olds to pick quality music for the band to play.
I say, though, that we should have Pomp & Circumstance on the entrance, then the university president should welcome graduates & guests, and THEN the live band plays a song or two.
After the song, then the speaker. But I'm not sure you can have a scholarly speaker after a live college band plays. That'll be interesting.
Then all are dismissed to a real upbeat song played by the band.
Aug '10
Re: Design Your Own Graduation
Just to prove your point, I think that all graduation ceremonies should be required by law to feature the medal ceremony track from A New Hope.
;-)