If you’re middle-aged or older, the idea of making a big deal out of
graduating from something other than high school, college or
graduate school may seem to be a relatively recent one.

It’s not.

Rhyme University Inc. began selling diplomas for kinder-
garteners in 1954. The St. Paul, Minn., company has since
expanded its product line to include caps and gowns, among other
things. It also has increased the occasions for which it makes
products; those now include graduations from preschool and
Head Start programs.

With many elementary and middle schools also having
jumped on the graduation-ceremony bandwagon, parents who
like throwing parties to celebrate their children’s academic rites of
passage now have more rites of passage than ever to choose from.

How many they choose to celebrate is an economic indicator of
sorts, according to Adam Weitz, who started Southampton, Pa.-
based A Sharp Production 20 years ago as a disc jockey and live
entertainment company.

“The milestone events will always be there, but the fun little
parties that people like to have, like fifth-grade graduations,
depend on the economy,” Weitz said.

Even when people feel economically secure enough to throw
non-milestone graduation parties for their children, they don’t
spend too much money on them.

“I haven’t really had a crazy under-high school graduation,”
said Jennifer Lawn, who has been in the event business since 1996
and had her own company, JL Original Designs, since 2011.

For preschool or kindergarten graduations, Lawn said, parents
might hire her company, which does decorations, and a caterer,
get a bounce house for their backyard and have a picnic.

22 MARCH 23, 2017
SIMCHAS The idea of making a big deal out
of graduating from something
other than high school, college
or graduate school may seem
to be a relatively recent one.

Rhyme University Inc. began selling
diplomas for kindergarteners in 1954.

Top: Wavebreakmedia; diploma: hmell_c4; facing page: SanneBerg/iStock/Thinkstock.com
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