University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

Page 32 text:

UPPER LEFT: These graduates represent the shrinking number of participants in commencement exercises at the Uni¬ versity. Out of 2535 who received degrees, only 499 went through the cer¬ emony. UPPER RIGHT: As the hot air and long speeches dulled the attention of many, even the deans appeared to be daydreaming, but one boy found some action at the stadium (LOWER LEFT). LOWER RIGHT: Ken Kidd and Marian Keough search for their names in the program, the only place where gradu¬ ates receive singular recognition. 30 Student Life

Page 31 text:

FAR LEFT: Cindy Highfill, the only two year counselor, explains the information packet to freshman Chris Bennett. Packet information includes everything from facts about the Uni¬ versity to a map of the Big U. UPPER LEFT: julia Winchester ponders on what she needs to take. Freshmen receive advisement on every¬ thing from academics to social life. LOWER LEFT: Meetings and more meetings, speakers and more information, freshmen Ellen English and Elenor Bullard absorb information that is aimed to help them adjust better to the Uni¬ versity. UPPER RIGHT: Baptist or Lutheran, rep¬ resentatives from Campus Crusade get fresh¬ men to fill out religious preference cards so that the various churches can contact students when they first arrive. Student Life 29

Page 33 text:

Commencement: A Dying Tradition At the sound of Pomp and Circum¬ stance memories form tears in the eyes of a few hundred parents and friends who watch a small portion of the 101th class file into the bleachers of the Razorback Stadium. The view¬ ers, in their dresses and suits, sit fan¬ ning themselves with their programs. The atmosphere is filled with a mix¬ ture of dignity and ' absurdity, irony and sincerity. Some emotionally take pictures of the backs of a mass of black caps and gowns so they can later say this is my John. The deans parade in colorful and distinguished hoods down the astroturf onto a portable stage decorated with fake columns. As the program starts, the nostalgia dwindles and feet begin to shuffle. To some the occasion is important — others wish they had done like the majority of their classmates and not attended. As the candidates for degrees stand for recognition by col¬ leges instead of individually, parents wince in disappointment when they can ' t see their son or daughter in the rows of black mortar boards. When the program is over, some feel relief from their impatience, oth¬ ers feel empty and take their program home to pack with their other mem¬ ories. Student Life 31