In mid-June, school satchels and rucksacks appear on pols hanging from balconies and windows to celebrate successful secondary school final exam results. This Dutch tradition began in the 1960s when proud parents wanted to show their neighbours that their children were going to continue studying. On June 17, students received a telephone call between noon and 3 pm to let them know whether they had passed their exams. It's a tense afternoon for thousands of Dutch teenagers.