Monday, October 7, 2013

Penn State College Graduation 1938


24 September 2013

Penn State lost on the Saturday you were here. They fell behind early and couldn’t catch up. It was Central Florida – the same team they will play on 30 August 2014 in Dublin, Ireland. They won this past Saturday and will now start their Big Ten schedule. Did you get to see the stadium? Jackie had pretty good seats to see a game there.

Yes, I have GREAT memories of my time at Penn State – it was a “College” then with a total enrollment of 5000 students. I graduated on 6 June 1938! My mother and father came up for the occasion. I remember walking across the stage, shaking hands with the President, and receiving my Diploma/Degree and walking on to salute LTC Charles S. Ritchell, The Professor of Military Science, who gave me my commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Infantry. I was a “Distinguished Military Graduate”. I am sure that my mother and father were proud. My father had to leave the one room schoolhouse he attended at the end of eighth grade to work for his family.

I sat down with the graduates in the front rows until the ceremony was over and then walked down the center aisle on my way out of Rec Hall. As I walked I broke my stride and walked into the audience to embrace my mother and father. Others did the same. It was an emotional time in my life.

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