West Seattle High School graduation at Memorial Stadium was a stately ceremony. The soon to be graduates marched onto the field—the young males all in dark blue escorting young females in white, some wearing three inch heels, probably for the first time.

I must revise that statement about the ceremony being stately. One young graduate did a back flip as he exited down the ramp after receiving his diploma. Some girls made their statements displaying green or bright red dyed hair.

As a feminist of many years standing, I wondered why, if high school is the first rung of the academic ladder, that the scene should reflect the sex differences so blatantly if the focus of learning is using the brain and not one’s gender. But tradition is strong.

In my day a young female expected to marry soon out of high school, so the role of the female was to bear children and raise a family. As most graduates lived on farms, young wives worked on the farm sharing the chores with their husbands. .

With changes in our society, young females can expect to spend more time in school and have aspirations to use their brains and talent, not only in child-rearing, but in working to serve the greater community. Women could even aspire to become president of the USA.

But the road up the ladder is difficult for women because of their time out for bearing the next generation. Some women still have to choose between family and a career serving in the greater community. But the road for young men is fraught with the traditional duty to answer the call when they are asked to fight in older men’s wars.

Perhaps this year’s graduates will take one step closer to a world of peace and equal opportunities for all.

I was brought back from my personal reverie when it was announced that the valedictory honors were shared by five young women, tied with a 4.0 average. All five were headed for colleges of their choice.

After speeches meant to stimulate these young graduates to be themselves and create a life of worth in times of economic downturn and the war still going on, the class of 2009 turned to thank their families for supporting them through their many years of schooling.

My eyes focused upon a particular young woman with long blonde hair flowing below her graduation cap as she came past the stands. She had moved in across the street from us to become a good friend of our youngest daughter. If only the media could showcase more young people like this neighbor of ours.

When I asked her if she were attending the class graduation party she remarked, “It costs over a hundred dollars and I would rather not spend that much money. I am going to spend the evening with my friends.”

Since the senior prom cost only $5, she said she had attended that special evening. She was already becoming a young woman who was used to holding down a part time job and had already taken advantage of a special program in which she attended community college during her senior year.

As I began my struggle up the steps of the stadium after the last graduate’s name was announced, this young graduate’s father grasped my arm to help me up as there was no railing available. For an independent woman who had never before needed much help I now began to realize how much we truly need each other in this world.

My daughter had picked me up to attend the graduation as I don’t merge from the West Seattle Bridge onto IV’s 60 mile-an-hour traffic anymore if I can help it. Now we were walking over to find the graduates who had marched out to surround the huge fountain at Seattle Center and to watch the young children who had run down under the fountain spray to scream and play, not yet dreaming of the day when they would walk that graduation walk themselves. This day will always be remembered.

Georgie Bright Kunkel is a freelance writer who can be reached at gnkunkel@comcast.net or 206-935-8663.