In clearing out old bins and boxes, I came upon the tangible remains of my education. Here’s my high school diploma, in a fancy faux-leather folder designed to last for generations. Here’s my UF Bachelor of Arts certificate, my Senior Thesis (yellow cover, UF undergrad) and one from grad school (red cover, Univ of Wisconsin), plus 3 undergraduate papers. Thank goodness I was smart enough not to request a certificate for the Master’s Degree.
I’m rereading the papers, trying to find out what I knew, back in the day. It’s amazing. Also pretty irrelevant. Instead of pursuing a more scholarly life, where I might have actually had an office where my certificates could be displayed, I’m glad I chose to work in local middle- and high-school classrooms, getting to work with younger kids. Maybe I even made a difference.
What is one to do with such things? My kids aren’t going to want to store them. Perhaps a ceremonial fire with appropriately dignified comments would provide a proper disposal……..
Ann Dickinson Sargent 