Friday past, I found myself seated in the Granite City high school gymnasium amongst, perhaps eight hundred others watching the event called, 'May Carousel.' This annual school-anchored-tradition dates back to 1923. The purpose of the event is to 'present' the graduating senior girls to the community. This time honored custom is the schools' attempt to show how these young girls have blossomed from children to young women.
There are several aspects to the 'May Carousel' evening's presentation. There is a crowing of the May Queen, the presentation of the Queen's court and the Maypole dance, however the most beautiful part of the May Carousel is undoubtedly the Processional of the Senior Girls; every graduating young lady hears her name announced by the master of ceremonies and is escorted the length of the floor...how pointedly effective.
The decorations and evening's ceremony orchestration was obviously time demanding and required extensive planning and energies of many people.
May the above sentence stand alone because I can assure you that many school traditions go by the wayside because these events are perceived by administrators and faculty as problematic, troublesome and difficult. At a time-period in society when the school demands to address the 'needs' of children, i.e., learning disabilities and behavior problems, they tend to ignore the majority of students while 'dealing' often with the negative few. Just as it is acknowledged that the 'noisy wheel gets the grease' so it is with rules and regulations and decisions to 'avoid' the problems accompanying the problem-kids.
Let me elaborate. During my long tenure in high school athletics as coach/administrator, I noted that our school district was offering fewer school 'rallies and pep assemblies' celebrating the athletic individuals and teams 'wearing' our colors and representing our school and community. I approached the school's principal with my inquiry of why? He said, "Many teachers do not wish to have these assemblies due to the monitoring demands of the bad kids." This was at the same time the high school was giving out McDonald's coupons to truant kids who came to school for an entire week without an absence. I never inquired if the school was 'giving' any thing to the good kids who were never truant. Y'all chew on that philosophy a tad.
Congratulations to Granite City high school for serving its community as it celebrates the promise of tomorrow found in our youth.
PS. On a personal note, I extend thanks to Granite City high school for noting my granddaughter, Loren's accomplished past and hopeful future.
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