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SETTING: Four tables (card tables are nice) should be placed around the the hall, usually in the four corners. A candle will be placed on each table. (Don't forget the matches.) Usually one of the club officer couples will be stationed at each table. If an officer is not available, it is always good to honor an "angel" couple that has helped thoughout the class. The club can have the graduates in another room or outside the hall where they can file in as couples or individuals while a marching record is being played. Some clubs have the club's membership form lines on either side of the aisle as the new graduates enter. The new graduates will form a semi-circle in front of the callers stand.(The club president and partner usually escort the graduates.)
ITEMS NEEDED: 1. FOUR TABLES. 2. FOUR CANDLES WITH MATCHES. 3.DIPLOMAS FOR EVERY PERSON OR EVERY COUPLE. 4. BADGES (if they are to be given for those that join the club)
CLASS, IT'S GRADUATION NIGHT AND YOU HAVE REACHED AN IMPORTANT STEP IN YOUR SQUARE DANCING. AS ANY CLUB OR ORGANIZATION HAS AN IDENTIFYING SYMBOL, SO IS THE INTERLOCKING SQUARE THE UNIVERSAL SYMBOL OF SQUARE DANCING. IT NOW BECOMES OUR PLEASURE TO ESCORT YOU ON A JOURNEY TO THE OUTER EDGES OF THE SQUARE.
PLEASE LOWER THE LIGHTS. (Pause until the lights are lowered)
PLEASE FOLLOW _____(name)______ TO THE FIRST STOP OF YOUR JOURNEY.
The escort will lead the graduates from the callers platform to the first table. When they arrive he or she will say:
YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE FIRST STOP OF YOUR JOURNEY. _____(name)______ PLEASE LIGHT THE FLAME OF FRIENDSHIP.
After the candle is lit, one of the couples stationed at that table will read:
SQUARE DANCING IS A COMMON BOND BETWEEN US AS FRIENDS. WHEREVER YOU SHALL VISIT, OR WHOMSOEVER SHALL VISIT YOU. NEVER LET IT BE SAID THAT YOU WERE NOT FRIENDLY. SQUARE DANCE IS "FRIENDSHIP SET TO MUSIC". GREET OTHERS, AND BE COURTEOUS TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM BE TO YOU. IN SQUARE DANCING, YOU CAN DEVELOP LIFETIME FRIENDSHIPS.
The escort will now lead the graduates to the second table where he or she will read:
YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE SECOND STOP ._______(name)_____
_______(name)______ PLEASE TAKE THE GRADUATES TO THE SECOND STOP OF THEIR JOURNEY.
After the candle is lit, one of the couples stationed at that table will read:
AS A CHILD NEEDS LOVE, AS A TREE NEEDS WATER, SO DOES A SQUARE DANCE CLUB NEED MEMBERS WITH A COMMITMENT TO DUTY. GLADLY TAKE YOUR TURN WHEN CALLED UPON TO SERVE YOUR CLUB IN ANY CAPACITY WHETHER IT IS AS AN OFFICER OF THE CLUB OR CLEANING THE HALL AFTER A DANCE. A WILLINGNESS TO SHARE THE DUTIES HELPS KEEP OUR ACTIVITY HEALTHY. WHEN YOU ARE ON DUTY, NEVER LET IT BE SAID THAT YOU WISHED TO BE ELSEWHERE. MAY YOU AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW YOU, KEEP THE FLAME OF DUTY BURNING BRIGHTLY.
The escort will lead the graduates to the third table where he or she will read:
YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE THIRD STOP OF THE SQUARE.
After the candle is lit, one of the couples stationed at the third table will read:
______(name)_______ PLEASE ESCORT THE GRADUATES TO THE THIRD STOP ON THEIR JOURNEY.
AS OUR FOREFATHERS HAVE DONE, SO DO WE FOR THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER. IT NOW BECOMES YOUR DUTY TO OFFER IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS. BUT IT IS ALSO BECOMES YOUR DUTY TO ABIDE BY THE GROUP'S DECISIONS. YOU MAY NOT GET YOUR WAY EVERY TIME, BUT THE DEMOCRATIC WAY IN SQUARE DANCING, AS IN ANY DEMOCRACY, THE MAJORTY RULES. ONCE A DECISION HAS BEEN REACHED, SUPPORT THAT DECISION.
The escort will now lead the graduates to the fourth table where he or she will read:
YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE FOURTH STOP OF YOUR JOURNEY.
______(name)______ PLEASE LIGHT THE FLAME OF ENJOYMENT.
After the candle is lit, one of the couples stationed at that table will read:
(The following is optional depending on availability) AS A TOKEN OF THIS STOP, WE ARE PRESENTING YOU WITH A COPY OF THE CLUB'S CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS.
_______(name)______ PLEASE ESCORT THE GRADUATES TO THE FOURTH STOP ON THEIR JOURNEY AROUND THE SQUARE.
TO ACHIEVE YOUR PURPOSE OF UNITING WITH US, A HIGH LEVEL OF DANCING ENJOYMENT SHOULD BE YOUR GOAL. WHEN YOU COME TO A SQUARE DANCE, LEAVE YOUR WORRIES BEHIND. COME WITH THE ATTITUDE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ENJOY THE EVENING AND ADD TO THE ENJOYMENT OF OTHERS. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT SQUARE DANCING IS A RECREATION. THE PURPOSE IS TO HAVE FUN AND A NIGHT TO RELAX AND TO FORGET ABOUT THE WORRIES YOU FACED TODAY AND MAY FACE TOMORROW. EACH DANCE NIGHT IS TO BE WITH FRIENDS, FOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL RELAXATION, AND TO HAVE FUN. KEEP THESE GOALS IN MIND. YOUR SQUARE DANCE LIFE CAN BE VERY REWARDING.
NOW FOR THE BIG MOMENT. _______(name)______ PLEASE LEAD THE GRADUATES TO THE FRONT TABLE TO BE AWARDED THEIR DIPLOMAS.
THE FOUR CORNERS YOU HAVE VISITED REPRESENT THE SQUARE. THIS POSITION REPRESENTS THE FINAL POSITION IN SQUARE DANCING, HOME. EACH TIME YOU REACH YOUR HOME POSITION, YOU CAN TAKE PRIDE IN YOURSELF AND THE OTHER DANCERS IN YOUR SQUARE. I WILL NOT LIGHT A CANDLE FOR THIS POSITION. YOU ARE THE SYMBOL OF THE ETERNAL FLAME OF PRIDE. FOR IN YOU, I AND THE CLUB TAKE PRIDE. IN YOU, THE PRIDE OF SQUARE DANCING WILL LIVE.
YOU SHOULD TAKE PRIDE IN YOURSELF, YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS, YOUR ATTIRE, YOUR FRIENDLINESS, YOUR ABILITIES, YOUR DESIRE TO HAVE FUN, AND YOUR WILLINGNES TO SHARE THAT FUN WITH OTHERS. YOU SHOULD TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR FELLOW DANCERS, YOUR CLUB, AND YOUR INSTRUCTOR. IF YOU ARE FRIENDLEY, FUN LOVING, HAPPY, COOPERATIVE, AND ALL THE OTHER DESIROUS THINGS, SO WILL YOUR CLUB BE KNOWN.
WITHOUT RESERVATION, I TAKE GREAT PLEASURE IN PRESENTING YOU WITH THESE DIPLOMAS OF GRADUATION.
AS I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD: