Reminiscing on Graduation

Some regular readers emailed me last week, inquiring as to my whereabouts. I assured them that all is fine with the Locklin family, and I merely took a week off from column writing in order to recuperate.

You see, our son graduated from Etowah High School last weekend. It is a milestone for parents that equates to a triathlon.

My husband, Lewis, was characteristically confused about the multiple tasks and activities that surrounded Graduation 2011 . According to my ever-opinionated spouse, high school should end just as it did for him in 1970. Finish your last class then pile as many pals as you can into a car and head to Panama City Beach.

Not so for our Etowah grads. The final month of school brought all manner of tasks ranging from addressing graduation announcements to planning a party to ironing the graduation gown to paying outstanding school fees that a certain senior failed to mention earlier in the year.

I spent the equivalent of a week at Cherokee Reprographics obsessing over the precise wording and style of announcements and party invitations. And I could not resist ordering a box of cocktail-sized napkins embossed with Taylor’s name and graduation date. Once that was settled, there was no reason not to additionally order 100 similarly embossed ribbons that double as dandy bookmarks and would be set out as party favors.

Noticeably absent from all this planning and errand-running were Lewis and the graduate. They mostly rolled their eyes nightly as I reconciled my To Do list.

Purchase tacky party decorations from Party City and Dollar Tree ? Check.

Assemble color coordinated high school mementos and headed-to-college items for a table display at the graduation party? Finished.

Scan 125 photographs of Taylor and friends for a slide show during the graduation party? Done.

Meet with banquet manager to plan menu and other details for the graduation party? Check and rechecked after three meetings.

The big weekend was finally upon us. My out-of-town in laws arrived Friday evening about five minutes after I frantically cleared cobwebs and dust bunnies from the guest room. Lasagna in the oven and salad in the fridge, Lewis and I quickly abandoned our guests to attend the first of multiple graduation parties being thrown by our friends for their own graduates.

Commencement the next morning at the First Baptist Church of Woodstock was well-orchestrated and I teared up more than once as our son’s friends, many whom we have known since they were kindergarteners, marched across the dais. After the ceremony, Taylor slowed down for about one minute to let me snap a couple of photos in the parking lot. Then he was off to join his friends at multiple pool parties scheduled for the rest of the day.

Etowah High School Class of 1966: Jo Anne Bryan Hooper

I attended Goodsprings School from 1-8 grades. After graduating in 1966 from Etowah High I worked at Alverson's drug store for several years before moving to Cleveland. In Cleveland I attended and graduated from Cleveland State Community College while working at Gibson's pharmacy. After Cleveland State I attended Lee University while working as a Lab tech at Duracell Battery Company. I received a BS degree in Natural Science from Lee. Duracell transferred me to Lagrange Ga. I stayed with Duracell until 1988 and then accepted a job with Belden Wire and Cable in Richmond IN. After 15 years of very cold winters I decided it was time to move back South. Moved to Chattanooga and then to Decatur GA. I am semi-retired but do consulting work from home and I also have my Real Estate License. Plan to stay here for a long time. I am glad to be back in the south and closer to my family and friends. Alex Crumley Alice Rudder Patterson Allen Kidd Allen Yount Annette Long B.B. Powell Barbara Dunn Woody Ben Lankford Bill Murphy Bob Taylor Bobby Slack Brenda Buckner Brenda Wilson Charlsie Waldrop Baker Clara Corn LaFrance Clarence McAllister Clifford Wilson Cluster Barefield Dale King Dan Guy Danny Beasley Danny Puett Darlene Malone Simpson David Miller Dianne Wilson Wolfe Donald Moates Donald Morelan Doris Brakefield Eddy Holt Eilene Mason Eva Sue Martin Fritzi Guegold Matthews Gary Arms Gary Frase Gerald Smith Harold Curtis Jack Keith Jack Williams James Pirkle Janis Bivens Brock Janis Harris Morel Jennifer Jones Hubbard Jerry Turner Jimmy Mincey Jo Ann Bryan Jo Anne Givens Garner Joan Smith Kirkland John T.

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