Alison's Fifth Grade Graduation

Morley Elementary School

Alison's big goal was to be back in West Hartford in time for graduation from fifth grade -- and we made it!

Alison spent the last two days of school in Ms. Dalton's classroom, the room she would have been in had she been at school this past year. Lots of her friends were in that class and everybody was absolutely thrilled to be together.

The last day was devoted to a celebration of the graduation of the fifth-graders. The ceremony was held in the school auditorium, before an audience of children from the other grades (Caroline was seated with her best secodn-grade friends) and parents, relatives, and friends. The principal gave a little speech. Then the graduating fifth-graders marched up on the stage, arranged in three rows, and regaled the audience with song; Alison got to participate -- but she had to learn the songs in less than a day! (Alison is in the last row, fourth from the right, in the photo at the right.) After the singing, the fifth-graders passed down the middle of the audience and through a vine-covered trellis archway which Morley has been using for graduation for decades.

To the left: Alison's good friend Ali passes through the arch.

The kids filed out into the courtyard in front of the auditorium, into a brilliant sunny June day, to greet their younger schoolmates as they poured out, and to shout and smile and cheer each other on their accomplishments as Morley graduates!

Next stop -- King Philip Middle School!

-- August 4, 2003