The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-05-21
GLIM P S Els
T III E p A S T
By CAROLYN LLOYD

denly-d1gn1t1eu seniors, PROUD,
and a little seH-conscious in their
caps and gowns. Here and there
a tear glistens in mothers eye.
Throughout the land that scene
will be repeated time and time
again until the middle of June,
more or less the same every
where, and different in every
town because, regardless of
ceremonial form, it is the people
who make the occasion. Parents,
relatives, and friends are there
because these particular grad
yates mean something to them.
For the graduate himself this
ceremony will become one of the
highlights of his lifetime, for no
matter how many degrees he
might earn later. the thrill is
never the same.
There are two graduation
days in my memory. Thoughts
of one recall blistering hot
day on the E. c. T. c. campus,
when 1 stood in long line of
sweltering girls, draped in heavy,
black academic gowns waiting
for the signal to March to the
auditorium. We must have
marched good half mile singing
God of Our Fathers" before we
finally dropped exhausted into
our seats. The place was full
that June day, for the speaker
was the noted historian, r. D. w.
Conner; but most of us knew
that there were only few there
who gave boot whether we, in
dividually, received a degree.
Not only that, we were little
frightened. Up until then we had
been going to school all our lives
and someone had been respon-
sible for US; and there we were,
graduating from college in the
middle Of depression, sup
posedly educated and ready to
make a living-but where were
the jobs?
How different the June night
four years before, when I had
sat. dressed to kill, on the stage
with my best friends before an
audience composed of my family
and family friends. No caps and
gowns for us. The girls wore
white evening dresses and car
ried long-stemmed pink roses;
the boys were respondent in
blue coats. My dress was of chit
fon with a wide flounce of tulle,
appliqued on with silver. wore
my grandmother's pearls, an in
dication of the importance of
the occasion, and white kid slip
pers with the highest heels Il
have ever tried to totter arouri
in, before or since.
That graduation must have
been a pretty expensive occasion
for our parents and friends.
Prior to that night, we girls had
worn new dresses for two other
events-class day exercises and
baccalaureate sermon. The arm
full of hot house roses was an ex-
pensive touch as well. AS for the
family friends-wen it seemed as
though just about everybody in
town came through handsomely
that year, for every graduate
had presents galore. I remember
distinctly receiving seventeen
dance SETS, little lingerie items
in colored crepe de chine that
were the rage just then, and in
Vulnerable other gifts.
Sad to state, haven't the
faintest recollection of what the
baccalaureate speaker or the
commencement speaker had to
say-probably about the same
thing most of them have to say,
though. I do remember the thrill
of Knowing l was going to col
lege and of planning a future in
which there were no limits to
success. Not one of us on that
stage was plagued with doubts
the world was our oyster. I re-
member, too. the feeling of sad
ness, for in the midst of all the
excitement came the knowledge
that our little group, an excep-
tionally close one, was breaking
up and things would never be
the same. 1t was a wonderful
time, and I only wish that every
one could have one like it to re-
member.
My favorite graduation story
is not such a happy one, but it
is funny. 1t happended before I
came back to Belhaven to live,
but have heard the participants
tell it themselves, so it must be
true. 1t seems that one year two
girls in the senior class failed to
pass enough courses to entitle
them to a diploma. Graduation
exercises were held then in the
City Hall. As the program start
ed on the big night, two mysteri-
Gus figures came up the steps
and moved slowly down the CO