Question:
Can someone give me an idea of what the standard is for High School Baccalaureate’s? Is there a norm when it comes to time frame, format, speaker(s)?
I am dealing with some issues for my daughters graduation and would appreciate whatever input advice you all might have…
Answer:
Hello....elloo.....elooo....eloooo.....
hmmmm... Would it help if I said I was thinking of harming someone?
How about giving me an idea of how long the speaker spoke at your Baccalaureate?... your friends?... a distant cousin's???
One you saw on an episode of Friends, or Will and Grace?
Answer:
You're thinking of harming someone?! Don't do it!
Look, my baccalaureate was kind of awkward, because the school forbid it from happening. We got mad and rebellious and did it anyway. A couple of my friends sort of did the planning for the whole thing. We sang some christian songs, hymns, Amazing Grace, Kum bi yah, and the like. Then Ben Glover, a nearly famous christian artist whose father taught at my school and was retiring that year, played an ode to his dad or something like that, and a few girls went crazy "OMG its ben glover!!!!!" And then the speaker spoke...I don't remember exactly how long or what he said, although 15 minutes sounds reasonable. The whole thing took maybe 45 minutes? We could have even had a couple students speak as well briefly, but that might have been the actual graduation....it was awhile ago.
What sort of issues are you having? If you have input in the planning, its basically what you want it to be.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Dr. Worm You're thinking of harming someone?! Don't do it! Whatever it takes... Man, I was startin' to wonder if my deoderant quit on me... (wait maybe it has!)
What sort of issues are you having? If you have input in the planning, its basically what you want it to be. Well, since this thing is a religious ceremony and all, the school cannot be associated with any of it. So it is funded and coordinated by the parents.
Long story short I'm on the committee putting it together and we were looking to nail down a time for the main speaker. Well, we did nail down a time...35-40min. (That's what the speaker we picked had given for a approx time frame). And now, after we had all agreed there has been some "canvassing" of opinions and maybe we need to shorten the time to 15-20 min.
I guess the problem is that he is going to use "scripture"... right out of the bible! So, now I'm trying to get a drift on whether or not I'm fighting an uphill battle. (The speaker candidate who did not get selected had said that he would'nt be using any scripture, and I think this may be the root of the problem... just a hunch though).
So... what's your advice Dr.? (*addressing you directly as I can't see another soul for miles*)
Answer:
Baccalaureate is and has always been a religious ceremony, and is in no way mandatory. If people have a problem with it being religious in nature, they don't have to support it financially, and they don't have to attend. However, this is not the place to preach a fire and brimstone message, not the place for an altar call, not the place for laying on of hands or anointing with oil or speaking in tongues. For the sake of Baccalaureate, ecumenism is more important than any religious agenda, and everyone who attends should be able to feel comfortable. If there are huge hangups in the planning committee, placate them, make it work.
As for the time thing, I'd aim for about a one hour ceremony I guess. So really, a 35 minute talk wouldn't be that out of line.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Dr. Worm Baccalaureate is and has always been a religious ceremony, and is in no way mandatory. If people have a problem with it being religious in nature, they don't have to support it financially, and they don't have to attend. However, this is not the place to preach a fire and brimstone message, not the place for an altar call, not the place for laying on of hands or anointing with oil or speaking in tongues. For the sake of Baccalaureate, ecumenism is more important than any religious agenda, and everyone who attends should be able to feel comfortable. If there are huge hangups in the planning committee, placate them, make it work.
As for the time thing, I'd aim for about a one hour ceremony I guess. So really, a 35 minute talk wouldn't be that out of line. This is good; and I agree with all the above, except...I guess I won't be bringing the snakes, dang!
Thanks for the advise Doc