The annual graduation exercises of NHS have been held in the Great Auditorium  of Ocean Grove, NJ,  for many years, and it has become an important tradition for the Scarlet Fliers.

That tradition was threatened in 2011 when a Neptune grandparent enlisted the ACLU to put a stop to the ceremony’s being held in a religious building.

Blogfinger attended a meeting at the High School when there was an outpouring of emotions over the threat. Here is a quote from our article at that meeting:

“In addition to the anger and sadness, however, was the obvious sense of the pride the people of Neptune take in Ocean Grove as a place for their seniors to celebrate graduation. One woman said her daughter would be the fifth generation of her family to graduate in the Great Auditorium. Another spoke of the emotion she felt when the American flag lights up behind the auditorium stage. The School Superintendent spoke of the auditorium’s unique historical significance.  Chante Reeves, a member of the class of 2011, told the crowd, “We’d rather be in the Great Auditorium than any other venue.”

But compromise ruled the day.

Today, that tradition was kept with the Class of 2018, and Blogfinger reporter/photographer Jean Bredin was there with a photo essay:

Jean Bredin. June 21, 2018. The Great Auditorium of Ocean Grove.

By Jean Bredin. ©

Jean Bredin ©

Jean Bredin ©

Jean Bredin ©

SIR EDWARD ELGAR  “Pomp and Circumstance”