From old schools to the new schools

Yes, this is the theme of this article. From old school to the new school, what has changed?  We talk on graduation exercise and how it has changed with the time.

Today’s graduation exercise differs from those in the past. Now there are graduations from kindergarten, elementary school, high school as well as college. In addition, there are graduations from the military, medical schools and specialized schools as well. For sure each of these graduates will wear graduation cap and gown. The kindergarten graduates do not wear a tassel on their mortar however; the elementary school and high school graduates do wear the graduation tassel. At both the elementary school level and the high school level, if the student achieved a high grade point average or was a member of the Honor Society, they would be awarded the graduation cords.

Comparing with our older times we were not lucky enough to celebrate every small milestone of graduation. At older times the only graduation that was celebrated was that at the college level. That was when the graduating student went from the college level and most always to the university level.

On the graduation day, there is a ceremony sometimes called a commencement exercise. It is at this ceremony that the graduate will receive the diploma. At the beginning of the ceremony, the students walk in a processional dressed in their gowns for graduation and their caps with the graduation tassel. After the speeches are made each individual graduate will be called to the stage to receive his/her diploma. The commencement speech is usually given by an honor student, a teacher or a celebrity and the theme of that speech is usually to advise the graduates what they will encounter in the real world. At older times the commencement ceremonies were not used to be that fancy. There was no formal ceremony arrangements that were there, only the teachers used to congratulate and provide a small advice for encouragement to students.

Tassels and hood forgraduation ceremony is a new invention. Thesetasselsare worn in one position before the graduation commencement and when the student receives the diploma or degree it is moved over to the other side of the cap to signify that the student has graduated. The type of hood that is attached to the gown today shows what degree the student has achieved. These new innovations are so refreshing and I cannot stop myself being jealous that I could not wear them at my time when I graduated 40 years back.