Community Free Press

Community members voice concerns over paratransit program - Access Express shuttle program falls under scrutiny from disabled community / Accept every challenge - Local Elks Lodge members combat drug use among Ozark youth / Task force reveals preliminary survey results - City’s sexual orientation and gender identity task force compiling information for proposed ordinance / Two controversial topics remain in council limbo - Wal-Mart and Marijuana - City Council may decide to put both matters to voters in August / Recommendations made for school bond projects - Springfield school board has until late May to approve five local firms / Springfield’s tourism season begins / Financial Insights: Become wealthy by being your own banker / Get your yard ready for spring - Local experts offer tips on landscaping and outdoor lighting / City envisions community greenhouse / A new option for the uninsured - Family Medical Walk-In Clinics makes health care affordable / Celebrating 100 years - Springfield-Greene County Park Board recounts its history as it looks ahead / Brutal Brothers Films - Who's laughing now? / Celebrating the blues in Springfield - The Blues Society of the Ozarks’ monthly picnic offers music, food and friendship

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Two little revealed truths in life are that all Barry Manilow recordings sound the same and that about half the buildings on MSU’s campus are Hammons this or Hammons that. The Edge is never sure which Hammons Hall is going to be the venue for his infrequent visits to the campus.

Parental worst fears allayed and most fervent prayers answered, The Edgelett is now, officially, a high school graduate. Her matriculation into the ranks of those with a diploma was feted with an official public school graduation ceremony held at JQH Arena, known to the faithful MSU basketball fan as “The Q”.

Attending the ceremonial cap and gown event provided some eye-opening discoveries in contrast. The Edge harkened back to the time (admittedly a lot of years ago) when, on that same campus, in the Craig Hall Auditorium, Greenwood’s commencement ceremony was held. Greenwood admittedly had fewer students in total than the Edgelett’s graduating class. That noted, the differences are, at once, stark and great.

The remembered Craig Hall ceremony found the usual armies of parents, siblings and grandparents arriving and finding seats in the auditorium. In contrast the JQH ceremony entailed finding a parking spot, walking several blocks and then standing in line while police searched purses, valises, clutches and backpacks. In the Edge’s day, high school graduation wasn’t considered a potential terrorist target.

Just as happened at The Edge’s commencement, a program was provided to identify the graduates. Back then there was a valedictorian (top grade point) and a salutatorian (runner up). Actually (Thanks for the Latin education Mrs. Rice) the term valedictorian isn’t based on performance but rather alludes to the final speaker at commencement. The Latin term, vale dicere, literally means to say farewell. At some point, the honor of being the final speaker was given to the student with the best performance and, over time, valedictorian became synonymous with the ranking person in a graduation class.

Sans a salutatorian, there were half a dozen or more valedictorians in the Edgelett’s class, some of them spoke (but not last) and some of them didn’t. The selection metrics for today’s valedictorians remains a mystery.

Also found in the class of 2013 graduation program was a section on decorum for the parents and grandparents. It appears that we’ve been exposed and corrupted by so much reality TV that it takes a stern reminder that our own offspring’s big day, doesn’t double as a golden opportunity to audition for a role on the set of “American Hoggers” or “Duck Dynasty.” The Edge offers this observation notwithstanding the fact that some graduate’s families donned tree bark camouflage hats and Bermuda shorts to attend the celebratory event.

Additional prohibitions on behavior were given to the graduates themselves. Signs outside listed half a dozen prohibited items including cameras, flowers, cell phones, etc. In 2013, a public ceremony becomes the perfect showplace for administrative educator prohibitions necessitated by the lack of teaching young people how to properly behave in any venue other than a classroom. The Edge recalls his recent treatise describing one goal of early childhood education to be establishment of the ability to sit quietly and listen. It’s something we’re going to teach three-year olds while giving a pass to 18-year olds and their parents.

While the differences are remarkable, one thing is little changed from the day The Edge walked the stage for his diploma: the opportunity for education isn’t ending or even beginning to end. Education is just beginning. Congratulations to the Edgelett and her 2013 graduating classmates.