London, GB | Formerly of New York, Buenos Aires, Fife, and the Western Cape. | Saoránach d’Éirinn.

Graduation in Pictures

I HAD HOPED to provide you with photos of my graduation shortly after it occurred, but that was over a year ago and I am only now getting to it. My write-up about the proceedings can be found here, so these photos are essentially an accompaniment to that previous post.

The graduation ceremony took place in the Younger Hall, the red-tiled classical building in the photos above and below. Also below, the University Chapel, with St. Salvator’s Quad adjacent to it. The curved building in the upper left is St. Salvator’s Hall, my home during my final year. In between the Chapel and the Younger Hall is College Gate, which houses the main administrative offices of the University.

The academics have entered the hall.

Jim Douglas, the Head Janitor of the University, as well as a very kind and helpful man, processes in with the horrifically ugly University mace.

The Chancellor, the Rt. Hon. Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, MP, CBE, PC, QC, takes his place presiding over the proceedings.

The janitors, in their formal janitorial uniforms, place the maces on either side of the Chancellor.

The Principal of St. Mary’s College says the opening prayer.

The Chancellor invites the Principal & Vice-Chancellor to give a pretentious speech.

The Principal & Vice-Chancellor gives a pretentious speech.

The Dean of St. Salvator’s gives a much less-pretentious speech; Dr. Nott falls asleep in the background; then come the actual graduations:

First up was J.R., a good friend of mine. You kneel before the Chancellor, he utters the magic Latin formula…

…taps you on the head with John Knox’s underpants, Mr. Douglas puts the hood on you, and you arise a Magister Artium, briefly bowing to the Chancellor.

My turn.

“…et super te.”

A musical interlude.

Then the honorary degrees.

Then the janitors retrieve the maces.

Exeunt all.

And so then, farewell to the auld grey town!


Photo by Stuart P.

Published at 5:12 pm on Sunday 18 November 2007. Categories: Photos St Andrews.
Comments

Very nice pictures. As the years progress, you’ll find yourself think back to these experiences more and more. It’s great that you have so many events chronicled on this web site, which is, in essence, your electronic journal.

— Alessandro 18 Nov 2007 7:48 pm

Mr Cusack,

I stumbled across this by accident and enjoyed the nostalgia. I was not, however, expecting to find one of my own photographs at the end!

Stuart

— Stuart 8 Feb 2019 9:57 pm

Credit where it’s due! A fine photograph and most evocative of those days. “Bliss was it in that dawn,” &c.

— Andrew Cusack 11 Feb 2019 3:36 pm
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