Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Source Description
This file contains material relating to Resource Consumption, Waste.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
1133415
label
5/24/75 - Law School of Pepperdine University Commencement
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
1133415
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
5/24/75 - Law School of Pepperdine University Commencement
description
This file contains material relating to Resource Consumption, Waste.
citationUrl
collections
Carla A. Hills Speeches
Speeches
subjects
Department of Justice. Watergate Special Prosecution Force. 5/25/1973-6/20/1977
Conservation
Natural resources
iiifBase
thumbnailUrl
largeImageUrl
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
1133415
coverageEndDate
day
24
logicalDate
1975-05-24
month
5
year
1975
coverageStartDate
day
24
logicalDate
1975-05-24
month
5
year
1975
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
url
mediaId
834a1c073a2aa52b
ocrText
The original documents are located in Box 1, folder "5/24/75 - Law School of Pepperdine
University Commencement" of the Carla A. Hills Speeches 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. Gerald Ford 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FINAL
LAW SCHOOL OF
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY
COMMENCEMENT
MAY 24, 1975
I THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THE HONORS YOU HAVE
BESTOWED UPON ME THIS DAY -- FOR THIS HONORARY DEGREE
WHICH I SHALL CHERISH, FOR THE KIND WORDS BILL, THAT
YOU OFFER WITH IT, AND FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT
THIS COMMENCEMENT OF THE PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL.
THIS GRADUATION PROVIDES US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO
REAFFIRM OUR FAITH IN OUR SYSTEM OF JUSTICE.
IT HAS BECOME FAR TOO FASHIONABLE TO BE SCORNFUL OF
OUR PROFESSION, To CONDEMN THE FAILURES OF LAWYERS IN
HIGH PLACES RATHER THAN TO PRAISE THE SYSTEM WHICH CHECKED
THEIR LAWLESSNESS, To COMPLAIN THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY
LAWYERS RATHER THAN TO HONOR THE TRADITION THAT MAKES OURS
A GOVERNMENT OF LAWS WHICH HAS ACHIEVED so MUCH IN
COMPARISON TO THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE A TYRANNY OF MEN RULES
UNCHECKED.
FORD a LIBRARY DERALD
-2-
OURS, AFTER ALL, IS STILL THE CREATIVE SOCIETY TO
WHICH THE FREE WORLD LOOKS FOR LEADERSHIP. WE REMAIN A
COUNTRY OF VITALITY AND STRENGTH. WE RETAIN MORE THAN
ANY OTHER NATION THE CAPACITY FOR THE KIND OF INNOVATIVE
THOUGHT THAT CAN LEAD THE WORLD OUT OF ITS ECONOMIC AND
MORAL RECESSION.
TODAY AS WE APPROACH THE CELEBRATION OF OUR 200TH
BIRTHDAY, ENGLAND, OUR MOTHER COUNTRY, IS CONTEMPLATING
A STUDY OF ITS LAWS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INSTALLING THOSE
BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARDS OF OUR BILL OF RIGHTS
WHICH HAVE PROTECTED US SINCE OUR INFANCY FROM THE FOLLY
OF MEN.
IN CELEBRATION OF THIS LASTING WISDOM, I AM HONORED
TO CONGRATULATE THIS GRADUATING CLASS OF THE PEPPERDINE
UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL,
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WORRY ABOUT WHERE YOU WILL FIND
YOUR WORK AND WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH IN THE 50 YEARS OF
PROFESSIONAL LIFE AHEAD OF YOU, YOU SHOULD STOP A MOMENT
TO REFLECT UPON THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PAST 50 YEARS,
CORAMO R. FORD LIBRARY
-3-
IT WAS, AFTER ALL, LESS THAN 50 YEARS AGO THAT OUR
PARENTS EXPRESSED FAR MORE CONCERN FOR THE FATE OF CHARLES
LINDBERGH AS HE MADE HIS FIRST HISTORIC FLIGHT ACROSS THE
ATLANTIC THAN WE EXPRESSED DURING RECENT YEARS FOR OUR
ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE MADE TRIPS TO AND FROM THE MOON,
AT THE TIME OF THE LINDBERGH FLIGHT, MR. JUSTICE HOLMES
GRACED OUR SUPREME COURT. HE ONCE STATED, AND I QUOTE:
"THE LAW, WHEREIN, AS IN A MAGIC MIRROR,
WE SEE REFLECTED NOT ONLY OUR OWN LIVES,
BUT THE LIVES OF ALL MEN THAT HAVE BEEN.
WHEN I THINK OF THIS MAJESTIC THEME MY
EYES DAZZLE.
WHEN REFLECTING ON WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE CANNOT
OVERLOOK THE STARTLING FACT THAT MORE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES
OF NOTE WERE MADE IN THE PAST 25 YEARS THAN IN ALL OF THE
HISTORY OF MAN.
R. FORD LIBRISHA
-4-
BUT, AS GREAT AS OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN, WHO
CANNOT SEE THE GREAT INEQUALITIES IN THE WORLD TODAY?
THE POORLY EDUCATED, POORLY FED, POORLY CLOTHED, AND
POORLY HOUSED LIVE IN THE WORLD AT LARGE AND IN OUR
COUNTRY IN NUMBERS FAR TOO NUMEROUS TO BE TOLERATED.
WE CAN TAKE COMFORT IN THE STRENGTH, INGENUITY AND
PURPOSE THAT HAS BROUGHT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAL INSURANCE,
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION, EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY LAWS,
BUT MODERN COMMUNICATIONS BRING HOME TO US THE FACT
THAT NOTWITHSTANDING ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE, ALL THAT WE
HAVE IS THREATENED BY WHAT IS YET UNDONE AND BY THE COLOSSAL
MALFEASANCE THAT HAS ERRODED PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN OUR
GOVERNMENT AND IN OUR SYSTEM TO A DANGEROUS DEGREE.
CONFIDENCE MUST AND WILL BE RESTORED. WE CAN LOOK
WITH EITHER HOPE OR DESPAIR TO THE PAST 3 YEARS IN WHICH
OUR LEADERS HAVE BEEN CONVICTED, DISCREDITED, OR HAVE
ADMITTED GUILT ON A SCALE UNPARALLELED IN THE FREE WORLD.
FORD
-5-
BUT WHAT OTHER COUNTRY HAS EVER SUSTAINED SUCH INTENSE
AND MULTIPLE SHOCKS WITHOUT THE THREAT OF A REVOLUTION OR
AN EFFORT TO IMPOSE THE TYRANNY OF A TOTALITARIAN GOVERNMENT?
As GREAT AS WERE THESE PAST FAILURES, OUR SYSTEM NOW
APPROACHES THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1976 WITH A
DEDICATION TO MORALITY AND FAIRNESS THAT NONE OF US WOULD
HAVE DREAMED POSSIBLE 12 SHORT MONTHS AGO. WE HAVE INDEED
PROFITED FROM OUR TERRIBLE MISTAKES,
WHAT CHALLENGE THEN CAN A NEW LAW GRADUATE SEE AT THIS
HISTORIC CROSSROADS IN 1975 OTHER THAN THE CHALLENGE OF
FINDING A JOB --- WHICH WILL ADMITTEDLY BE GREATER THAN IN
RECENT PAST YEARS,
LET ME SUGGEST A FEW --
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO THE
REALIZATION THAT WE ARE A WASTEFUL PEOPLE,
&
FORD
-6-
THE GAS CRISIS TAUGHT US THAT WE WASTED ENERGY.
THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS HAVE TAUGHT US THAT WE ARE
WASTING THE AIR AND WATER RESOURCES UPON WHICH WE DEPEND
FOR SURVIVAL.
THE CIVIL DISTURBANCES OF 1968 TAUGHT US THAT WE
WASTE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES BY CONSIGNING LARGE SEGMENTS
OF OUR POPULATION TO A CONTINUING CYCLE OF POVERTY FROM
WHICH FAR TOO FEW BREAK FREE.
OUR COLLECTIVE EXISTENCE HAS BEEN ONE OF CONSUMPTION,
WE CONSUMED A FRONTIER AND TURNED IT INTO A SERIES OF
SPRAWLING CITIES. AND WE CONSUME OUR RESOURCES AT A FRIGHTENING
RATE TO KEEP THOSE CITIES ALIVE.
AMERICA AS A NATION HAS BEEN LIKE A SPOILED CHILD
USED TO ABUNDANCE, As WE NOW REACH OUR ADOLESCENCE AS A
NATION WE MUST LEARN TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE AND SPARING
WITH OUR VALUABLE RESOURCES,
GE7A40 R. FORD
-7-
To YOU IS PRESENTED THE CHALLENGE TO TEACH THAT
RESPONSIBILITY.
To YOU IS PRESENTED THE NEED FOR FINDING BETTER
WAYS TO SOLVE THE TOUGH ISSUES THAT DIVIDE US AND SAP
OUR GROWTH. ISSUES SUCH AS:
NEW BUSINESS AND ENERGY GROWTH
VERSUS
THE INSISTENT DEMAND FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT.
THE PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT TO GUARANTEE
NEW JOBS, HOMES AND SECURITY
VERSUS
OUR FAITH IN FREE ENTERPRISE.
THE CRITICAL NEED FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE
SYSTEM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
VERSUS
OUR DEDICATION TO FAIR TRIALS AND OUR
COMPASSION FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED.
& FORD
-8-
THE SHARP DEMAND OF CONSUMERS FOR
BETTER TREATMENT
VERSUS
THE EQUALLY INCESSENT CALL FOR LESS
GOVERNMENT REGULATION.
THE DESPERATE CRY OF THE UNEMPLOYED
VERSUS
THE UNIVERSAL DESIRE TO AVOID ANOTHER
CRIPPLING INFLATIONARY CYCLE.
LAWYERS NOW UNDER THE AGE OF 30 WILL FASHION FAR MORE
EFFECTIVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WILL PROVIDE QUALITY LEGAL
SERVICES TO MORE OF OUR LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME GROUPS,
AND WILL SEE TO IT THAT APPROPRIATE PORTIONS OF THESE
SERVICES WILL BE OFFERED BY NON-LAWYERS AT LOWER COSTS,
You WILL REFORM BOTH OUR CRIMINAL COURTS AND OUR
PENAL INSTITUTIONS. You WILL FIND AND ESTABLISH DISPUTE
SETTLEMENT TECHNIQUES TO LESSEN THE BURDEN ON OUR COURTS.
MERALD P FORD
-9-
You WILL, IN PARTICULAR, FIND NEW SOLUTIONS FOR THE
AGONY IN OUR CITIES OVER HOUSING, JOBS, SCHOOLS, BUSSING.
HOPEFULLY, IN YOUR TIME, GOVERNMENT WILL WORK BETTER
BY WORKING LESS.
WITH LUCK, AND HARD WORK, YOU WILL, 25 YEARS FROM
TODAY BE JUST AS PROUD OF YOUR SUCCESS AND JUST AS AWARE
OF YOUR REMAINING SHORT-FALLS AS WE ARE HERE TODAY,
FOR ALL OF THESE ARE EITHER THE DESPERATE PROBLEMS,
OR THE GREAT CHALLENGES, DEPENDING ON YOUR PRESENT STATE
OF MIND, THAT AWAIT YOUR ATTENTION ALONG WITH THE JOB
YOU SEEK ON THE OUTSIDE,
AND, WHERE YOU WILL FIND THAT JOB NOW THAT so MANY
OF THE ESTABLISHED AND DISTINGUISHED LAW FIRMS WITH SECURE
OPPORTUNITY HAVE FILLED THEIR QUOTA OF YOUNG LAWYERS IN
THIS YEAR'S RECESSION. HERE TOO IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
LET ME RESURRECT THE WISDOM OF EMERSON, WHO SAID IN HIS
SELF RELIANCE:
A.
FORD
DERALD
-10-
"IF OUR YOUNG MEN MISCARRY IN
THEIR FIRST ENTERPRISE THEY LOSE ALL
HEART
IF THE FINEST GENIUS
STUDIES AT ONE OF OUR COLLEGES AND
IS NOT INSTALLED IN AN OFFICE WITHIN
ONE YEAR
...
IN THE CITIES
IT
SEEMS TO HIS FRIENDS AND TO HIMSELF
THAT HE IS RIGHT IN BEING DISHEARTENED
A STURDY LAD WHO IN TURN TRIES
ALL THE PROFESSIONS, WHO TRIES IT,
FARMS IT, PEDDLES
PREACHES,
EDITS, GOES TO CONGRESS
AND so
FORTH IN SUCCESSIVE YEARS
IS
WORTH A HUNDRED OF THESE CITY DOLLS FOR
HE HAS NOT ONE CHANCE BUT A
HUNDRED CHANCES, INSIST ON YOURSELF;
"
NEVER IMITATE.
GERALD A. FORD LIBRARY
-11-
THESE WORDS HAVE NEVER HAD MORE MEANING THAN TODAY.
THERE ARE so MANY FINE OPPORTUNITIES IN ADDITION TO THOSE
THAT WERE POSTED ON YOUR BULLETIN BOARD AND ARE NOW FILLED.
THE GREAT LAW FIRMS OF TODAY WERE NOT NECESSARILY
FOUNDED BY THOSE WHO SPENT THEIR LIVES IN GREAT LAW FIRMS.
THE FUTURE MAY WELL BE BRIGHTER FOR YOU, IF YOU REACH FOR
AN OPPORTUNITY WHICH IS NOT UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED ---
BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU MAKE IT.
FORTUNE MAGAZINE, EARLIER THIS YEAR, IN CELEBRATING
OUR BICENTENNIAL LISTED THOSE BUSINESS LEADERS WHO CONTRIBUTED
THE MOST TO OUR NATION'S SUCCESS, WITHOUT EXCEPTION THEY
PICKED THE NON-TRADITIONALISTS, PEOPLE WHO ACTED AND THOUGHT
DIFFERENTLY, AND -- ACCOMPLISHED MORE.
THE COUNTRY NEEDS PEOPLE WHO CREATE NEW JOBS, FOR
THEMSELVES AND OTHERS, NOT ONLY PEOPLE WHO FILL ESTABLISHED
JOBS, YOURS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INNOVATE.
? P. FORD
-12-
A BRITISH JURIST WAS ONCE ASKED HOW TO SUCCEED IN THE
STUDY OF LAW. HE ANSWERED:
"LIVE LIKE A HERMIT AND WORK LIKE A HORSE."
To THIS YOU CAN NOW ADD, THE NEED TO SUFFER THE FINAL
ORDEAL OF A COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS!
THANK YOU,
P. FORD