The graduation speaker for the class of 1979 was Angelo Pellegrini. When he was a boy, he came with his family from Italy to McCleary in 1913 and eventually worked his way up to being a highly respected UW professor and widely read author. Angelo was a true Renaissance man, writing in a very interdisciplinary way about history, food, human nature, and the art of living a joyful life.

This graduation was held on Red Square. The very first Super Saturday was taking place as well, a direct result of the CPE's recommendations and a sign that TESC was taking the idea of local marketing very seriously. So the place was packed.

As Angelo stepped up to the podium, a sudden gust of wind came up, blowing his prepared remarks all over the stage. And into the microphone the Grand Old Man cursed, "Well, God DAMN it!!

It had been one of those years and he summed it up very well.