The class of '70, finally capped-and-gowned
I love this story in the NY Times about Boston University finally giving the class of 1970 a chance to march. Forty years ago, the “campus, like many across the country, was in turmoil, with strikes, sit-ins, building takeovers and fire-bombings.” So the school cancelled final exams and commencement, and mailed the grads their diplomas.
The Times reports:
At their own convocation on Sunday morning, class members — with their gray hair tucked under their caps and lifetimes of experience under their belts — strode across the stage in their fire-engine-red gowns and received their diplomas (actually, certificates, since their real diplomas had been mailed to them at the time).
Swaying back and forth, they spontaneously sang “All we are saying, is give peace a chance.” They bopped and shimmied off the stage to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
Attorney General Erich Holder gave the commencement address and told the assembled crowd of grads, “I love you all.” Then, “gesturing to the class of 1970, sitting right in front of him, he said, ‘But these are my people.’”
–Ben (class of ’75)
