PRAYER SERVICE DEFENDED; BACCALAUREATE HELD FOR CENTRAL SENIORS

The decision a year ago by the U.S. Supreme Court to ban prayer at school graduation ceremonies seemed to have little effect on the Cape Girardeau Central High School baccalaureate service held Sunday night.

This year, the service was sponsored by the Cape Girardeau Ministerial Alliance in lieu of the school, and was held at the Holiday Inn Convention Center instead of the traditional location, the school gymnasium.

Attendance at the event was optional, as it always has been. An estimated 70 percent of the school's graduating seniors donned caps and gowns. Nearly 1,000 friends and family members were in the audience.

Jackson High School seniors also attended baccalaureate services Sunday night. The services were held in the school gym and were sponsored by the Jackson Ministerial Alliance.

As they prepared for the processional to the traditional "Pomp and Circumstance," many of the Central High seniors said they were there primarily to uphold the tradition of baccalaureate and oppose the prayer ban.

"I'm here to make a statement that students support baccalaureate and that it should be reinstated," said Marcus Wade, the son of Josella and Sam Adams.

She called the turnout "a good demonstration of the students and how they respond to certain situations."

Few students seemed to be fans of the prayer ban and its effect on baccalaureate services.

"It's stupid," Alicia Murrell said. "This is part of graduation." Murrell is the daughter of Mike and Gwen Murrell.

"We were always brought up that it was part of graduation," added Jennifer Rollins, daughter of Cathy and Joel Rollins.

Sarah Gischer, daughter of Mary and Herman Hogue, and classmate Keely Donaldson sounded the tradition theme as well as a religious note in explaining why they attended the ceremony. "It shows our faith," Gischer said.

Though some students may have been under parental pressure to be there, Donaldson said her own parents, Jack and Regina Donaldson, allowed her to choose.

"It was optional for me," she said.

"I feel it should be part of graduation and that everybody should be part of it," said Scott Hopper, son of Donald and Carolyn Hopper.

Luke Dry said the event's significance is long-lasting. "It's the last time we will all be together, and it's a spiritual thing that will bond us together throughout our lives," said Dry, the son of Donald and Betty Dry.

"I'm against the ban. As long as it's an individual's choice, the Supreme Court shouldn't get involved...

"I think's it's a black mark on the school that it was outlawed," Dry said.

While agreeing that baccalaureate is part of the graduation experience that ought to continue, Anna Fornkahl concurs with the Supreme Court's decision. "Nobody should be forced to do a religious thing," she said. Fornkahl is the daughter of Ronald and Glenda Fornkahl.

Tom Robinson came to the baccalaureate service because he wanted to see his friends graduate and because he is a member of the high school chamber choir, which sang "How Great Thou Art."

He termed the decision to ban prayer at graduation services "kind of crazy." Robinson is the son of Tommy and Altha Robinson.

Ministers participating in the service were the Rev. Phillip Roop, youth/associate pastor of the Bethel Assembly of God; the Rev. Neil L. Stein, pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church; the Rev. Kim Ferguson, pastor of the Cornerstone Assembly Church; and the Rev. Tom Shoger of Christ Presbyterian Church. All the church leaders have children who are members of the 1993 graduating class.

In his baccalaureate sermon, Shoger stressed the relationship between freedom and limits.

"Most high school kids think freedom is what they get when they leave high school," Shoger said in advance of his sermon.

"But limitations are their best friend. They've got to have limits before they can have freedom."

He used the example of how speed limits allow people to drive freely, knowing that others are observing the same restrictions.

The role limitations play is not always appreciated, Shoger said. "It's an American tradition to look down on anything that limits us."

He called the ban on graduation ceremony prayer "unfortunate because it's always been voluntary.

"This is a good tradition."