May 29, 2020 2 min read

I’m a retired social studies teacher, and I feel badly for today’s high school and college seniors. So many things they had worked for and dreamed of, gone in the matter of a few weeks. Prom, musicals, guidance on scholarships, track, baseball, softball, so many other things, and of course graduation. I am sure they feel cheated out of things they have looked forward to for the past three to four years.

When I am talking to a student or a parent, I tell them a story about two other students and their senior experience. Those seniors were my parents. My mom and dad were seniors at Trinity High School, on Dec. 7, 1941. I regret I never asked them what they felt at that time, but I can imagine that they knew all their plans would be put on hold perhaps forever. Many of the male seniors quit school and joined the military. My dad stayed in school but enlisted with his four other brothers, in the summer of 1942. My mom, who grew up on a farm, moved to the Washington YWCA and worked at the Observer and the local draft board. Plans for marriage, a home, family – all the things that graduates from both high school and college think about – on hold, maybe never. I tell folks today the big difference between 1942 and 2020 is that we know this pandemic will pass. A vaccine will be found, and life should get back to a form of normal sometime within the next year. But, in the summer of 1942, who knew what would happen. All of Europe had already fallen to Hitler, and the Japanese control of Asia was rapidly advancing. 

So I try to tell student that they are missing out on things that they planned for, but at least they can see, in the long term, everything will work out OK. Those seniors in June 1942 – not so sure. Many came home from the war, like my dad and his brothers, but sadly hundreds of thousands did not.

Congratulations to all seniors everywhere. Use the experiences of 2020 to learn and grow. In the end you will be stronger, wiser and more determined. You will be all right.

Gary L. Ford

Washington