"We'll Remember Always...Graduation Day."

  The song 'Graduation Day' proved to
be a hit recording for several groups
including The Four Freshmen and The
Lettermen among others.
 It truly is a day most of us will
remember. For all kinds of reasons!
 We were invited to a High School
Commencement for a friend of the
family.
 We, along with hundreds of other
people, watched as the proud young
students marched across the stage
to receive their diplomas.
 What I didn't know was they
weren't really getting them!
 The folders they received were empty!
 This after the President of the
School Board and Superintendent of
Schools expressed their pride and
trust in the qualities of these
young men and women.
  But those trust worthy kids had
to report to school the following
day to make sure they were square
with records and any debts before
they got their real diplomas.
 I'm not sure why someone couldn't
have done that paperwork before
Commencement.
  We were asked to hold our applause
till after all the students were
introduced and got a photo with one
of the school board members who
were handing out the empty folders.
  Of course many in the audience
ignored the request and used everything
from shouts to air horns to acknowledge
the particular student they came to
salute.
  I guess they were 'clapped out'
by the time the final student left
the stage because nobody applauded
at that point.
 My own High School Graduation
was held in my school's football stadium.
  I was a manager for the football
team in my freshmen year. I wasn't
thrilled lugging the team's laundry
around or lifting one end of the
stretcher as we carried injured
players off the field so I
switched to the stage crew the
following year.
  I do remember walking across that
same field when my name was called.
  I was one of about 450 graduates
and our ceremony was so long I got
to wishing someone would get the
stretcher for me!
  That was a lot of years ago.
  But the lyrics of the song are
accurate. You'll always remember
Graduation Day. And whether your
diploma was actually in the folder
or not the memories will become
more treasured as years go by!
  Congratulations graduates!
  And may all your NEWS be good!