Last Call in 2025: the history and traditions of the Farewell to School holiday

At the end of May, ninth and eleventh graders celebrate the holiday of saying goodbye to school — the last bell. For most students, this is both a long-awaited and a sad day, because a long chapter of their lives is coming to an end, full of joyful moments and bright events. Read about how this celebration originated and what traditions are associated with it in the Izvestia article.

Last call in 2025 — what date

The last call does not have a fixed date, the management of each school independently decides when to hold a holiday. It is traditionally held at the end of May, when classes have already ended and exams have not started yet.

There are also recommendations from the Russian Ministry of Education, which contain optimal dates for celebrating recent calls. In 2025, it's Saturday, May 24th.

The history of the Last Call holiday in Russia

For the first time, the last bell was celebrated in 1948 at Krasnodar school No. 12. The initiative belonged to the director of the educational institution, Honored Teacher of the USSR Fyodor Bryukhovetsky. In his post, he paid a lot of attention to the consolidation of the school team and introduced various traditions for this. It was he who proposed to celebrate Knowledge Day on September 1 with a solemn lineup.

Graduates of school No. 12 celebrated their last call on May 25. A farewell concert was organized for them, after which the children planted trees in the school yard. A similar event took place in Moscow school No. 182 in the same year. However, the celebration was not widely known, for a long time it was celebrated only in certain educational institutions.

The last bell became a universal holiday only in the 1970s. At the same time, most of its recognizable traditions were formed.

Traditions of the Last Call holiday

In the Soviet Union, graduates prepared for the last call in advance. They decorated the auditorium, learned songs and poems for the farewell concert, and created wall newspapers about the achievements of the eleventh graders. The girls wore brown uniform dresses with white aprons, while the boys wore formal suits with white shirts. On their chests, the boys wore ribbons with the inscription "Graduate" and the year of graduation.

The modern last call has learned a lot from its Soviet predecessor. Many girls still come to the party in dresses styled after the school uniform of the USSR, and white aprons. The tradition of wearing graduation ribbons has also been preserved.

On the day of the celebration, students walk through the school corridors for the last time, visiting their favorite teachers and first teachers. Sometimes graduates are applauded by students from other classes.

The last call itself is usually divided into two parts: official and unofficial. The first one consists of a solemn line-up and a concert, which the students organize on their own under the guidance of teachers. Teachers and the principal of the school speak on the line with congratulations. Students who have proved themselves during their studies are awarded with diplomas and diplomas.

After that, the graduates thank the teachers and staff of the school. Sometimes students' performances include vivid flash mobs, dance routines, or funny skits. The line ends with the last bell. Traditionally, an eleventh-grader puts a first-grade student on his shoulder and carries her in front of the ruler. At this time, the girl rings a bell with a festive bow, the sound of which should remind graduates of their school days.

Another tradition of the last bell is the school waltz. It is danced by all the eleventh graders or several pairs of graduates, depending on the size of the festive area. Rehearsals usually begin a few months before the holiday, and some classes involve professional choreographers. Both the classic slow waltz and its varieties — Viennese, Argentine and others - are popular.

After the lineup, graduates and teachers move to the auditorium, where a farewell concert is being held. During it, teachers give parting words to their students, and students thank them for the knowledge they have received and the years they have spent together. Parents also participate in the event, congratulating their children and their mentors from the stage.

The graduates will organize the informal part of the last call according to their taste. Some rent motorboats and book halls in restaurants, others go out of town for barbecue or rent a cottage for a party with classmates. Some students abandon the noisy celebration in favor of charity and spend the last bell at animal shelters, volunteer centers or on clean-up days.

How to mark the Last Call in other countries

The last bell is celebrated not only in Russia, but also in other countries. So, in the USA, they organize a ball for graduates. It is necessary to come to it with a couple, so students arrange in advance with their friends and significant others. At the end of the evening, the king and queen of the school are announced — they become the most popular and successful students.

In Italy, graduates prepare a banquet for teachers. By tradition, the guys have to earn money for it on their own. To do this, they participate in fairs where they sell pastries and various handmade products.

Chinese schoolchildren celebrate the last bell radically — they throw textbooks, notebooks, briefcases and other school supplies out of the windows. This is how graduates cope with stress after a long and grueling exam period.

In Norway, Sweden, and Finland, graduates ride around the city in rented buses, sing songs, and throw parties in navy caps. Teachers write warm wishes to their students on the headgear linings.

Earlier, Izvestia shared touching greetings and bright postcards for the last call.