Valedictory

PRESIDENT DICKEY DEFINES ROLE OF THE EDUCATED MAN IN WORLD TODAY

Immediately following the conferring ofdegrees in course, President Dickey delivered the traditional valedictory of theCollege to the men of the graduating class.The full text of his brief address follows:

MEN OF THE GRADUATING CLASS: For most of you, as of last year's graduating class, this is your second going out from college into the world. It is surely a more joyful occasion than those earlier leave-takings from Hanover, but the task ahead is harder.

The war-time issue, however complex in its origin, was starkly simple for you; it was "we or they" and to the finish. The issues of peace time are different; they are numerous, complex and ill-defined. They have no sharp beginning and no certain end. With them one never knows for sure what is won or lost, or when or where. Each free man must fashion for himself those values and purposes which in large measure were supplied him ready-made in war. This is the business of the truly educated man and it is a harder business than you imagine. Your performance of it will be the measure of both your individual happiness and your effectiveness as a member of society.

As I stated to your predecessors here a year ago, I believe yours will be a world in which at least working answers must be found for the implications of expanding democracy and expanding government, nationally and internationally. I can give you no better counsel in the seeking of those large answers than the words of Mr. Justice Brandeis: "If we would lead by the light of reason, we must let our minds be bold."

Gentlemen, you stand here as graduates of Dartmouth College because that is what you wanted. Five, ten, twenty-five years hence, you will be, as now, the glory of your purpose or the victim of your lack of it. We wish for you good fortune; we charge you with a worthy life.

And now the word is, "So long," because in the Dartmouth fellowship there is no parting.