THURSDAY,"JUNE 26, 1969
F ,
Walker: 'Confident Humility
Leads to True Wisdom'
"Welcome—all of you—to University
Park.
"Some of you are jtist beginning yo'ur
college careers. Some of you have
transferred from Commonwealth Cam
puses. And some of you have already had
a year or two of college experience at
another institution and are now Penn
State students for the first time.
But all of you are new to the
University' Park Campus and all of you
will find life here somewhat different
from what you may have been accus
tomed to in the past.
"You are beginning - a new journey in
higher education, and if it seems a bit
overwhelming to you at the moment, just
remember that the longest journey
begins with a single step. And you have
made that step here this week at one of
the finest institutions in the Nation. I
hope it is a path that you will follow all of
your life—for you will find that education
is indeed a life-long process.
"Whenever I stand in front of a group
of newly arrived students such. as you, I
feel that I ought to have some words of
wisdom which by their very vitality and
forcefulness would set each of you on the
road to success at University '.Park. I
have the feeling that somehow, or other I
ought to be able to conjure up a few well
chosen words that—if they don't actually
inspire you—could at least serve as
realistic reminders of some of the pitfalls
that - probably lie ahead of you. For I'm
afraid that as the next few years pass,
one thing is certain: a number of you will
encounter difficult problems of one kind
or another. And when.this happens,.l will
ask myself Whether there wasn't
something I might have done to prevent
it—some words of advice that I might
have given you that would have pre
vented you from making the wrong de
cision that caused the trouble.
"Actually, I don't really believe there
are such words. I'm afraid that the de
cisions you make in the next few years,
the activities you engage in, and the
general course of your conduct, must, in
the nature of things, be pretty much your
own affair. How you conduct your
personal life as a Penn State student, and
what you accomplis,h in the years ahead
of you, is pretty largely your own
responsibility.
- "I suppose that if I asked you why
you are here, most of you would say that "And because you are the members
you are here to learn a profession and of a select and privileged group you
prepare yourself for a job. Few of you must accept these wider responsibilities.
would claim otherwise, and I'm sure that You must use your advantages not only
most of your predecessors here at to satisfy your own personal goals, but to
University Park had the same general help satisfy the general , goals of
objective . Now there is nothing wrong humanitY,
with such a goal. Purposeful dedication to "I think that if I had to single out one
getting an education that will prepare characteristic which most clearly dis
you to make an effective contribution in tinguishes the world in which we live
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President Eric A. Walker
your special field of interest is a worthy
and admirable aim
"Undoubtedly, today's world needs
people who are fully trained and well
educated in technical, scientific, and
other specialties.
"But perhaps an even greater need is
for• peOple with broad humane interests.
People who can recognize 'the inter
actions and inter-relationships of human
affairs. And who have the capacity and
the initiative to use this knowledge for
the common good—people, in short,
whose knowledge has, given them un
derstanding, and whose understanding
manifests itself in active recognition of
the rights and needs of their fellow man.
"Today most educated men have no
- .difficulty getting a job. There are enough
jobs to occupy the talents of almost
anyone who has any specialized training
at all. But the world you are entering is a
world in which the challenges are
broader and much more demanding than
those involved in merely finding an ap
propriate niche and settling down to a
comfortable and prosperous working life.
"And because of this, your education,
your preparation to take your place in
• this challenging world, lias itself become
much more demanding than the kind of
education which served well enough a ge
neration ago. Our objective is no longer
merely to train you - as competent pro
fessional workers but to educate you to
become responsible citizens-of a complex
world.
"For learning a profession is really
only part of your job here. Your real pro
fession is not only that by which you will
eventually earn you living—your true
vocation should be, above all, that of
citizen.
"I'm sure you will find, both now and
in the world ahead, that the quality of
your citizenship will far exceed in im
portance the manner in which you seek to
earn you daily bread.
"And because of this, we feel that we
have a right to expect more of you. And
we expect more of you because you are a
more select group than your predecessors
of a' decade or two ago. On the whole,
you were probably better trained in high
school. And there is every indication that
in your approach to learning, most of you
are more serious and more eager ,than
they
elcomed iß.it., Convocation
—Collegian Photo by Roger Greenawalt
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THE DAILY COLLEGIAN, UNIVERSITY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA
University President Eric A. Walker
and Undergraduate Student Government
President Ted Thompson were on hand to
welcome 1220 'new freshmen and transfer
students to the University Sunday night in
Schwab Auditorium.
Before the welcoming speeches by
Walker and Thompson, the new students
were-treated to a slide showing titled "For
the Glory" which pidtures many of the
traditions that make up Penn State.
Following Walker's and Thompson's
speeches, James Perine, Instructor of
Community Services in the College of
Human Development and Director of the
Upward Bound Program spoke to the stu
dents and explained the purposes, pro
blems and functions of the Upward Bound
Program which will be taking place at the
University this summer.
After the welcoming speeches, the
new students were invited to a faculty
reception in the HUB Ballroom where
they could talk with members of the facul
ty from all the colleges.
Following are the complete texts of
Walker's and Thompson's speeches:
today from the world into which I
graduated, it would be this emphasis
upon human relationships, this growing
concern with the , rights and needs and
responsibilities of ordinary human beings
in their daily affairs.
"As Penn State students, you have
come to the University t o prepare
yourselves for such leadership in this
modern world. Ail of you, as I said, are
probably better trained and educated
than were students just a decade ago.
Most of you have already acquired some
understanding of the problems and dif
ficulties and inequities of modern society.
Many of you have begun to form opinions
about how these problems might be
solved, and some of you are eager to do
something about it right now—to put your
thoughts and beliefs into concrete action.
Certainly another of the significant
characteristicsof your generation is your
eagerness to act, your desire to attack
the problems that your elders have failed
to solve, and you are to be commended
for this kind of interest and enthusiasm.
"But in your eagerness to act, do not
forget that your knowledge of the world,
and indeed any man's knowledge, is
rather, incomplete and limited: That. af
ter all, is why a university exists and why
you are here. In becoming a university
student you have signified your
willingness to lea r n, to inquire, to
assimilate new ideas, to broaden your un
derstanding. And paradoxically enough,
the more you learn the more you are cer
tain to realize how much the wisdom you
seek depends upon a recognition that
_there is very rarely_ a simple pat answer
to any serious problem, that there are
always several sides to any question, and
that the proper solution is seldom as ob
vious as it seems.
"Do not forget that it has taken
mankind some ten thousand years to get
where he is. Our world isn't perfect by
any means; we still have a long way to
go to perfect our society. But over the
centuries, man has succeeded in solving
his problems one by one, in devising
systems that slowly but surely have
made the lot of each generation a little
better than that of the previous one.
"And that, let me repeat, is why you
are here—to learn, to inquire, to develop
your own understanding of the way the
world grows, and to grow in worldly
wisdom so that you may take your place
of leadership in a world that needs your
help in finding solutions to man's pro
blems.
"But while you are here, remember
that the true worth of the eventual
leadership depends not only upon
eagerness and enthusiasm, not merely
upon willingness to accept responsibility,
or even upon courage to act, but more
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than anything else upon a depth of
wisdom and a breadth of understanding
that comes from knowledge gained
through humility. The wisest and most
respected philosopher of all times,
Socrates. once said, "There is only one
thing I know, and that is that I know
nothing." It is this kind of confident
humility that leads to true wisdom and
understanding.
"You will have to work hard while
you are here. In fact, you will probably
have to work harder than you ever
worked before. You will find that you will
often have to work on weekends, not only
to prepare for the coming week, but to
catch up on work from the previous one.
You will discover that at University Park
there is no such thing as a forty-hour
week. You will soon realize that your pro
fessors expect you to exert yourself to
the limits of your capacity.
"And if you approach your work with
an open mind and a willingness to learn.
find all of us willing and eager to help
you. And you will probably find these will
be among the most exciting and en
joyable years of your life.
"Good luck to all of you."
* * *
'Thompson's Speech
"As the President of the Un
dergraduate Student Government I would
like to welcome you, the class of 1973, to
good old PSU—this will be your home for
the next four years and I hope you will
get the best you can from Happy Valley.
Many people will take the opportunity to
welcome you here and wish you luck, I
would like to add my name to that list.
"Reports from around the state and
the country say your class, the graduates
of 1969, is the most knowledgeable and
alert class to come on the academic
scene. This may have been true in high
school; 'some of you may have been
instrumental in class boycotts, or of a
takedver, or some other form of
protese . - however, you are now college
students - not high school pupils; there is
a distinct difference; I hope you will
realize this before too long.
"Accepting this and other reports
about your class, I would like to bring
certain observations and suggestions to
your attention.
"From my vantage point in student
government, I have seen an over
emphasis by students in non-academic
areas. One of your most pressing
challenges is that of academic reform.
There are many ways this can be ap
proached; one approach is through the
structure - U.S.G. We are working on
many prOgrams which will effect
academic reform, but we need your
Thompson:'Speak Out
Where You Can Be Heard
minds. your fresh expanding minds. A
more unstructured approach is one that
is initiated by you. You will have to
challenge the professors- this can be done
by first not accepting the impersonality
and coolness of a large classroom: talk to
the professors after class or during their
office hours.
"Tell him you don't understand or
you can't accept a specific point without
further background. This will give you a
better insight to the subject and also it
will alert the professor to the fact that
he's not reaching everyone - thus making
him change his teaching style. Along with
this, don't hesitate to ask questions in
class - chances are half the class was
thinking of the same question. Don't he
afraid to question. because we are all
here to learn and questioning is one way
to obtain knowledge.
"Academics should be your first con
cern while you are here, but %%hat about
your hfe as a student out of class? That
can never be answered completely - it's
really up to you, in that area. You can
become one of two types of students -
apathetic or active. The anathetic pupil
barely has enough interest in his aca
demics to be concerned with anything
else. To those pupils, I wish them the
best of luck during their vist here.
"Turning my' attention to the college
students, the active ones, the class of '73,
you are the New Breed. Classes before
you have been preparing the Ad
ministration, faculty, and the world for
your arrival. I envy you. You call the
shots as you see them; you're honest, and
you're sincere. Never let anyone talk that
away' from you. You will be told that you
are transient, that the University must
and will go on! ! True - but that's not the
whole story. You are like food to the
University b.dy; the University could do
without you and exist, just as the body
can do without food and exist - but it will
soon perish and rot away. We fulfill one
of the necessities of life for the
University - self-preservation; but the
University. just as the body, has other
functions besides self-preservation and
these must go on.
"You will find much here to be
dissatisfied with and to protest about. be
cause PSU can and will be anything you
make it. There are many groups ready to
voice your discontent - The Black Student
Union, White Liberation Front, Students
for a Democratic Society, Youn
Americans for Freedom, and many
others., but all of these are outside the
recognized structure and are therefor e
not as effective as their desires want
them to be. Student Governments across
the country have ; been termed ineffectiire
themselves and not willing to voice a
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USG President Ted Thompson
MOVED TO
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—Collegian Photo by Roger Greenvialt
minority opinion if that opinion is right.
Since I have assumed the Presidency 1
have been trying to reach as many dif
ferent groups as I can - sometimes for
Advice. opinion, or to see what direction
they are going where I might be. able to
assist. but I need your help and your
energy to continue this task.
"To those of you who have
demonstration and protest in your blood -
continue to demonstrate and protest, but,
only if it's peaceful, lawful, and viith
valid cause. 1 is ill defend with all the
authority and power of my office your
right to protest - and I won't allow any
group, be they Administrators or off
campus authorities to interfere itith your
rights. However, this is what I expect
from you - no taking over or occupying
buildings illegally, no deprivation of
anyone's rights, no interference with the
educational process, and most of all no
student to student confrontation. Again, I
cannot accept any deviation from these
guidelines.
"But, neither will I accept any ad
ministrat we silence or procrastination
when silence and proeastrinat ion will
prove to b.- detrimental to the University.
As ol late, dillerent Administrator appear
to be reluctant or afraid to speak out.
These are men and women who have
been delegated with the responsibility of
running.the University and if they cannot
see it fit to answer questions or state
their positional policies and statements -
then I say to them "mote on. we don't
xt ant you, your presence and talents are
no longer required.
"If the excuse of only willing to talk
with a representative of the student body
is used - then I It ill he at the spear Ma t.
of even• movement to get results and
answers. If the fear of the Harrisburg
legislature is a point of concern - then
say to hell with them: they won't shut
down this University f inancially:
however, if they are going to use the
pursestrings to keep this University tin
der their thumb and use it to suppress
free expression by students, faculty. and
administrators - then I say raise the
tuition because I will speak out and so
should you.
"I want you to speak out where you
can be heard and where you can be most
effective: for undergraduates at 'Uni
versity Park the answer to that is
U.S.G. The Administration. the Faculty
Senate, and the Board of Trustees can't
ignore our voice, and they must answer
us.
"You are now a part of a community
of minds; you can raise or lower yourself
by what you say. think. and do. Use your
minds and your hearts constructively.
and the future is yours for the asking.
"Thank you and good luck."
PAGE THREE