Things have changed for graduates

The plan was to hold a “Beer Bash” after graduation at a deserted house in a wooded area outside of town. All seniors who were “in the know” had arranged it and would be there.

That was when the school principal got wind of the plan.

He announced there would be no “Beer Bashes” as long as he was the principal and anyone found to be in on the planning would be in a lot of trouble.

In those days, the principal seldom contacted the police to handle school problems. That was thought to be a sign of weakness.

The response to the principal’s demand was immediate.

Forty four members of our graduating class left class and sat on the bleachers near the football field.

The principal threatened us with everything from being kicked out of school to not graduating.

We insisted it was a matter of principal. The Beer Bash was after school was out and we felt the school had no authority.

In the end, the principal suspended the 44 students for one week. We all laughed and spent the week at a vacation resort town on the beach. The Beer Bash never happened and most of us became responsible citizens.

Times have changed. Graduating students would never get away with that today. The police would have raided the Beer Bash and half the kids would have ended up with serious DUI’s on their records.

In those days, when a kid screwed up, he usually was given an option to spend some time in jail or join the army. It’s surprising how many enlistments started right out of high school, or even before graduation.

Today, the military doesn’t want screw ups.

There are people who argue that young people are somehow worse these days, and they have no respect.
We don’t believe that is the case. The penalties are worse. Ad DUI today can go on a person’s record and will be there for years to come.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. If a student is drinking and hits someone, or kills someone, the consequences could ruin more than on life, the driver and the one he or she hit.

Also back then, drugs were not a part of the equation. We did get drunk and we did drink while driving but we didn’t mix alcohol and drugs.

We also didn’t have the benefit of a “Sober Grad” program which has been a God send to many young people who want to be part of the crowd, but don’t know how to say “no” to things when they get out of hand.

Sober Grad programs have made it “cool” to celebrate graduation in a manner that does not involve extreme danger for the student and gives peace of mind to the parents who have to wait at home while all of this is going on.

Thank God that someone realized there is more than one way to celebrate and it need not be by drinking. We adults all know the dangers of alcohol. For some of us it came learning the hard way.

There is nothing worse than having to spend the day after graduation picking up ones child from the local police station, or even worst, viewing him or her at the morgue.