There have been times in United States history when college graduations were canceled.
In 1864, Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act which provided land-grant colleges in every state. However, many of these colleges didn’t open until after the Civil War ended in 1865.
Some historians believe that if more of these colleges opened sooner, then there would have been less casualties during the Civil War.
Another example is World War II. The United States entered the war on December 7th, 1941 and by 1942 most college campuses had either closed down or were serving as military training grounds. There was a fear that Japan would attack America’s West Coast so all Japanese Americans were evacuated to internment camps throughout the country.
So yes, college graduations have been canceled during other epochs in United States history but it doesn’t mean that it’s right or wrong. Each situation is unique and should be evaluated on its own merits
Leave a Comment