Galesburg High School - Reflector Yearbook (Galesburg, IL)

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'ugly ' , 3' Top: Enthusiasm and success go hand in hand, according to senior Brenda Rush, student speaker at the commencement. Middle: Senior Chris Kleine discussed deal- ing with change during his graduation speech. Preparing to sing Friends , senior Lori Wallace steps to the podium, YAHQQJW As the strains of 'Pomp and Circumstance' filled the hot auditorium, the three hundred fifty-two graduating seniors walked down the aisles and took their places in the front rows. Rev. Leigh Nygard from the Wesleyan Church gave the invo- cation to open the ceremony. Assistant Principal Lyle Snyder introduced the members of the school board who were on the platform. For the first time, both the school board members and the adminis- trators wore caps, gowns, cowls, and armbands depending on the academic degrees they had attained. Senior Lori Wallace sang the Whitney Houston song, Greatest Love of All before the student speakers gave their addresses. Elected by their classmates, seniors Brenda Rush and Chris Kleine spoke to the graduating seniors. Rush described the three qualities needed for successful living-discipline, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude. Kleine centered in on the useful mechanism learned in high school. According to Kleine, in high school students learned how to cope with change, embarrassment, and failure. Their speeches were followed by a slide show feat- uring mainly seniors. Faculty speaker Larry Diemer's speech was well- received by the audience. Diemer spoke of gra- duation as a rite of passage which entitled gradu- ates to new standing and new knowledge. There is no 'they' said Diemer, referring to scapegoat- ing the world's problems. Diemer also passed on the knowledge of TANSTAAFL-There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. With this philosophy, Diemer said, graduates could have a more realistic view of future situations. After Diemer's address, the A Cappella choir sang Starmaker and The Way We Were. Lyle Snyder read the names of the top five percent who then stood to be recognized. Lori Wallace then sang her own rendition of Friends Principal John Browning presented the class of 1986. Superintendent William Abel accepted the class and took the opportunity to discuss the historical signihcance of common sense. Then came the time the seniors had been wait- ing for, the symbolic awarding of diplomas. Row by row, the graduating seniors rose and filed to the stairs leading onto the stage. At the edge of the stage, associate principal Barry Swanson announced each graduate's name as he or she walked across the stage to receive a diploma from Principal John Browning. With over t.hree hundred graduates, it took a long time to announce all the graduates. Rev. Nygard offered the Benediction and the smiling graduates walked up the aisles and into the hall to congratulate each other on a job well done. Q 'gizamtariow Z7

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