#52 Ancestors 2020 Week 27 Solo: The Singular Graduation of James Gibbons Agee

My son James has always been a free spirit and his checkered collegiate career reflected that.  After graduating from Arundel High School in 1991, he attended four colleges before finally graduating in 2000.  Since he didn't have a clear idea of a major, he decided to attend the local community college to get his feet wet in higher education.  (Plus, since I was on the faculty there, he could attend for free. Bonus.)  He seemed to enjoy it, and I certainly enjoyed getting to see him fairly often when he would drop by my office.  He did manage to fail Art twice, not because he didn't have talent, but he just couldn't seem to get the assignments handed in on time. ;-(

But he finally did pass on the third attempt and decided it was time to move on.  He spread his wings and flew out to Montana, of all places, to attend Montana State University in Bozeman, where he decided to major in Photography.  He seemed to like  Bozeman a lot, especially the skiing, fishing, kayaking, etc.  And he was able to support his laid back lifestyle with a chef gig at Fred's Mesquite Diner. He changed majors a couple of times and eventually moved back to Maryland where he attended Towson University and finally got his act together to graduate (with honors) from the University of Baltimore with a degree in Business Administration. (In Jamie's defense, he says that his collegiate career shows that he's not a quitter!)

Now after all that, you might think that Jamie would really want to celebrate his accomplishment!  But no, to my dismay, Jamie announced that he did not want to attend the graduation.  As his mother, of course I could not let that stand.  Jamie might not want a ceremony, but I was certainly entitled to one.  So we marshalled all of the Scrivener family's considerable creative resources and put on a graduation ceremony that was unique in all the world.

First, all of the participants (directed by Artist-in-Residence, Aunt Maripat Rogers) made their own personal celebratory hats with ample decorations of glitter, pom-poms and whatever else struck their fancy.  So much glitter! So many sequins! And of course there was music: The Scrivener All-Star Kazoo Marching Band (Pomp and Circumstance, Our Speciality)! There was a vigorous academic march around Scrivener Hall, accompanied by a troop of accomplished bubble blowers.  Our very own Judge--The Right Honorable Louise Scrivener--was recruited to officially confer the degree, with honors, of course, to the thunderous cheering of the assembled cousins.  Uncle Phil Scrivener drew on his considerable experience to offer the new graduate sage advice about his future life in a stirring commencement address.  

And, the Piece de Resistance: When Pigs Fly.  An Encomium by the Illustrious Poet--Uncle Dave Scrivener.

I think Jamie's graduation suited him.  I feel sorry for the rest of the U Baltimore grads who had to make do with a stuffy address by the governor.