Saturday, June 4, 2011

First year graduates return to Queens College

From the NY Times:

The nine college classmates adjusted their gowns and mortarboards and marched proudly out to the commencement ceremony on the quad of Queens College campus on Thursday morning.

“It’s like walking on the moon,” said Haskel Case, one of the classmates. “So much has changed.”

Mr. Case, 90, and the other eight classmates, were not graduating this day. They already did so, 70 years ago on this same spot as members of the the first graduating class from Queens College: the Class of ’41.

And now, none younger than 90, they were invited back to be honored during the college’s commencement.

They were among the college’s first 400 students when it opened in 1937. Of the handful still alive, nine showed up on Thursday. Most drove from nearby suburbs or flew in from other parts of the country.

One could understand Mr. Case’s disorientation. The campus he knew consisted of a modest horseshoe of six Spanish-style buildings surrounded by a sprawl of fields. Now there are more 40 buildings on campus, many of them modern constructions with so-called smart capabilities and wireless technology.

There were 197 students graduating Queens College in 1941, compared with the roughly 5,000 that earned degrees this year, of about 19,000 students currently enrolled in the college.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

was the Russian Communist national anthem (the internationale) played ?

Anonymous said...

what a stupid thing to say.

Anonymous said...

Awesome ceremony because of their presence -

Anonymous said...

was the Russian Communist national anthem (the internationale) played ?

Anonymous #1 is confusing Queens College with the CUNY Law School at Queens College. It was at the Law School's first commencement that the Internationale was played.

Queens College knows how to throw a party and how to honor distinguished guests. York College didn't seem to know or care that 2011 was the 40th anniversary of its first graduating class (Class of 71) - at first they planned to only invite alumni from the Classes of 76, 81, 86, and 91 - and by the time they scrambled to include the Class of 71, only 3 people showed up. No respect.

Deke DaSilva said...

One could understand Mr. Case’s disorientation.

No, it wasn't the 40 buildings that disoriented Mr. Case!

When he was told about: the gay and lesbian association, the Black Students Union, La Raza, Chinese Students Group, Moslem Students Association, pro Palestinian groups, anti-American Leftist Organizations, affirmative action officers, anti-free speech regulations, lowered academic standards, and students getting drunk and engaging in "hook-ups".......

Mr. Case nearly had a heart attack!

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...

was the Russian Communist national anthem (the internationale) played ?"

Yeah. They couldn't find find a record player with 78rpm for the Kate Smith records.
What a jackass you are...High School dropout?

Anonymous said...

No, it wasn't the 40 buildings that disoriented Mr. Case!

When he was told about: the gay and lesbian association, the Black Students Union, La Raza, Chinese Students Group, Moslem Students Association, pro Palestinian groups, anti-American Leftist Organizations, affirmative action officers, anti-free speech regulations, lowered academic standards, and students getting drunk and engaging in "hook-ups".......

lol I agree

Anonymous said...

Re: anon #6..... you do not seem to know the difference between a STATEMENT and a QUESTION ?

BTW , did B.P.Clare Schulman walk out of the Queens College first C.U.N.Y. Law School ceremony , in protest of the Communist National Anthem being sung ?

another question # 6.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Re: anon #6..... you do not seem to know the difference between a STATEMENT and a QUESTION ?"

When a sentence end with "?" -it is a question. When the "?" -is asinine -I'll call it that.

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 8 -

You're the last one who should be questioning someone else's use of grammar, Gramps.

Anonymous said...

It was an awesome ceremony