So what does a high school nicknamed “Cow Pie High” do for graduation. They ring cowbells, of course. The 48th Commencement of Chopticon High School at the St. Mary’s College on Friday featured the graduates ringing cowbells emblazoned with their school name after they received their diplomas. The name was perhaps created by their rivals as a term of derision because of the schools location amid the Morganza farm fields. But the students embraced the name and every year there is a ceremonial painting by the senior class of the barn next door.
The graduation ceremony included 357 students receiving their diploma. Principal Garth Bowling said, “We continue to be one of the most competitive high schools in the Washington area.” He rattled off the awards received by the marching and concert bands, chorus, Air Force Junior ROTC and Student Government Association. Bowling quoted from a talk by legendary American radio broadcaster Paul Harvey entitled “These Things I Wish for You:”
“We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I’d like better. I’d really like for them to know about hand-me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meatloaf sandwiches. I really would!
“I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep. I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in. I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it’s all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he’s scared, I hope you let him. When you want to see a movie and your little sister wants to tag along, I hope you’ll let her.
“I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely. On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don’t ask your ‘driver’ to drop you two blocks away so you won’t be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom. If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books. When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head. I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and when you talk back to your Mother that you learn what Ivory soap tastes like. May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
“I don’t care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don’t like it. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he/she is not your friend. I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma and go fishing with your Uncle. May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays. I hope your Mother
