<p>One of the cool things about being a graduate from Middlebury College in addition to receiving that very expensive diploma is the receipt of Painter's Cane at graduation. </p>
<p>So I was curious of the grads that frequent here what has become of yours?</p>
<p>Hey Modadunn, you’re absolutely correct. It’s definitely one of the cool things. My cane is in a shadow-box my wife had made for me. It opens easily so I can remove it for the right occasion. We are encouraged to bring our canes with us to reunions and we tap them when singing our alma mater. However, it seems fewer and fewer people bring their canes to reunions, so more people stomp than tap these days.</p>
<p>Probably because they don’t want to either lose, forget or break it… </p>
<p>But I do like the shadow box idea - vertical or horizontal?</p>
<p>Horizontal.</p>
<p>My son was super-excited to get his cane.I thought it was rather an odd tradition-made me think he was going to Smeltings…</p>
<p>It’s kind of interesting… once S’s got home and he was here as well, I would consistently note it was always in a different spot in his room. When we listed the house, and I asked him to declutter his shelf thing (Ikea 12x12), he had it on the top balanced on this driftwood he brought home as well. When he packed up to head to NYC to take a job, it was originally in his pile of stuff to pack up until i convinced him that I would hold onto it until he was better settled somewhere in life. To this day, I have no idea where I left my HS diploma!!</p>
<p>Point is: It seems pretty special. I miss his being at Midd (but he went to Feb graduation and had a great time!)</p>
<p>Yes, I’ll be quite sad not to “have to make the trip”. Son #2 will be done in May, and then unless DD (Future class of 2022) decides to attend, it’ll be good by …</p>