Alice Cooper was once asked what the greatest three minutes of his life were. He responded, “There’s two times during the year. One is Christmas morning, when you’re just getting ready to open the presents. The greed factor is right there. The next one is the last three minutes of the last day of school when you’re sitting there and it’s like a slow fuse burning. I said, ‘If we can catch that three minutes in a song, it’s going to be so big.’”
Of course, he went on to write a hit song in 1972, “School’s Out,” that perfectly encapsulates all of the pent-up energy accompanying those last waning moments of the school year – when the pubescent penitentiaries of learning fling open their doors and temporarily release millions of children from the bonds of educational responsibility:
Of course, once that last day of school arrived, teachers braced themselves for utter anarchy, and they were rarely disappointed. By the end of the day, most schools looked as if a family of tornados visited them. The Simpsons paid tribute to this destructive ritual with a little fantasy sequence dreamed up by the show’s young antagonist, Bart:
And finally, to get a clear image of what the last day of school looked like, circa 1976, one needn’t search further than the classic 1993 film, Dazed and Confused. The movie provides a retro glimpse of the era and is a must-see for anyone who went to school in the 70s. For those unfamiliar with the film, here’s the trailer:
As we reflect upon this most memorable day from childhood, we ask you to share your own recollections of the last day of school with us. Did anarchy reign supreme, or was it simply a day to get yearbooks signed and say your goodbyes to those you likely wouldn’t see until the following September? Tell us all about your experiences in the comments below as we remember that wonderful day – one that ceremoniously brought the school year to a close and signaled the arrival of the long-anticipated summer vacation.
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