Saturday, April 26, 2014

100-Year-Old Gets High School Diploma

I was all set to do a feel-good post on this:
They're doing something right in Hayward, because Mildred Principe - at age 100 - looks better than most people do... well, ever.

With silky honey-blond hair, an infectious smile, practically zero wrinkles and flashy new red sweats, she fit right in with the students at Hayward High School on Wednesday. Not surprising, because she's one of them. Class of 2014, to be exact.

Hayward High bestowed a diploma to Principe at a ceremony on campus Wednesday, eight decades years after she dropped out to get married. 
You know what I didn't read in the story? Anything about what she did to earn the diploma.  There's no indication in the story that it was an honorary diploma, and there's no indication that she decided to finish her studies.
Hayward schools Superintendent Stan Dobbs invited Principe as a way to boost students' pride in their school and community, he said.
I had hoped there was something inspirational and educational in this story.  It was nothing more than a feel-good stunt.  Nice thing to do for a little old lady--but how, I ask, does this act "boost students' pride in their school and community"?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Conta Costa Times has a writeup on this. The degree was honorary.

-Mark Roulo

Jerry Doctor said...

They also named a hallway in her honor. Gee, if I can just hold on another three decades maybe my old high school will name one of the johns after me! On second thought, in another 30 years it will probably be a gay-lesbian-transgender-multigender-indeterminate-transvestite-and begrudgingly male bathroom and I'd just as soon not be associated with it.