Photo by Lester Smith
Superintendent of Schools Karen Berasi congratulates Kenneth Schafer as she hands him his diploma. Schafer was one of nine residents of Suffield House receiving long overdue diplomas in a July 14 ceremony.
The July 14 event was delayed by as much as 80 years, but it was gratifying nevertheless. Nine residents of Suffield House who, for one reason or another, had never received a high school diploma were finally presented with one in a lovely ceremony in the nursing home’s recreation room.
Norma Sullivan, Assistant Therapeutic Recreation Director, believed that the diplomas were appropriately earned, so she prepared the certificates, planned the ceremony, and invited the Suffield Superintendent of Schools to make the presentations. Fortunately, Dan Kehoe was in town to play some period background music and a piano rendition of Pomp and Circumstance. With the space packed with visitors and residents and wheelchairs, there was no room for the traditional procession.
First Selectman Melissa Mack opened the proceedings with an astute discussion of the diploma – a simple piece of paper, but fraught with significance. Then she read the circumstances of each “graduate,” and Superintendent Karen Berasi made her way through the packed crowd to make the presentations. For some “graduates,” school was abandoned for financial reasons – the Great Depression was a profound factor in most lives then – others left school for military service. A few had completed secondary schooling, but missed the graduation ceremony.
Flowers and congratulations from friends and family followed, and mortarboard tassels were shifted to the right. The ceremonial cake was cut and distributed. It was a most happy occasion.