The "The Infamous Computer Key" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting at my computer deleting names.  With one push of the delete key I eliminate another member of the class of 2013 from graduating.  It's graduation time for high school students and I am busy composing the program for the Manheim Township High School class of 2013. A week ago the class consisted of 402 members.  Just got the updates from the high school office and have eliminated 14 seniors from the graduating class for various reasons.  How can a student make it to their senior year and give up or not care enough to do their best to graduate.  What a sad day it must be when called into the Principal's office and told that you have failed a necessary course and will not graduate with your class.  How must your parents feel?  For some, I'm sure it is not a surprise, but to the marginal student who has tried their best all year, it has to be a tremendous disappointment.  Graduation this year is on a Tuesday evening and it isn't until Monday morning that I know which names have to be deleted from the class.  I was told that one boy had until 8:00 AM Monday morning to turn in a paper that was required for graduation.  Must have made it, since I didn't get the email to delete a male name this morning.  The program is only eight pages in length.  The cover is a pre-printed cover that features a cap and gown with diploma, flower and the copy "Graduation 2013."  Inside cover page gives the date of Commencement along with the school Alma Mater and a note telling the students, family and friends that graduation is a milestone in the life of the senior and not to whistle, cheer, applaud or yell out for any one student.  I have heard many times that most in attendance never read the boxed in information, since a circus atmosphere tends to permeate graduation.  The third page of the program features the "Program" that will take place during the evening.  Then follows the 388 names with the faculty, administration and school board listed on the rear of the program.  Sounds like a pretty simple job to prepare and print the program, but it is extremely stressful to have it done in a timely manner.  A few years ago, while still a teacher at the high school, I had to reprint the program TWO times due to errors in the program or the spelling of the names of the students.  The morning of graduation that year I had to come to school at 5:00 AM to print the 3rd edition of the program.  At 7:00 AM the high school secretary who had made the mistakes walked in the door with breakfast for me.  Nice touch and certainly appreciated, since the mistakes were tough to catch and could have been my mistakes had it not been for the fact that the secretary claimed the mistakes were her mistakes.  Thanks, Marie! Well it's Tuesday noon and I'm making the delivery of 3,000 programs to the graduation site for the evening's commencement.  We used to staple the two sheets of paper together, but since that took four to five hours, the school opted not to staple the program to help save money.  That, and the fact that it may have to be rushed to the site for the 6:00 PM starting time.  But, all is well once again, at least for this year.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.