"We take three weeks to build the thing, they use it for three hours, and we tear it down in three days."
That's the attitude of George McTernan, for nine years carpenter to the University, towards the 311 years of tradition embodied in the two Commencement platforms now rising.
"Tradition is all right," he admits, "but there must be close to 2000 board feet of lumber, in that damned thing." Purchasing this pine plus paying the carpenters and laborers required to make the Commencement deadline costs the University several thousand dollars every year.
The only emotional uplift which McTernan claims he gets from serving all this tradition is wonder what famous person will be up front on Commencement Day. For the last two years his bet has been on MacArthur and both times he's been disappointed. But George's faith in the law of averages remains unshaken; his guess for this year is still "Fighting Doug."
Meanwhile, the Class Day Committee announced last night that all Seniors who want Commencement seats in front of George's platform must file their applications by 1 o'clock today at 4 University Hall.
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