Commencement Speaking Cut

The 1972 Commencement exercises, scheduled for Sunday, June 11, will for the first time in 25 years not include the usual address by an outside speaker.

The decision to discontinue the practice, begun in 1946 when former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen became the first honorary degree recipient to deliver a Commencement Address, was made in the interest of shortening the ceremonies and focusing attention on the granting of degrees.

The only addresses planned for the 1972 exercises are the traditional valedictory to the graduating class by President Kemeny and the valedictory to the College by one of the seniors.

The College will, however, continue the innovation of last June and ask some of the honorary degree candidates to take part in panel discussions the day before Commencement. In addition, one of the distinguished guests may present an address on Saturday.

The decision to omit the Commencement Address was recommended to the Board of Trustees by the Faculty Council on Honorary Degrees, in concurrence with an earlier recommendation by the Committee on Commencement.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower chose the 1953 Dartmouth Commencement to deliver his celebrated condemnation of the spirit of "book burning" which seemed then to be threatening the democratic processes in this country. Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller '30 of New York presented the 1969 Commencement Address. Last year's speaker, the last for the foreseeable future, was Gunnar Myrdal, Swedish economist and critic of society.