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St. John's School Class of 2016 Graduation

By Christian Maines, St. John's School, School Buzz Editor | June 9, 2016

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St. John's School's Class of 2016 experiences graduation outdoors, marking a return to the school’s earliest traditions.

On May 18, the Class of 2016 experienced a graduation ceremony that marked a return to the school’s historic roots. With the renovations of the past two years finally complete and the construction of the Great Lawn, seniors enjoyed a new venue to don the cap and gown.

The earliest graduation ceremonies were held in the Quadrangle, according to history teacher Wendall Zartman.

“Then, as the population became larger, it was moved indoors to the church.”

Moving outside once again became a matter of necessity rather than choice because of the school’s increasing class sizes. Two years ago was the last time that graduation was held indoors, as last year the ceremony was held on Skip Lee Field. To make sure that all the students could invite as many guests as they wanted, Headmaster Mark Desjardins elected to move the ceremony outside.

Texas was one of only a few independent schools in Texas that did not hold commencement outside, according to Desjardins, so moving graduation outside was a return to the school’s roots as well as a transition into the norm for private schools in this state. Furthermore, by freeing up seating, the planners were able to terminate the ticket system previously used to limit guest numbers.

Rain had been forecasted for several days in advance of Commencement, and although the planners had set up seating in the gym as a contingency plan, the inclement weather held off long enough for the ceremony to take place outdoors.

Zartman, who led the procession, did not have time to go over with the senior class all the specific details of commencement, so when the students marched along during the ceremony, they were doing it for the first time. However, proceedings went off without a hitch and the seniors concluded with the Handshake Ceremony, a particularly emotional rite in which each student shakes hand with every teacher at SJS — some of whom they may have had as early as kindergarten. After exchanging emotional farewells, the seniors parted campus as St. John’s students for the last time.