Photo Friday: Graduation edition

Good morning! It's Friday...somehow....AGAIN...so you know what time it is. Let the MCM photos roll!

This week's batch is from Doris and Ray, but the set of photos below do not actually feature our favorite mid century shutterbugs. The tiny woman in the foreground, in the white hat and the tall man in the blue suit, are I think Doris's parents, making this nephew of some kind, graduating from college. If anybody recognizes the buildings in these, let me know where it is, would you? 

What's really neat about this mini-set is the sense of place you get out of all the people milling around on graduation day. In the first photo, notice the older couple talking to the younger girl graduate directly in front of the door-- her parents? There's a cluster of servicemen near that white piece to the right, and the man in the grey suit is shaking hands with the middle one. The boy in the black pants, white shirt, and almost-camouflaged pale blue tie has a buzz cut that is sharp. And of course, in our central grouping, how pretty are all the dresses? The springtime, bucket-y straw purses are killing me. Do you think it's strange the poor graduate isn't placed in the front of the picture in a place of pride? We can hardly get a look at his from this angle! Which lady's outfit is your favorite? I'm about the curvier woman at the right, with her two-tone flats and flower hat.

Ah, thaaaat's better. Here, let's-call-him-Chip stands with a sunnily dispositioned girl who I think is his girlfriend or wife, as she shows up in later photos. What is the print on her dress? I like the colors a lot, but it's straining my eyes and my imagination to figure out what the pattern is. Her straw purse is my favorite because of the rope handles and the black color. Again, pay close attention to the background. Another female graduate at the left, a woman in a perfectly wonderful Grace Kelly pink dress slightly in front of her, and a hatted woman with cardigan in hand to the left, wandering further out of frame. Doesn't it just make you wish you were there?

Here's Chip with his rolled diploma. I think the gathering of women to the right are the same ladies' he took the first picture with (aunts? Doris's sisters?).I wish the pretty Kodachrome colors hadn't faded so much! It still makes a neat effect. How about maybe the grandfather in that first photo, the tall man in the blue suit, saying "Now let's a get a picture of the graduate by himself!" and motioning his grandson over to the steps for a well-composed photo in his cap and gown. Ooooh, we like it.

Last, this photo was in the same bunch I think was probably taken at one of the women's houses, because here's Ma and Pa H--- standing proudly at the doorstep. The color of the brick and the green trim is really neat-- I wonder if it looks the same today or if it's still there! Also, what is that object out in the middle of the yard? A sprinkler? I can't make it out. At any rate, good job, Chip the graduate! I'll keep an eye out for you in my future photo archaeological digs and see if I can't place you in this genealogical jigsaw puzzle.

Was your high school or college graduation a big "to-do"? Particularly memorable for some reason? What do you remember about that day?

            

Gotta make tracks for that estate sale path, and then out to lunch and Moonrise Kingdom with my sister in celebration of her 23rd birthday (oh...mah...GOD how is she this age?). Let's go, let's go, let's go!

Have a great weekend, get great stuff, and meet back here on Monday to discuss! :)