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Commencement Address, Fowler High School, Fowler, MI, June 3, 1973
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4526500
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Commencement Address, Fowler High School, Fowler, MI, June 3, 1973
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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1973-06-30
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1973
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1973
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The original documents are located in Box D35, folder "Commencement Address, Fowler
High School, Fowler, MI, June 3, 1973" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary
and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box D35 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS, FOWLER HIGH SCHOOL
FOWLER, MICH., 3 P.M. JUNE 3, 1973.
Parents Payaculty
High honor Buttyone THANK provide
YOU, SUPERINTENDENT SMITH.
AFTER THAT GLOWING INTRODUCTION, I CAN
HARDLY WAIT TO HEAR WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY.
SERIOUSLY, IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND
AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE WITH YOU
GRADUATES THIS AFTERNOON, SHARING ONE OF
THE MOST PRECIOUS MOMENTS IN YOUR LIVES.
FOR YOU THIS CEREMONY MARKS
A BEGINNING AND AN END -- THE END OF YOUR
YEARS AT FOWLER HIGH SCHOOL AND THE
BEGINNING OF A WHOLE NEW LIFE.
BECAUSE I AM SO PLEASED AT BEING
ALLOWED TO SHARE THIS BIG MOMENT WITH YOU,
I HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE ALL OF YOU A
GRADUATION PRESENT
THAT GIFT IS A SHORT
COMMENCEMENT SPEECH.
RD LIBRARY GERALD
-2-
THAT IS THE BEST GRADUATION
PRESENT I COULD GIVE YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE
ALREADY ATTENDED A BACCALAUREATE SERVICE
AND BEEN PUT THROUGH REHEARSALS AND
COUNTLESS OTHER PREPARATIONS.
I'LL BET ALL OF YOU ARE LOVERS
OF POETRY AREN'T YOU? ANYWAY I RAN
ACROSS A LITTLE POEM BY A HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR THE OTHER DAY, AND IT WAS THIS BIT
OF VERSE THAT GAVE ME THE IDEA FOR MY
COMMENCEMENT GIFT TO YOU. THE POEM GOES LIKE
THIS:
"THE MONTH OF JUNE APPROACHES
AND SOON ACROSS THE LAND
THE GRADUATION SPEAKER (GESTURE TO SELF)
WILL TELL US (GESTURE TO GRADUATES) WHERE WE STAND.
WE STAND AT ARMAGEDDON
IN THE VANGUARD OF THE PRESS
WE'RE STANDING AT THE CROSSROADS
AT THE GATEWAY TO SUCCESS.
-3-
WE STAND UPON THE THRESHOLD
OF CAREERS ALL BRIGHTLY LIT
AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS STANDING
WE SIT/AND SIT/AND SIT."
TODAY IS YOUR DAY, SO I WANT YOU
TO SIT ONLY FOR AS LONG AS YOU ENJOY IT.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU
ARE REALLY JUST BEGINNING YOUR LIVES NOW
THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR HIGH SCHOOL
STUDIES AND ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE A DIPLOMA
IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR EDUCATIONAL
ACHIEVEMENTS.
THERE ARE 61 IN YOUR GRADUATING
CLASS. LET'S IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT THAT
20 YEARS FROM NOW YOU ALL COME BACK HERE
FOR A CLASS REUNION AND COMPARE NOTES.
IF THE STATISTICIANS AND THEIR PROJECTIONS
ARE RIGHT, YOU WILL FIND THAT IN
GERALD FORD LIBRARY
-4-
TWO DECADES YOU AND YOUR SPOUSES WILL HAVE
PRODUCED 183 CHILDREN. YOU WILL HAVE
EARNED -- IN 20 YEARS -- $12,200,000. AND
YOU WILL HAVE GONE $1,525,000 INTO DEBT.
THAT'S PERSONAL DEBT, BY THE WAY -- NOT
THE NATIONAL DEBT. THIS BEING A NATION
ON WHEELS YOU ALSO WILL HAVE TRADED IN
OR WRECKED 183 CARS.
AND WHEN YOU COME BACK HERE
FOR THAT 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOWLER
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS OF 1973, YOU
WILL PROBABLY SAY -- AS YOUR PARENTS ARE
SAYING NOW -- WHAT IS THIS YOUNGER
GENERATION COMING TO?
WHAT ARE YOU YOUNG PEOPLE COMING
To? SOME OF YOU WILL GO ON TO COLLEGE
/
SOME WILL TAKE SPECIAL TRAINING FOR
such agreculture as
OCCUPATIONS REQUIRING CERTAIN SPECIAL SKILLS
-5-
AND SOME WILL GO DIRECTLY INTO JOBS. SOME
OF YOU WILL GET MARRIED SOON AND BEGIN
RAISING FAMILIES. SOME OF YOU YOUNG MEN
WILL GO INTO MILITARY SERVICE, AND IF YOU
GO IN WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE YOU WILL GAIN
INNER STRENGTH AND SKILLS THAT WILL SERVE
YOU FOR A LIFETIME.
TRADITIONALLY, A COMMENCEMENT
SPEAKER IS SUPPOSED TO OFFER ADVICE TO
all graduates
GRADUATES I WILL DO THAT, KNOWING FULL
WELL THAT THOSE WHO NEED ADVICE THE MOST
ARE THE LEAST LIKELY TO ABSORB IT.
By mout, By HOPE EACH OF YOU GRADUATES HAS
COME TO TERMS WITH HIMSELF. I HOPE YOU
HAVE COME TO KNOW YOURSELF. I HOPE YOU HAVE
FOUND WHAT I CALL THE FORMULA FOR THE GOOD
LIFE.
FORD
NOW LET ME SHARE AN EXPERIENCE
WITH YOU.
LIBRARY
-6-
A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO I SPENT A
FABULOUS 10 DAYS IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC
OF CHINA TOGETHER WITH THE LATE HOUSE
MAJORITY LEADER HALE BOGGS OF LOUISIANA
AND MEMBERS OF OUR STAFFS. BOGGS AND I
VISITED CHINA AFTER PREVIOUS JOURNEYS THERE
BY THE PRESIDENT AND BY THE MAJORITY AND
MINORITY LEADERS OF THE UNITED STATES
SENATE. This is a nation & 800 million / growing at nate
of two (2) new THE York CHIEF cities Each year
IMPRESSION ALL OF US
BROUGHT BACK WITH US WAS OF THE DEDICATION
AND DISCIPLINE OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE. WE
WERE STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT FARMER AND
CITY DWELLER, YOUNG AND OLD ONE AND ALL
APPEARED TO BE MOTIVATED BY THE COMMON
GOALS SET FOR THEM BY THEIR LEADER,
CHAIRMAN MAO.
WHILE WE WERE IMPRESSED BY THIS
-7-
DEDICATION OF THE CHINESE TO THEIR SYSTEM
OF GOVERNMENT, WE ALL RETURNED TO THE
UNITED STATES WITH A STRONGER FAITH IN OUR
OWN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, WITH ITS EMPHASIS
ON FREEDOM AND INDIVIDUALITY.
I MENTION THESE IMPRESSIONS OF
CHINA BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IN EVERY
SOCIETY -- EAST OR WEST ANCIENT OR
MODERN -- PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ENGAGED
IN AN EFFORT TO FIND THE PERFECT MIX OF
DISCIPLINE AND FREEDOM.
WHERE EXCESSIVE DISCIPLINE IS
IMPOSED BY THOSE IN AUTHORITY, WE FIND
DESPOTISM. WHERE THERE IS TOO MUCH FREEDOM
THE RESULT IS CHAOS -- A SITUATION IN
WHICH NO ONE CAN LIVE IN SAFETY LET ALONE
CREATE FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
GERALD FORD LIBRARY
-8-
YOU HAVE SEEN THE CLASH OF THESE
FUNDAMENTAL FORCES IN YOUR OWN LIVES.
YOUR ELDERS -- BE THEY PARENTS
OR TEACHERS OR OTHERS IN AUTHORITY -- HAVE
COME DOWN HARD ON THE SIDE OF DEDICATION
AND DISCIPLINE.
WE ACCEPT DISCIPLINE IF OUR
MOTIVATION IS STRONG ENOUGH -- AND WE HAVE
FULL CONFIDENCE THAT AFTER OUR
APPRENTICESHIP WE WILL ENJOY AN EXTRA
MEASURE OF FREEDOM AND INDIVIDUAL
EXPRESSION.
WHAT YOU HAVE PROBABLY LEARNED
BY THIS TIME IN YOUR LIVES IS THAT THE
BEST KIND OF DISCIPLINE IS SELF-DISCIPLINE.
YOU HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE
DIVIDENDS IN KEEPING THE RULES OF LIFE
2
THOSE COMMON SENSE PRECEPTS THAT WE ALL
-9-
COME TO KNOW AS WE BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH
RIGHT AND WRONG.
YOU KNOW THE RULES. THEY RANGE
ALL THE WAY FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS TO
THAT SIMPLE BUT MOST-DIFFICULT-TO-FOLLOW
RULE
DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE
OTHERS DO UNTO YOU.
THESE ARE THE RULES THAT GOVERN
EVERYTHING WE DO. MAN HAS MADE THEM -- AND
FOR A PURPOSE
NOBODY SHOULD DECIDE WHAT LAWS
HE LIKES AND WILL OBEY AND WHICH LAWS HE
DOESN'T LIKE AND WON'T OBEY -- ANY MORE
THAN ANY PLAYER IN A FOOTBALL GAME CAN
MAKE UP HIS OWN RULES.
OF COURSE, SOME RULES SEEM TO
US BURDENSOME, OR SILLY, OR UNJUST. AND
FORD
SOME OF THEM ARE. BUT UNLIKE THE SYSTEM
LIBRARY
-10-
UNDER WHICH THE MAINLAND CHINESE LIVE
our people
WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE TO
CHANGE THE RULES AS AN EXPRESSION OF A
FREE PEOPLE. WE NEED NO "CULTURAL
REVOLUTION" IN AMERICA TO PRODUCE CHANGE.
BUT FREEDOM IS WEAKENED WHEN IT
FEEDS ON EXCESS. FREEDOM FLOURISHES WHEN
TEMPERED BY THE RESTRAINTS OF
SELF-DISCIPLINE.
THE TRUE BEGINNING OF WISDOM
IS THE DESIRE FOR DISCIPLINE -- THE KIND
OF DISCIPLINE WHICH SPRINGS FROM DOING
WHAT IS RIGHT SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT
TO BE RIGHT, OR, CONVERSELY. REFRAINING
FROM WRONGDOING SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT
TO BE WRONG.
EARLIER I MENTIONED THE GOOD
LIFE. NOW, WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO
-11-
WITH THE GOOD LIFE THE GOOD LIFE IS
BUILT ON DEDICATION AND DISCIPLINE --
SELF-DISCIPLINE -- AND HARD WORK -- AND LOVE
ALL OF THESE INGREDIENTS ARE IMPORTANT TO
THE GOOD LIFE, BUT LOVE IS CHIEF AMONG
THEM. NOT THE MINDLESS HIPPIE KIND OF
LOVE -- IRRESPONSIBLE, FLOATING
UNATTACHED TO ANY SET OF VALUES. THE GOOD
LIFE FLOWS FROM LOVE OF GOD AND LOVE OF
FAMILY
OF PARENTS FOR CHILDREN
CHILDREN FOR PARENTS AND PARENTS FOR EACH
OTHER. THE GOOD LIFE FLOWS FROM LOVE FOR
YOUR FELLOWMAN AND LOVE FOR YOUR COUNTRY
THE LATE PRESIDENT DWIGHT D.
EISENHOWER SAID JUST BEFORE HE DIED:
"I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED MY WIFE. I HAVE ALWAYS
LOVED MY FAMILY. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED MY
COUNTRY."
GERALD FORD LIBRARI
-12-
IKE KNEW WHAT THE GOOD LIFE WAS
BECAUSE HE LIVED IT -- A LIFE WITH THE
RIGHT MIX OF DISCIPLINE AND FREEDOM --
AND LOVE. SO, Too, CAN YOU.
IKE LOVED PEOPLE BUT HE
PARTICULARLY LOVED YOUNG PEOPLE. HE
BELIEVED IN THEM. so, TOO DO I
YOU NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SAY HOW THINGS SHOULD BE DONE. YOU HAVE
THE VOTE -- AND I HOPE TO GOODNESS YOU
USE IT. Our country will be better, stronger with your
constructive participation.
I WAS IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE
EFFORT IN CONGRESS TO EXTEND THE VOTE TO
18, 19 AND 20-YEAR-OLDS -- NOT BECAUSE I
FELT IT WOULD BENEFIT MY PARTY
MOST
OF THE SURVEYS SUGGESTED THE OPPOSITE
RESULT
BUT BECAUSE I SINCERELY
BELIEVE THAT GIVING AMERICA'S YOUNG PEOPLE
LIBRARY
THE VOTE WILL BENEFIT OUR COUNTRY.
-13-
I AM CONFIDENT THAT GIVING THE
THOUGHTFUL YOUNG PEOPLE OF AMERICA A
VOICE AND A VOTE CAN ONLY BENEFIT ALL OF
US IN THE LONG RUN.
IF YOU DO GET INVOLVED IN NEXT
YEAR'S POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, REMEMBER THAT
NOTHING IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN THE INTEGRITY
OF THE INDIVIDUAL. THE END NEVER JUSTIFIES
THE MEANS. REMEMBER, Too, THAT THE THINGS
THAT UNITE US AS AMERICANS ARE FAR MORE
ENDURING THAN THE THINGS THAT DIVIDE US.
AS THE CAMPAIGN GETS HOTTER TRY TO
REMEMBER TO SINGE BUT NEVER TO BURN. LET'S
ALL WORK TO BANISH WAR FROM THIS SHRINKING
WORLD AND HATE FROM OUR EXPANDING
HEARTS -- TO MAKE THIS WHOLE PLANET AS
FULL OF FRIENDSHIP AND FELICITY AS THIS
SCHOOL IS TODAY.
GERALD
-14-
DISCIPLINE AND DEDICATION.
INDIVIDUALITY AND FREEDOM. YOU HAVE
ENCOUNTERED THESE SEEMINGLY CONTRADICTORY
ELEMENTS IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS AND IN
YOUR OWN FAMILY LIFE. YOU HAVE ACHIEVED
SOME BALANCE, SOME COMPROMISE, SOME KIND
OF MIXTURE IN YOUR OWN LIFE.
PERHAPS THE AMERICAN DREAM IS
TOO HIGH ON INDIVIDUALITY AND FREEDOM.
PERHAPS CLOSED SOCIETIES LIKE THAT OF
MAINLAND CHINA ARE TOO LONG ON DISCIPLINE
AND DEDICATION. PERHAPS WE CAN TEACH EACH
OTHER AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AS THE
DOORS OF CHINA ARE OPENED TO US AND OURS
TO THEM.
CONFUCTUS, WHOSE THOUGHTS GUIDED
MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF CHINESE BEFORE
CHAIRMAN MAO, WAS VERY STRONG ON THE
FORD LIBRARY
-15-
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION. ONE OF HIS
SAYINGS, WHICH HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO
ENGLISH VERSE, SEEMS TO ME PARTICULARLY
APPROPRIATE FOR GRADUATING SENIORS -- OR
FOR THAT MATTER, FOR THEIR PROUD PARENTS
AND GRANDPARENTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY. THIS
IS WHAT CONFUCIUS SAID:
"WISE IS THAT MAN, AND BOUND TO GROW
WHO KNOWS HE KNOWS A THING OR so,
BUT WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO SHOW,
THE MANY THINGS HE DOESN'T KNOW."
THIS IS TRULY A DAY OF
COMMENCEMENT THE LAST TIME YOU WILL EVER
BE ASSEMBLED ALL IN ONE PLACE, THE FIRST
TIME YOU WILL EACH BE ON YOUR OWN, TAKING
UP THE TASK OF MAKING A FULL LIFE FOR
YOURSELVES AND, AS MUCH AS LIES WITHIN YOUR
POWER, A BETTER WORLD FOR ALL MANKIND.
CHERISH FREEDOM AND INDIVIDUALITY
-16-
DISCIPLINE AND DEDICATION; CULTIVATE
COURTESY AND CHARITY AND COMPASSION:
REMEMBER THAT COURAGE COMES FROM FAITH
AND THAT FAITH IS ONLY FEAR THAT HAS SAID
ITS PRAYERS
CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 1973,
AND GODSPEED TO ALL OF YOU. THE WORLD IS
ALREADY BETTER FOR YOUR BEING HERE, AND IT
WILL BE A FAR BETTER WORLD, I KNOW, WHEN
YOU ARE MY AGE.
END : :
LIBRARY