Parents Proud Of Son’s Alternative To Pricey Prom Letter Of The Week: From May 17

A funny thing happened to my boy on the way to his senior prom last weekend. He opted not to go.

As the costs of attending this affair began to mount, he wisely decided to avoid the thing. Instead of blowing over $300 for a night of formal entertainment, including $50 just to get into the prom at Templin’s, he took his date out for a great steak dinner at a renowned Coeur d’Alene-area restaurant. The $250 he saved can now join his mounting college fund to be used for something more practical.

His mother and I are proud of him for bucking the trend and making his own statement about the status of current high school graduation rituals. She remembers, as I do, that the senior prom used to be an occasion where everyone could attend, without regard for one’s ability to pay. The whole class got together to decorate the school gymnasium, while fund-raisers paid for the band and any other requirements. I borrowed by dad’s best suit for the occasion and my date wore a special dress hand-sewn by her mother.

I hope more graduates take a stand against the escalating cost of leaving high school. Besides, I’m sure Templin’s of Post Falls can survive without the $12,000 paid to them by the kids from Coeur d’Alene. John Austin Coeur d’Alene

MEMO: The Golden Pen is a feature of the Monday Opinion page. Each week, The Spokesman-Review editorial board nominates one piece of artwork or a published letter to the editor for its Golden Pen award. At the end of each month, the board chooses one of the nominees to receive a 10-karat gold Cross pen. At the end of the year, the monthly winners will be honored at a reception.