When 87-year-old Jack Long received his high school diploma this week after dropping out of school more than 70 years ago, he was caught by surprise.
The Pine City man was at Minnesota New Country School (MNCS) in Henderson on Wednesday when his granddaughter and school officials ambushed him with a round of "Pomp and Circumstance" before passing him his honorary diploma. Long had been told he would be receiving a tour and given a chance to see student projects.
His granddaughter, Jami Weber, said she had contacted the school about getting her grandfather a diploma because he always demonstrated a love for learning despite the fact he had to leave school when he was a teenager.
"He's a very intelligent man. He always says, 'Well, I am no brain,' but to me, he is," she said.
The school brought him in during a community lunch period when they were recognizing student achievement. Long quickly noticed his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the crowd.
"I don't know if he would have gone had I told him what was going on," Weber said, "So I just kind of left the details out."
In addition to music, the school also made a cake and held a brief ceremony before presenting him with his diploma.
Long's interest in education partly stemmed from his extended family members, many of whom work as teachers. He said the MNCS system for project-based education caught his attention because it breaks away from standard education practices and gives children different learning opportunities.
