The Lost Art of the Senior Prank
Mary Hydar
Contributor
Senior year; the finale of an overstretched twelve year academic
journey undertaken by students far and wide on each and every continent.
It’s a bittersweet conclusion to adolescence, as well as
a gradual entry into adulthood. It only seems fitting that students
throughout the years have made attempts to salute their respective
schools with a little flair; the senior prank at Canandaigua, as
it is in countless other schools, is nothing short of tradition.
But just what has the senior prank become within our school in
recent years?
Pranks of the past have included Vaseline on the handrails,
described by secretary Linda Eames as “messy and unappreciated.” There
is a long line of controversial pranks, often as a direct result
of animal mistreatment. English teacher Donna Klick recalled
a prank involving live chickens which were dropped in the gymnasium “causing
havoc.” The organizing seniors obviously overlooked the
consequences of their stunt as it left many frustrated and unimpressed.
From the students all the way up to the janitorial staff who
faced a horrendous mess, the chicken prank was not well received.
Yet another prank pulled by seniors involving animals, was the
placement of several goldfish in the Academy pool. Eames points
out the obvious which was somehow not taken into account by the
graduating seniors when she states, “all of the fish died
as a result of the high chlorination within the pool water.” The
dead fish contaminated the water and were an annoyance for those
left to clean up the pool.
In recent years there have also been a few failed attempts at
a senior prank. The class of 2007 attempted to rally together
and jump in the pool; an announcement was made over the P.A system
asking all seniors to report to the pool area. However, the administration
had prior knowledge of this prank and had already locked the
pool doors.
Yet another failed attempt was the most recent graduating class,
2008. They attempted to release two thousand and eight bouncy
balls from the upper atrium. Once again the administration was
informed and only a few of the bouncy balls managed to make their
way down a staircase; overall the plan was compromised.
That’s not to say that the senior prank should be obliterated.
English teacher Janet Zea says she doesn’t see the harm “as
long as it doesn’t hurt anyone and there is absolutely
no potential for danger.” There are ways to use creativity
and cleverness while simultaneously avoiding catastrophe. Student
teacher Lindsey Bell suggests “getting the principal on
board.” With an actively involved administration member
students can grasp what is and isn’t acceptable from the
eyes of the adults within the school, while gaining the necessary
permission to perform their prank; compromising the “secret” to
a faculty member may be necessary for the tradition of senior
pranks to continue.
Some faculty members are against the idea completely. Assistant
Principal John LaFave’s personal opinion is “they’re
ridiculous and unnecessary” and goes on to say that “Frankly
many of them can be illegal and even the legal [pranks] are still
disruptive and would have a school based penalty.” LaFave
says he would “much rather the seniors do something noteworthy,” suggesting “community
service to be remembered.”
Menace does not have to be the root of senior pranks, creativity
and wit can in fact come together and provide an acceptable solution;
English teacher Michael Sisson says that as a senior he “put
the school up for sale.” Signs were placed in front of
the school building and it was listed as having several bedrooms.
Sisson also recalled a prank performed by a 1970s graduating
class from Spencerport. This creative class piled large mounds
of manure, forming their gradating year upon a nearby hill visible
from the school; the outline of where the manure had laid could
be seen several years after the class had gone. Sisson says he “admires” the
fact that this prank harmed no one and nothing but used sheer
creativity, like Zea he has “no problem with the prank
as long as no one is hurt or humiliated.”
It is unfortunate that through the years the senior prank has
been diminished to nothing more than failed attempts and menacing
pranks. The tradition is falling apart as students cannot plan
and execute thoughtful pranks in which they have considered all
possible consequences, and the world around them is becoming
less tolerant to the idea of humorous jokes pulled in good faith
for a simple last laugh. With any luck there will be room for
innovative, comical, safe, and thought-through senior pranks
in the future.
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