Article November 20, 1995 Issue

Salute to college graduates

by Kim Shippey

In the Southern Hemisphere, many university and college students are writing their final examinations. Their graduation ceremonies will not be held for several weeks, and probably will not follow the same form as the "commencement" exercises on many campuses in the United States. Nor are they likely to follow the American tradition of having keynote speeches delivered by visiting political leaders, journalists, entertainers, and others, as well as by university presidents. Excerpts from some of the speeches given at American colleges this past summer might be of interest to graduating students in other parts of the world.

University president John Silber spoke to graduating classes about the standards by which the strength and quality of American life are measured.

"In America today," he said, "the domains of choice and of law have eroded the domain of manners. As the realm of manners and morals has been diminished by those who claim that whatever they think or do is right if it feels good to them, the central domain loses its force. And despite the expansion of the domain of law, the consequent weakening of the central domain has resulted in the diminution of the authority and effectiveness of the law....

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