When Elmer Driscoll dropped out of Babylon High School in 1938, his principal said, "Promise me you'll come back and finish your education." Seventy years later Driscoll will fulfill that promise.

Driscoll was one of twelve children who were born and raised in West Babylon. His only living sibling, Mildred Kroecker, still lives in West Babylon.

Driscoll's wife was diagnosed with Alzheim­er's disease and Driscoll was forced to place her in a nursing home in order to receive proper medical care. With time on his hands, Driscoll decided it was time to return to school and strive for his Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED). Over the past two years, Driscoll has been attending a BOCES adult secondary education program three days a week at the Middle Country Library in Selden. His instruc­tor, Pat Martin, said Driscoll has been an inspiration to the other students in the program. Along with 620 graduating seniors, Driscoll will be celebrating high school festivities with students from the Ward Melville High School. Driscoll at­tended the senior prom with his niece, Pamela Shaw, and will be leading the 2008 graduates of the Ward Melville High School in to their graduation cere­mony. On June 29, Driscoll received his honorary high school diploma from Ward Melville and fulfill a promise and dream that has been on hold for 70 years.