# Catawba County killjoys ruin exuberant teen's graduation day. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 2, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180 "2003-06-02T18:31:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/1 "2003-06-02T18:31:25Z")
> [@](#): > > COMMENCEMENT CRACKDOWN CREATES CONTROVERSY (Kim Gilliland and Monte Mitchell, Hickory): > A Fred T. Foard High School senior who yelled “Whoo!” and raised his arms as he left the graduation stage Saturday was taken by the arm and escorted from the building by a Catawba County sheriff’s deputy. The incident triggered a cascade of boos from the audience. What the blue blazes? The _Hickory Daily Record_ has been kind enough to provide a RealMedia clip of this incident, [here](http://www.hickoryrecord.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=HDR%2FMGArticle%2FHDR_BasicMGArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031769691279&path=!news!localnews), so folks can determine for themselves if the reaction was appropriate. It seems to me that there’s no better way to say to kids, “You think this is a _joyful_ occassion, and you’re proud of your accomplishment, but get this straight: Today’s the day the gloves come off and we _really_ get to work on crushing your spirit. Never forget that.” ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/2 "2003-06-02T19:59:32Z")
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**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/3 "2003-06-02T20:42:40Z")
There _has_ to be more to this story. ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/4 "2003-06-02T21:34:18Z")
Why were they escorted by a law enforcement officer? I can understand that a school might specify that students have to accept their awards in a dignified way - just take them and walk straight off. And they might not want shouting, whooping, and general tomfoolery on the stage so they can get the thing over with as soon as possible. But since when has going “whooo” in public been a criminal offense? ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/5 "2003-06-02T22:48:49Z")
Who in the world is Fred T. Foard and why is there a high school named after him? ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/6 "2003-06-02T23:07:23Z")
I thought for sure this was going to be about a streaker. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/7 "2003-06-02T23:10:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Dr. Fred T. Foard was a well-known doctor who practiced in our community for 57 years. He practiced in what he called the Bandys Township or the Catawba County Area. He delivered over 3,600 babies during his practice. He was more than a doctor, he was a family man and a man of education. He thought public education was the key to success. [–link](http://www.catawba.k12.nc.us/schoolpages/foard/foard.htm) Yeah, I’m a compulsive googler. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/8 "2003-06-03T02:17:40Z")
So that’s how they caught Eric Rudolph! ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/9 "2003-06-03T02:33:08Z")
They threatened us with something similar when my class graduated. And it went for parents too. We couldn’t cheer, raise our arms in the air, toss our hats, or anything. Neither could our parents. The only thing celebratory we could do was clap and that was after EVERYONE had their stuff. Class o’ 98, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![CalvinHobbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CalvinHobbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalvinHobbes)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/10 "2003-06-03T03:00:13Z")
My younger son graduated last week and there were deputies stationed all around the fieldhouse. Before the diplomas were handed out the audience was instructed to hold any and all applause and cheers until the last name was called so one family’s cheers wouldn’t drown out another student’s name being called. There were a couple of families that couldn’t abide by the rule and they were escorted out of the building by the deputies. It seemed rather extreme to me, but I’m one of those people who tends to follow the rules, and holding the applause until the end seemed fair. I know that the year before, when my older son graduated, some people really got carried away and made it impossible to hear anything. I mean c’mon people, we’re all proud of our graduates but have a little respect for others, your son/daughter is not the only one up there. ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/11 "2003-06-03T22:46:36Z")
F\*\*\*ing ridiculous if you ask me. The continuing effort to turn us all in docile sheep led by the nose from point A to point B. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/12 "2003-06-03T22:50:40Z")
And on the weekends, to point C. ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/13 "2003-06-03T23:04:52Z")
Actually, I hear point E is nice this time of year. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/14 "2003-06-04T02:00:26Z")
When I graduated, we were all cheering and yelling. Hell, when our class president mentioned that we were the Blue Ribbon Class, we all yelled, “Blueberry Tarts!” (since that was all that really seemed to happen-we got blueberry tarts at lunch-inside joke). Various names would be called, people would yell, and the principal just waited for the cheering to die down until he announced the next name. Then, afterwords, some people threw their caps (I didn’t-it was anchored in place with hairpins and I knew my hair would be disgusting if I took it off-lol!) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/15 "2003-06-04T03:06:36Z")
Jeez, **Guin** , that sounds like a tear-gas and bean-bag gun situation to me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Extraneous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Extraneous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Extraneous)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/16 "2003-06-04T05:01:32Z")
and I’m gonna _ **KEEP** _ votin’ 'publican 'til _ **ALL** _ dem troublemakers are either dead or on locked up in Gitmo! ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/17 "2003-06-04T13:42:17Z")
I guess I kinda agree with all the people saying “it’s fair to wait til the end”, but it still sucks to walk up and get your diploma to utter, pin-drop silence. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/18 "2003-06-04T16:32:04Z")
Generally schools enact rules like this after PARENTS get out of conrtol. My HS had rules like that… 500 people graduating, limited time to use the space for graduation and the band they hired… And lets face it, airhorns and cowbells during graduation really kinda detracts. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/19 "2003-06-06T04:24:37Z")
I graduated HS in 1988. I attended every graduation, and I saw a sharp devolution in decorum. The class of '85 took the occasion very seriously: ties and dresses, and no displays of any kind that I can remember. Class of '86 also dressed formally, but were a little more exuberant; '87 dressed down somewhat and were even more loose. My graduation, however, was like a scene out of some '80s teen comedy. First of all, a lot of us made a point of dressing for the afterparties, under our gowns, and then on the return to the bleachers, raising the robes to show everyone else what we’d chosen. (Beach jams for most of the guys; miniskirts for most of the girls. Mine was spandex black polka dots on white, with black net stockings. (Or were they lace?)) Then, during the speeches, people started batting a beach ball around. Even some of the faculty laughed. We quieted down for the benediction, but while the diplomas were being given out, some confetti was handed my way, and I tossed it along with the other people in my section. Then a wave of gasps and shrieks rose up, and I looked to my right to see **a blow-up doll** in midair. I have no idea who brought it. I have no idea how you **could** sneak such a thing in to a graduation ceremony! Anyway, that was the last display, as far as I remember. No one was ejected on account of any of this. Although I wonder what kind of warnings the class of '89 got, pre-ceremony. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180/20 "2003-06-06T20:50:20Z")
You forgot to link to the article where, because of the cascade of boos, half the members of the audience - the half that booed - were then thrown in jail. Seriously, what a distopian scene this story is. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catawba-county-killjoys-ruin-exuberant-teens-graduation-day/179180.md?page=2)