Graduation rooted in century and a half of tradition

*High school students performing at the 1956 Weston High School graduation ceremony.(Courtesy photo/Weston Historical Society)*

When the class of 2026 receives their diplomas on Friday, they will join the ranks of 158 years of students who have called Weston High School their academic home.

The ceremony traditionally takes place on the Town Green, weather permitting. Weston Parent Teacher Organization High School Co-chair Mary Pat Hinckley said hosting the event outdoors gives the entire town a chance to celebrate students as a part of the community.

“You will see people of all ages. It’s really exciting to have this happening in the town center,” she said. “It’s such a special community event. I’m probably still going to go after my kid graduates.”

Graduation has changed throughout the years. At an early commencement of Weston High School in 1868, there were prayers and a recitation from “Hamlet,” according to a program in the Weston Historical Society’s archives. The ceremony was held inside the school from the 1870s to the 1950s. When the High School moved to what would later become the Field School, graduation ceremonies moved to the Town Hall auditorium before heading outdoors to the front of the school by the mid-50s.

Fashion has also changed over the years. Girls have worn white dresses to graduation for many years, according to the photos in the Weston Historical Society’s archive. Boys used to wear black suits, but traded in the dark colors for white by the late 1950s.

*Photos of Mary MacMahon, class of 1898, and Margaret Mosher, class of 1916, both in white dresses for graduation. (Courtesy photo/Weston Historical Society)*

The graduation ceremony is only a piece of the celebrations for seniors now, which include a Red Sox game, a barbecue and a trip to a surprise destination organized by the class parents. Nobody outside of the class parents is told the location beforehand, but past trips have included the Museum of Science and Apex Entertainment, a venue that includes laser tag and arcade games in Marlborough.

*A Weston Historical Society photo of the procession at Weston High School’s 1977 graduation on the Town Green. (Courtesy photo/Weston Historical Society)*

*The procession at Weston High School’s 2025 commencement ceremony on the Town Green. (Nicole Mordecai/Weston Observer)*

Weston High School PTO co-chair Jenny Rodriguez said it is important to celebrate the students at the end of four hard years before they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

“They are all becoming adults and leaving and making more adult decisions. It’s nice to be able to have fun with your friends who you aren’t going to see as often,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to put that stamp on their year.”

Graduation is Friday on the Town Green at 4 p.m.