This article was donated by Evelyn Lobree and her Daughter Teri

THERE I WAS IN A HOSPITAL

What a Way to Graduate!

When 17 year old Mace Goodman is old enough to tell his grandchildren about his high school graduation, even Walter Mitty would blush, and the young ones will think, “Grandpa’s really flipped this time.”
This is the way Mace will tell it:
“There I was, lying in the Surgical Amphitheater of White Memorial Hospital on a rolling hospital bed. Attendants rolled me in slowly, my left ankle was shattered with multiple fractures and my shoulder was dislocated.” “I smiled bravely as my fellow students rose when I entered.” “Bob Chadwick was playing a selection from ‘Pomp and Circumstance.” “Other students regally brought in a frosted white cake dedicated to ‘Mace Goodman’ and offering me ‘congratulations’ on my graduation.” Miss Lobree presented me with my purple felt diploma, hand-fed me a piece of cake and an iced cup of Hawaiian punch.” “Then all the kids joined in and we had a real swinging party.”
But, while his grandchildren may sadly shake their heads at what they assume to be Mace’s “old age,” the fact is that that’s the way he graduated form high school yesterday.
Mace who is the sone of Dr. and Mrs. Alexander Goodman, was injured in a June 8th motorcycle accident near Hollywood Professional School.
The senior class composed mainly of youngsters who work professionally in movies and television, decided that since Mace couldn’t attend their graduation tonight at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, they’d bring the graduation ceremony to him.

This article appeared in the Los Angeles Herald Examiner on June 14, 1966

 

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