{"id":24371,"date":"2021-06-03T14:51:20","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T14:51:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=24371"},"modified":"2021-06-03T14:51:20","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T14:51:20","slug":"best-to-class-of-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=24371","title":{"rendered":"Best to Class of ’21"},"content":{"rendered":"

Walking that Walk into the Future<\/h1>\n
\"\"
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tom Anselm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s called \u201cPomp and Circumstance.\u201d Originally composed by Sir Edmund Elgar in the early 1900s as part of a group of military marches, the selection we hear the most and know the best is March No. 1. It is the rather understated but still heart-stirring combination of orchestral instruments that was first played in the United States when Elgar received an honorary degree at Yale in 1905. Now we hear it at virtually every high school and college graduation across the country.
\nAnd how fitting a tune! More on that in a minute.
\nWe have had the recent joy and pleasure of seeing our two oldest granddaughters, Emma and Clara, \u2018complete the requirements,\u2019 as they say, for high school graduation. It is almost a clich\u00e9, but as Jill\u2019s mom so wisely stated, the \u2018four fastest years of their lives\u2019 has flown for not only them but for us all. They went through a lot, these seniors, from fears of no school to virtual school to full attendance, and have been able to get an almost-normal array of experiences and sports and performances amidst what one of the student speakers said was \u2018the year that shall not be mentioned.\u2019
\nA day like this, a graduation, may have seemed like the most unlikely of events as we worked through last summer. But now, seeing them in their mortarboards and gowns, adorned with sashes and cords, pridefully moving in to the next phase of life, and yes, hearing that song\u2026 well, tears and love abounded.
\nAs we sat there for one and watched another on video, it occurred to me what an egalitarian tune is this March No. 1. Not in any political sense\u2026 Heaven forbid! But consider this scene, all these teenagers-now-adults, all races, sizes and of varied accomplishments, making the stroll across the stage, as they enter the last official educational event of their secondary careers, all to the same grand and majestic sound of Elgar\u2019s \u201cPomp and Circumstance.\u201d Yes, the \u2018pomp\u2019\u2026 and my, oh my, how about them \u2018circumstances!\u2019
\nSome kids proudly sported the sash of The National Honor Society, State Scholar cords, special academic, athletic and service recognitions. Each student was singularly greeted by administrators with a nod to their future plans. Many were college-bound, some headed to a military career, others to trades, still others jumping right into the workforce. And a few, still undecided as to what their next adventure might be.
\nBut that day, each young person felt the pride of having finally reached a huge mile marker. Each young person knew that, whatever their next steps would be, this song was for them. They had done it. At. Last.
\nAfter the ceremonies, with all the tears and smiles and hugs and well- wishes and selfies inundating the common areas, I stepped back for a brief moment. I whispered a brief prayer to The Big Educator in the Sky. To lead them and guide them. To raise them up if they stumble. To protect them along the way.
\nFor we all know that line about \u2018the best laid plans of mice and men.\u2019
\nAnd women.
\nAnd finally, to these, our future: Godspeed, and warmest congratulations on a job well done. Make us proud, \u201921.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Walking that Walk into the Future It\u2019s called \u201cPomp and Circumstance.\u201d Originally composed by Sir Edmund Elgar in the early 1900s as part of a group of military marches, the selection we hear the most and know the best is March No. 1. It is the rather understated but still heart-stirring combination of orchestral instruments […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"off","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,9,12,13,16,17,20,40,25,27,29],"tags":[577,1221,1222,1223,576],"class_list":["post-24371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blackjack-spanishlake","category-columnists","category-education","category-entertainment-travel","category-ferguson","category-florissant","category-hazelwood","category-il","category-missouri","category-music","category-school-news","tag-boomers-journal","tag-class-of-2021","tag-graduation","tag-pomp-and-circumstance","tag-tom-anselm","entry"],"yoast_head":"\nBest to Class of '21 - flovalleynews.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=24371\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Best to Class of '21 - flovalleynews.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Walking that Walk into the Future It\u2019s called \u201cPomp and Circumstance.\u201d Originally composed by Sir Edmund Elgar in the early 1900s as part of a group of military marches, the selection we hear the most and know the best is March No. 1. 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