Students’ final days at Mamaroneck High School are marked by a series of traditions and events that are a celebration of the four years we spend here. One such tradition is Rent-A-Senior Day. For five dollars underclassmen purchase the services and company of a senior who has volunteered himself or herself. While it is intended to be a fun day for students of all grades, it serves another purpose as well. Rent-A-Senior Day is a way to celebrate and honor the previous four years and bridge together the different grades. It is a symbolic passing of the torch; the current seniors participated as freshmen, now it is their turn.

This year changes were enacted. Not only were seniors not excused from their classes, but they were barred from attending their purchasers’ classes. Rent-A-Senior Day was reduced to a free period and lunch, which was a devastating blow to the seniors who had hoped to experience the tradition they knew from the other side of the spectrum. The spirit of the day was diminished.

The argument for the changes is a sensible one. While formal classes are all but over for seniors, underclassmen are racing to finish required material for final and Regents Exams. The presence of seniors, many of whom are forced to dress ridiculously or perform unusual tasks, can be very distracting for students who are still working hard. Obviously, participating seniors should be held to a certain degree of behavior to make sure that the interference is minimal. If, however, seniors follow this code and sit quietly in the class of their renter (which they are capable of doing), there should be no disruption.

The effect of the changes should have been foreseen. While many students chose to abide by the new rules, many others chose instead to cut class and make a day out of the event. Many teachers’ fear that the day would be disruptive came true to a greater extent than it would have had the new rules not been implemented, as students flocked to house parties and boating trips.

What the school needs to do to alleviate issues such as these is decide what the end of the year should look like for seniors. They should either be doing something productive, or be allowed to relax. It is difficult for the administration to maintain a balance between these two options and as a result, events like Rent-A-Senior Day cannot be carried out properly. If seniors and the underclassmen who rented them cannot attend classes together, then the day cannot be enjoyed to its fullest.

- Peter Gelman and Joanna Lyons