Students Add to the Pomp and Circumstance of Graduation
On June 15th, the Class of 2017 will gather with their
friends, family members, and school system staff to celebrate a major life
milestone as they receive their high school diplomas. Their Commencement
Ceremony will mark the first official appearance of a new symbol of the
importance of the moment. On that evening, as daylight wanes, the Class of 2017
will be led by the Faculty Marshal carrying the brand-new John A. Holmes High
School Ceremonial Academic Mace.
During the fourteenth century, European universities first
began to use a ceremonial academic mace. A combination of a royal scepter and a
battle mace, the academic mace was carried before the chief officers of the
universities. In the years that have followed, American universities and later
public high schools commissioned and adopted their own academic maces.
At John A. Holmes High School, the mace will be used in academic
ceremonies to symbolize the importance of these solemn occasions in the life of
the students and of the school. During commencement exercises, baccalaureate
services, and academic awards presentations, the mace specifically indicates
the qualification and competence of the faculty and principal to recommend
students for diplomas and the authority of the Board of Education to award
diplomas and academic awards.
Last year as we lined up for the graduation exercises, I
challenged John A. Holmes High School Teacher Mr. Ben O’Kelley to lead his
students in creating a ceremonial academic mace for use during solemn academic
ceremonies. His work and the work of his students far exceeded my imagination.
Mr. O’Kelley and the students in the Advanced Cabinet Making classes he
teaches, designed and built an amazing symbol worthy of representing the
students, the staff, the school, and the school system. In addition to other
students, Lucas Cooper, Shane Spruill, Dylan White, Javonte Garland, Clayton
Forward, and Douglas Perkins each made significant contributions to the
construction and design of the mace.
The mace is constructed of Walnut and Pine, both considered native
trees in the area. The staff of the mace is segmented into four sections,
representing the four Edenton-Chowan Schools that students matriculate
through during their kindergarten through twelfth grade educational journey.
The head of the mace bears the seals of the four schools.
The traditional seal for John A. Holmes High School is shaped like a teapot,
reflecting the history and tradition of the area as the home of the Edenton Tea
Party. This seal is broken into four quadrants. The upper left quadrant
contains both the shape of the state of North Carolina and the county of
Chowan, anchoring the school geographically to its roots. The upper right
quadrant bears the likeness of the oldest building on the school campus, the
1950 two-story brick building. The lower left quadrant hosts symbols for
academics and athletics, including an open book representing the lives of
students yet to be written. The lower right quadrant contains a peanut, a boll
of cotton, and a tobacco leaf reflecting the importance of agriculture in the
area. A ribbon streaming above and below the seal bears the name of the school
and the school mascot, the Aces.
The second seal on the mace bears a Bulldog, the school
mascot for Chowan Middle School. The third seal represents D. F. Walker
Elementary School with its mascot, the Hornet. The fourth seal bears the
likeness of Cubbie, the tiger cub of White Oak Elementary School. Each of these
schools carry forward the name and proud tradition of the schools and school
systems that served the children of Chowan County prior to the current school
system’s merger in June, 1967 when Hiriam Mayo served as Superintendent.
The crown of the mace is a wooden replica of a teapot lid,
reflecting the important historical nature of the Edenton Tea Party, widely
recognized as the first political activity engaged in by women in our country.
Fifty-one women, led by Penelope Barker, signed their names to a statement of
protest, standing up for the rights of the colonists. This reminder of the
historic, progressive past of our area is an important challenge to our current
and future students as citizens of our great country to never fail to stand up
for others.
The John A. Holmes High School Ceremonial Academic Mace will
immediately precede the faculty and students in ceremonial processions.
The mace is carried by the Faculty Marshal. Selected by the staff, the Faculty
Marshal will typically be the John A. Holmes High School Teacher of the Year.
The “Pomp and Circumstance” of Commencement has been added
to greatly by Mr. O’Kelley and his students. Through their vision and skill,
the legacy and tradition of the each of the schools in the Edenton-Chowan
Schools system will be well-represented whenever students gather to celebrate
scholarly success.
This article originally appeared in "The Chowan Herald" on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, as an article written by Dr. Jackson titled, "Graduation a major milestone."
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