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Graduation et cetera
May. 30th, 2005 12:21 amAs ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
deaminerva has mentioned, the fireworks last night were a lot of fun. Other than the technicians, I think the fire companies on scene (Morton, Rutledge, and us) were closest to where they shot them off - it was certainly the closest I've ever been to where fireworks were being launched. Unfortunately we were soon sent scrambling due to the embers coming down behind Mertz, though the afternoon rain had wet everything and the fire hazard was minimal. Rutledge actually threw a 35-foot ladder to the roof of Old Tarble and even established a supply line to a hydrant, but there was really no need.
The commencement exercises this morning were lovely, too. Joanna and Sayaka had managed to get people in SWIL a bunch of seats with an excellent view. I'm not sure I agreed with John's choice of processional and recessional music... while the jazzy spirituals were upbeat and fun, perhaps the ceremony should have been more solemn? Raghu's speech was quite hilarious (I first met him on the first night of orientation as he was a CA in Willets). Al Bloom's speech was a good one, even though I disagreed with some things in his speech against moralistic absolutism. Personally, when it's my turn next year, I hope that the graduation speeches will be less overtly political.
It was the strangest feeling to see the seniors - people likerose_garden, reldnahkram, Jawaad, Chris Segal, and many others graduate. It is yet stranger to realize that the class of '06 is at this point the senior class. Alas, at Swarthmore, being a senior does not bring anassing privileges or anything else particularly special.
Question for the Mawrtyrs, or people at other schools... what does the your college mace look like? At Swarthmore, it is a thin, roughly footlong silver baton with garnet ribbons at the end, which Don Shimamoto, the Chief Faculty Marshal, carries horizontally during the opening and closing processions. I've seen pictures of other college maces, including one of Rutgers' being carried by then governor McGreevey. Some of them (Rutgers' included) are at least two or three feet long, are much broader, and have ornate jeweled heads. In short, those look much more like maces, and given their heft, could probably actually do a significant amount of damage were they used for striking.
deaminerva has mentioned, the fireworks last night were a lot of fun. Other than the technicians, I think the fire companies on scene (Morton, Rutledge, and us) were closest to where they shot them off - it was certainly the closest I've ever been to where fireworks were being launched. Unfortunately we were soon sent scrambling due to the embers coming down behind Mertz, though the afternoon rain had wet everything and the fire hazard was minimal. Rutledge actually threw a 35-foot ladder to the roof of Old Tarble and even established a supply line to a hydrant, but there was really no need.The commencement exercises this morning were lovely, too. Joanna and Sayaka had managed to get people in SWIL a bunch of seats with an excellent view. I'm not sure I agreed with John's choice of processional and recessional music... while the jazzy spirituals were upbeat and fun, perhaps the ceremony should have been more solemn? Raghu's speech was quite hilarious (I first met him on the first night of orientation as he was a CA in Willets). Al Bloom's speech was a good one, even though I disagreed with some things in his speech against moralistic absolutism. Personally, when it's my turn next year, I hope that the graduation speeches will be less overtly political.
It was the strangest feeling to see the seniors - people like
rose_garden, reldnahkram, Jawaad, Chris Segal, and many others graduate. It is yet stranger to realize that the class of '06 is at this point the senior class. Alas, at Swarthmore, being a senior does not bring anassing privileges or anything else particularly special.Question for the Mawrtyrs, or people at other schools... what does the your college mace look like? At Swarthmore, it is a thin, roughly footlong silver baton with garnet ribbons at the end, which Don Shimamoto, the Chief Faculty Marshal, carries horizontally during the opening and closing processions. I've seen pictures of other college maces, including one of Rutgers' being carried by then governor McGreevey. Some of them (Rutgers' included) are at least two or three feet long, are much broader, and have ornate jeweled heads. In short, those look much more like maces, and given their heft, could probably actually do a significant amount of damage were they used for striking.
