LisaR
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- Joined
- Sep 26, 2000
- Messages
- 9,932
I love it!
Commencement speech given by a high school English teacher:
I've only pasted part of it. It is definitely worth reading the whole thing:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c.../wellesley-high-grads-told-youre-not-special/
Snipped:
And your ceremonial costume shapeless, uniform, one-size-fits-all. Whether male or female, tall or short, scholar or slacker, spray-tanned prom queen or intergalactic X-Box assassin, each of you is dressed, youll notice, exactly the same. And your diploma but for your name, exactly the same.
All of this is as it should be, because none of you is special.
You are not special. You are not exceptional.
Contrary to what your u9 soccer trophy suggests, your glowing seventh grade report card, despite every assurance of a certain corpulent purple dinosaur, that nice Mister Rogers and your batty Aunt Sylvia, no matter how often your maternal caped crusader has swooped in to save you youre nothing special.
Yes, youve been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble-wrapped. Yes, capable adults with other things to do have held you, kissed you, fed you, wiped your mouth, wiped your bottom, trained you, taught you, tutored you, coached you, listened to you, counseled you, encouraged you, consoled you and encouraged you again. Youve been nudged, cajoled, wheedled and implored. Youve been feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie. Yes, you have. And, certainly, weve been to your games, your plays, your recitals, your science fairs. Absolutely, smiles ignite when you walk into a room, and hundreds gasp with delight at your every tweet. Why, maybe youve even had your picture in the Townsman! And now youve conquered high school and, indisputably, here we all have gathered for you, the pride and joy of this fine community, the first to emerge from that magnificent new building
But do not get the idea youre anything special. Because youre not.
The empirical evidence is everywhere, numbers even an English teacher cant ignore. Across the country no fewer than 3.2 million seniors are graduating about now from more than 37,000 high schools. Thats 37,000 valedictorians 37,000 class presidents 92,000 harmonizing altos 340,000 swaggering jocks 2,185,967 pairs of Uggs. .
If youve learned anything in your years here I hope its that education should be for, rather than material advantage, the exhilaration of learning. Youve learned, too, I hope, as Sophocles assured us, that wisdom is the chief element of happiness. (Second is ice cream just an fyi) I also hope youve learned enough to recognize how little you know how little you know now at the moment for today is just the beginning. Its where you go from here that matters.
Commencement speech given by a high school English teacher:
I've only pasted part of it. It is definitely worth reading the whole thing:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c.../wellesley-high-grads-told-youre-not-special/
Snipped:
And your ceremonial costume shapeless, uniform, one-size-fits-all. Whether male or female, tall or short, scholar or slacker, spray-tanned prom queen or intergalactic X-Box assassin, each of you is dressed, youll notice, exactly the same. And your diploma but for your name, exactly the same.
All of this is as it should be, because none of you is special.
You are not special. You are not exceptional.
Contrary to what your u9 soccer trophy suggests, your glowing seventh grade report card, despite every assurance of a certain corpulent purple dinosaur, that nice Mister Rogers and your batty Aunt Sylvia, no matter how often your maternal caped crusader has swooped in to save you youre nothing special.
Yes, youve been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble-wrapped. Yes, capable adults with other things to do have held you, kissed you, fed you, wiped your mouth, wiped your bottom, trained you, taught you, tutored you, coached you, listened to you, counseled you, encouraged you, consoled you and encouraged you again. Youve been nudged, cajoled, wheedled and implored. Youve been feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie. Yes, you have. And, certainly, weve been to your games, your plays, your recitals, your science fairs. Absolutely, smiles ignite when you walk into a room, and hundreds gasp with delight at your every tweet. Why, maybe youve even had your picture in the Townsman! And now youve conquered high school and, indisputably, here we all have gathered for you, the pride and joy of this fine community, the first to emerge from that magnificent new building
But do not get the idea youre anything special. Because youre not.
The empirical evidence is everywhere, numbers even an English teacher cant ignore. Across the country no fewer than 3.2 million seniors are graduating about now from more than 37,000 high schools. Thats 37,000 valedictorians 37,000 class presidents 92,000 harmonizing altos 340,000 swaggering jocks 2,185,967 pairs of Uggs. .
If youve learned anything in your years here I hope its that education should be for, rather than material advantage, the exhilaration of learning. Youve learned, too, I hope, as Sophocles assured us, that wisdom is the chief element of happiness. (Second is ice cream just an fyi) I also hope youve learned enough to recognize how little you know how little you know now at the moment for today is just the beginning. Its where you go from here that matters.
Unfortunately, such profound speeches are usually lost on the graduates. It's the parents who go "wow!".
