Mumper here!

I attended my son's Punahou graduation at the Blaisdell Arena last night. It was a long event. Too many speeches, too many songs and of course the long process of handing out diplomas to about 425 graduating students.

My mind took me back to the graduation of the Iolani Class of 1961. Seemed to be so much simpler and yet dignified and to the point. To the best of my remembrance we sang only one song.

Someone several years back at a '61 mini-reunion asked why we ended up singing the Navy Hymn. There were so many more appropriate songs such as "I believe for every drop of rain......." and "Climb every mountain...." As I recall during a class meeting in St. Alban's Chapel, we could not agree on a song. Combine that with the fact that most people wanted to get out of there.

It was my suggestion to sing the Navy Hymn. It was a cool song.I thought that I would want to join the Navy after college. It was the theme song of a popular TV drama called "Navy Log". It was also a religious song since it was in the Episcopal Hymn book and I got a couple of guys who also wanted this debate to end and get out of there....Akina, Ching, and I don't remember whoever else but I know that their dads were in the Navy.

So I got a bunch of guys to back me up and sway the discussion. A vote was held after some persuasive arguments on Mumper's part and the majority of the class voted to sing the Navy Hymn and get the heck out of there. It was an easy song to sing since anybody who watched Navy Log already knew the tune.