VASSAR COLLEGE


COMMENCEMENT

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY

MAY 28, 1990

C. EVERETT KOOP


GREETINGS, ETC.


IT IS A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO BE AT VASSAR, TO SHARE

WITH THE GRADUATING SENIORS THEIR COMMENCEMENT

HONORS.

I HOPE THIS WILL BE A MEMORABLE DAY, ALTHOUGH I DON'T

EXPECT IT TO HAVE AS FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES FOR ME

AS MY FIRST VISIT TO VASSAR, 54 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH, ON A

SUNNY DAY IN MAY, IN THE YEAR 1936.


I WAS DRIVING FROM MY HOME IN BROOKLYN BACK TO COLLEGE

AT DARTMOUTH, AND I DECIDED TO STOP BY HERE AT VASSAR TO

SEE BETTY FLANAGAN, CLASS OF 39, A LOVELY YOUNG WOMEN I

HAD MET THREE MONTHS BEFORE, WHEN SHE HAD COME TO

DARTMOUTH AS THE WINTER CARNIVAL DATE OF ONE OF MY


FRIENDS.


BETTY AND I HAD BEEN ATTRACTED TO EACH OTHER

IMMEDIATELY ON THAT WINTERY WEEKEND, AND IN THE WEEKS


THAT FOLLOWED WINTER CARNIVAL THE ATTRACTION GREW.


I WAS SHY --BACK THEN-- AND I SENT HER AN ANONYMOUS


VALENTINE.  AND I INTERCEPTED HER LETTERS TO MY FRIEND,

AS A JOKE DOUSING THEM WITH MY SHAVING LOTION. WHEN HE


SMELLED THE "PERFUMED" LETTERS AND EXCLAIMED "SMELLS

JUST LIKE HER!", HE WAS UNWITTINGLY TESTIFYING TO THE


DISTANCE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP.


SO I FELT FREE TO "JUST HAPPEN TO STOP BY AT VASSAR" ON


THAT MAY DAY.

BETTY USED THE TRADITIONAL VASSAR PLOY OF WALKING ME

AROUND THE LAKE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT BY THE SECOND TIME

AROUND I HAD COAXED HER TO DRIVE NORTH WITH ME FOR

GREEN KEY, DARTMOUTHS SPRING HOUSEPARTY.  BY THE END

OF THE WEEKEND I CALLED MY PARENTS TO TELL THEM I WAS

ENGAGED TO THAT VASSAR GIRL.


EVER SINCE THEN BETTY HAS SAID MANY TIMES THAT I WORK

WITH DISPATCH.

I DIDNT GET MUCH STUDYING DONE THAT WEEKEND, AND IN A

FEW DAYS I FACED AN ART HISTORY EXAM, SO BEFORE BETTY

WENT BACK TO VASSAR I TALKED HER OUT OF HER ART 105

SYLLABUS, BECAUSE IT SEEMED MUCH BETTER THAN


DARTMOUTHS.


OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS I GOT TO KNOW THE VASSAR

CAMPUS VERY WELL, AS I VISITED BETTY EVERY CHANCE I HAD,


THE FIRST YEAR TRAVELING SOUTH FROM MY SENIOR YEAR AT

DARTMOUTH, THE SECOND DRIVING UP THE HUDSON FROM MY


FIRST YEAR AT CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE.


I EVEN FOUND A SIDE DOOR TO JOSSLYN HALL THAT ALLOWED


ME TO VISIT BETTY --IN THE DAYTIME ONLY IN THOSE DAYS--


WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE FORMIDABLE WOMEN IN


WHITE WHO GUARDED THE MAIN DOOR.


SCHOOL, BETTY AND I WERE MARRIED BY HER RELIGION

PROFESSOR, RIGHT HERE, IN THE ALUMNI HOUSE, STEPPING OUT


OF A QUIET FAMILY WEDDING INTO THE WIND AND RAINSTORM

WE LATER FOUND OUT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE INFAMOUS

HURRICANE OF 1938.

THAT WAS A REVOLUTIONARY THING TO DO IN THOSE DAYS.


IT WAS ALMOST VERBOTEN FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS TO BE


MARRIED.


SO BETTY AND I WERE PIONEERS, AS WE WERE MARRIED IN MED

SCHOOL.

I SAY "WE" BECAUSE BETTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF MY


CAREER.

EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD HER OWN JOB THEN, SHE ATE LUNCH

EVERY DAY WITH ME AND MY FELLOW MEDICAL STUDENTS.

AND SHE PICKED UP ENOUGH MEDICINE FROM OUR

CONVERSATIONS SO THAT SHE BECAME A PRETTY GOOD

DOCTOR, EVEN WITHOUT SMALL TECHNICALITIES LIKE A MEDICAL

DEGREE OR A LICENSE.

IO


WE BROKE THE RULES AND MARRIED EARLY, BUT THEN WE

ENGAGED IN WHAT THE SURGEON GENERAL REFERRED TO AS A

"MONOGAMOUS, MUTUALLY FAITHFUL RELATIONSHIP."

THE FACTOR OF "MUTUALITY" HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT IN

OUR MARRIAGE. THERE HAS BEEN MUTUAL SHARING OF LIFE

AND CAREER EXPERIENCES AND MUTUAL RESPECT FOR WHAT

EACH OTHER DOES . . . AND Is.

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I HAVE ALWAYS SEEN BETTYS ROLE AS AN EQUAL PARTNER IN

MY CAREER FIRST WHEN I WAS A PEDIATRIC SURGEON, AND

THEN AS YOUR SURGEON GENERAL, SHARING IN ALL MY

VICTORIES AND -- ALAS! -- ALL MY DEFEATS AS WELL

DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES, WOMEN HAVE SERVED THE

HUMAN RACE VERY WELL . . . KEPT IT GOING AND KEPT IT DECENT.

BUT THE HUMAN RACE HAS GENERALLY NOT RETURNED THE

FAVOR.

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BUT I BELIEVE THINGS HAVE IMPROVED, ESPECIALLY OVER THE

PAST TWO DECADES. MEN -- AND WOMEN THEMSELVES -- ARE

GIVING WOMEN THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE AS EQUAL PARTNERS IN

THE WRITING OF HUMAN HISTORY.

IlVl SO PLEASED THAT VASSAR GAVE MEN THE PRIVILEGE OF ITS

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. VASSARS EMPHASIS ON

INTELLECTUAL GROWTH AND FREEDOM TO CHOSE ANY CAREER

SHOULD ELIMINATE ANY PERCEIVED STIGMA OF A MANS OR

WOMANS CHOICE OF A CAREER AT ONE TIME THOUGHT TO BE

THE PROVINCE OF ONLY ONE SEX.

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WITH A VASSAR EDUCATION BEHIND HER, BETTY HAD THE WORLD

BEFORE HER. BUT SHE CHOSE, IN THE WORDS SHE USES, "TO

MAKE MY HUSBAND'S CAREER MY CAREER."

BUT IT WAS MORE THAN THAT. IT WASN`T THAT SHE MADE MY


CAREER HER CAREER..... SHE MADE OUR CAREER, WELL, OUR


CAREER.

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WE WERE BOTH DISTURBED AND A LITTLE AMUSED BY THE

RECENT RUCKUS AT WELLESLEY, WHEN A VOCAL MINORITY OF

STUDENTS OBJECTED TO BARBARA BUSH BEING CHOSEN AS THE

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER, BECAUSE SHE WAS --AS I SAW IT

REPORTED IN THE NEWS-- "ONLY A WIFE AND MOTHER".

THE WORD "ONLY" SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO MODIFY THOSE


NOUNS.

BETTY AND I BRISTLE WHEN THE LONG OVER-DUE FREEDOM FOR

WOMEN TO CHOOSE THE CAREERS THAT THEY WANT.... WHEN

THAT FREEDOM DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CHOICE MADE BY

BARBARA BUSH AND BETTY.

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SUCH WOMEN LIVE THEIR LIVES SO THAT THE PUBLIC HAS AN

EXPECTATION FROM THEM. WHEN THAT EXPECTATION IS

FULFILLED, IN ADDITION TO BEING A WIFE AND MOTHER, IT IS

ICING ON THE CAKE.

BETTYS VASSAR EDUCATION HAS SERVED US WELL MANY TIMES.

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AS A FIRST-TIME VOTER IN NEW YORK, BETTY WAS REQUIRED IN

THOSE DAYS TO TAKE THE LITERACY TEST. BY FLASHING HER

VASSAR RING IN FRONT OF THE OFFICIAL, WE TRIED TO

PERSUADE HIM THAT SHE COULD DO WITHOUT THE TEST. AT

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FIRST HE HEMMED AND HAWED, BUT EVENTUALLY ALLOWED AS

TO HOW A VASSAR STUDENT PROBABLY COULD READ AND

WRITE.

SO I GUESS YOU CAN TAKE PRIDE IN THE WIDESPREAD NOTION

THAT VASSAR STUDENTS ARE, AT LEAST, LITERATE.

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THIS PLACE HAS MEANT A LOT TO US, AND WEVE RETURNED TO

VASSAR FROM TIME TO TIME OVER THE YEARS, MOST RECENTLY

JUST LAST YEAR AS BETTY JOINED THE CLASS OF 39 FOR ITS


50TH REUNION.

ENOUGH VASSAR RECOLLECTIONS...

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MY TIME IS LIMITED -- BY )/lJ CHOICE, I MIGHT ADD -- BECAUSE

A LONG, RAMBLING SPEECH OUGHT NOT TO STAND BETWEEN


YOU AND YOUR DEGREE.

THEREFORE, IN THE FEW MINUTES I HAVE WITH YOU, I WANT TO

TALK ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU AND AT

LEAST ONE THING YOU MIGHT NEED TO KNOW, AS YOU PROCEED

INTO THE WORLD OF WORK . . . QIJ GRADUATE STUDY . . . AND/OR

FAMILY . . . AND/AND/OR/OR GRADUATE STUDY, WORK, AND


FAMILY.

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A GENERATION AGO, I WOULDNT HAVE HAD TO INCLUDE SO

MANY "ANDS" AND "ORS" IN A COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS, BUT

NOW SO MANY OPTIONS LIE BEFORE EACH OF YOU, REGARDLESS

OF GENDER, RACE, . . . . . . AND EVEN YOUR GPA.

YES, YOU HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES. A GLANCE AT THE

HEADLINES ABOUT WORLD AND NATIONAL EVENTS DURING THE

LAST 12 MONTHS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU ARE GRADUATING

INTO A WORLD THAT HOLDS GREATER PROMISE, WIDER

OPPORTUNITIES, AND MORE EXCITEMENT THAN ANY YEAR I CAN

RECALL.

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YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

DO IT.

IlVl MOST PLEASED WHEN PEOPLE WHO TALK TO ME ABOUT MY

SURGEON GENERAL YEARS TELL ME THAT I MADE A DIFFERENCE.

IF I DID, THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY.

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FIRST, I DECIDED THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE COST,
POLITICALLY' OR ECONOMICALLY, I WOULD ACT SIMPLY

ACCORDING TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT.

YOU MAY REMEMBER, IlVl SURE, THAT MY NOMINATION WAS NOT

WITHOUT SOME CONTROVERSY, WHICH IS PUTTING IT AS

DELICATELY AS I CAN. IN PRIVATE LIFE I HAD BEEN AN

OUTSPOKEN PERSON WITH VERY STRONG OPINIONS ON

IMPORTANT ISSUES. AND THESE OPINIONS -- AND MY AGE, 65 AT

THAT TIME WERE USED AS ARGUMENTS AGAINST MY BEING THE

COUNTRYS SURGEON GENERAL.

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THE CONGRESS AND MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY

DEBATED THESE MAlTERS FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS. BUT 1. DID,


TOO.

I ASKED MYSELF IF I SHOULD -- OR COULD -- VOW TO BE A

CHANGED PERSON IN ORDER TO GAIN THE SENATES APPROVAL.

SHOULD I, FOR EXAMPLE, DEPOSIT MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS IN A

BLIND TRUST?

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SHOULD I DONATE MY MORAL VALUES TO SOME WORTHY

CHARITY?

BEFORE MOVING TO WASHINGTON, SHOULD I PACK AWAY MY

ETHICS IN AN ATTIC TRUNK?

AND I SAID, "NO . . . NONE OF THE ABOVE."

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I TRULY BELIEVED THEN -- AND I BELIEVE NOW -- THAT THE

BEST APPROACH YOU CAN MAKE TO PUBLIC SERVICE IS TO

PROMISE TO GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE . . . OF WHATEVER IT

IS YOU DO HAVE . . . TO DRAW TO THE FULLEST EXTEN,T FROM

YOUR OWN STOREHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONAL LIFE

EXPERIENCE . ..ALWAYS TO ACT IN ACCORD WITH YOUR


PERSONAL ETHICS.

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IT WASNT ALWAYS EASY. AS YOU MAY RECALL, I FOUND MYSELF

IN CONFRONTATIONS WITH PEOPLE INSIDE THE ADMINISTRATION

AS WELL AS OUTSIDE, AS I DEALT WITH THE ISSUES THAT CAME


ACROSS MY DESK.. . ISSUES LIKE SMOKING, BABY DOE, AIDS,

AND MY LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT EXPLAINING WHY I COULD

NOT WRITE A STATISTICALLY VALID SCIENTIFIC REPORT ON THE

HEALTH EFFECTS OF ABORTION ON WOMEN.

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I LEARNED EARLY ON THAT IF YOU HAVE YOUR SPEECHES

CLEARER THEY LOSE THEIR PUNCH AND PURPOSE. --

SO I DECIDED TO CLEAR MY SPEECHES WITH MY WIFE, WHOSE

VASSAR-EDUCATED JUDGEMENT WAS BETTER THAN ANYONES IN

THE CLEARANCE PROCESS.

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SO, WHEN I WROTE THE SPEECH CALLING FOR A SMOKE-FREE

SOCIETY IN THE YEAR 2000, I DID SO IN SWITZERLAND, AND HAD


IT TYPED IN WASHINGTON IN A PRIVATE OFFICE. WHY? BECAUSE


I HAD BEGUN TO WONDER IF ALL GOVERNMENT COPY MACHINES


HAD 3 CHUTES . . . ONE FOR THE OPERATOR, ONE TO THE WHITE


HOUSE - AND ONE TO THE WASHINGTON POST.

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THERE WAS PLENTY OF PRESSURE, ON ME, PRESSURE TO MAKE

ME EASE UP ON THE TOBACCO INTERESTS, AFTER ALL SOME OF

THEM MAY HAVE BEEN BIG CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS.... I WAS


MADE AWARE OF THE OPPOSITION OF COMMERCE AND

AGRICULTURE, AS WELL.

THE STRUGGLE GOES ON. JUST LAST WEEK ON FACE THE


NATION AND AT AN INTERNATIONAL SMOKING CONFERENCE THE


SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SAID WHAT HE

DOES NOT BELIEVE - THAT THE EXPORT OF TOBACCO BY

AMERICAN COMPANIES WAS A TRADE ISSUE - NOT A HEALTH

ISSUE. WHAT A SORRY STATE OF AFFAIRS! UNDER THE THREAT

OF TRADE SANCTIONS, - WE ARE EXPORTING DISEASE,

DISABILITY AND DEATH - AND I THINK IT IS IMMORAL.

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I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY FOR THE


UNITED STATES TO ASK COLOMBIANS TO STOP THE EXPORT OF


COCAINE TO OUR SHORES WHEN WE CONTINUE TO EXPORT AN

EQUALLY ADDICTIVE DRUG, NICOTINE, TO MANY MANY

COUNTRIES THAT WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PAY THE ENSUING


HEALTH BILL.


THERE WAS PRESSURE TO GIVE UP ON THE HANDICAPPED BABY

DOES IN AMERICAN NEO-NATAL UNITS. AFTER ALL, MANY OF


THEM MIGHT DIE SOON ANYWAY......

PRESSURE TO IGNORE THE INITIAL AIDS VICTIMS, AFTER ALL,

DIDNT THEY BRING IT ON THEMSELVES?

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BUT AS A HEALTH OFFICER WITH ETHICAL STANDARDS

COMMITTED TO THAT MOST BASIC RIGHT, THE RIGHT TO LIFE, I

KNEW WHAT I HAD TO DO, WHAT I HAD TO SAY TO BE TRUE TO


MY CALLING AND MY ETHICS.


SO I DID IT.

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I KNEW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WERE CLAMORING FOR THE

TRUTH ABOUT AIDS. I ALSO KNEW - THE WAY THINGS WERE

GOING - THEY WERE NEVER GOING TO GET IT. WHEN PRESIDENT

REAGAN DIRECTED ME TO WRITE A REPORT ON AIDS, ONCE

AGAIN I DECIDED ID CLEAR IT WITH NO ONE OFFICIALLY ONLY

WITH BETTY AND A FEW TRUSTED COLLEAGUES. I HAD TO

DEPORT TO THE CABINET BUT I DID NOT WANT THEM TO CHANCE

A WORD, OR LEAK A WORD.

I COVERED THE LEAK BY NUMBERING EACH COPY & COLLECTING

THEM ALL AT THE DOOR. BUT, H'OW TO AVOID CHANCES? I

DECIDED TO MAKE ANY CHANCES LOOK SO EXPENSIVE TO DO, -


THAT NO ONE WOULD DARE.

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WHILE MILLIONS OF COPIES WERE BEING CHURNED OUT ON


CHEAP PAPER STOCK - THE COPIES I GAVE THE CABINET WERE

ON GLOSSY PAPER, ROYAL BLUE COVER, WITH THE SEAL OF THE

P.H.S. IN SILVER. NO ONE CHANGED A WORD. I RELEASED IT TO


THE PRESS THE NEXT MORNING.

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SOMETIMES IT AMAZES ME WHEN PEOPLE CONGRATULATE ME

ON MY YEARS IN WASHINGTON, WHEN ALL I DID WAS SIMPLY TO

DO THE JOB OF THE SURGEON GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD THEY EXPECT?'

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ADOMINATION OR TWO! I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT I SEE AS

A GREAT WILLINGNESS TO PASS THE BUCK OF PERSONAL

ACCOUNTABILITY. IT HAS BECOME PAINFULLY RARE FOR

SOMEONE --AND NOT ONLY THOSE IN PUBLIC LIFE--TO ADMIT

ACCOUNTABILITY, TO SAY, "THAT WAS MY FAULT." OR, "I


SHOULD HAVE DONE IT DIFFERENTLY." OR GOING OUT ON A

LIMB, EXERCISING MORAL SUASION, SAYING, "THIS IS THE RIGHT

THING TO DO."

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I AM EVEN MORE CONCERNED ABOUT A GROWING TENDENCY TO

ABROGATE THE RESPONSIBILITIES EACH OF US HAS TO OTHER

PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY TO MEMBERS OF OTHER GENERATIONS.

I AM DELIGHTED TO SEE SO MANY GRANDPARENTS HERE

TODAY.....ALONG WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN...... BECAUSE

MOST OF US SPEND OUR LIVES IN 3-GENERATIONAL WORLDS.

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AS WE GO THROUGH LIFE, WE CHANGE PLACES IN THAT 3-

GENERATIONAL WORLD. RIGHT NOW I CAN SEE MYSELF AS

CLEARLY AS IF IT WERE YESTERDAY, RUNNING AROUND THIS

CAMPUS AS A COLLEGE KID. AND YES, IT MAY BE HARD FOR YOU

TO ENVISION NOW, BUT BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOULL BE THE


ONES WITH THE GREY HAIR.

BUT, WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT WE NEED THE OTHER

TWO GENERATIONSmAND ARE NEEDED BY THEM.

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TOO OFTEN, PEOPLE FAIL TO DISCHARGE THOSE

RESPONSIBILITIES. PARENTS LEAVE TO THE SCHOOLS THE

ENTIRE TASK OF EDUCATING THEIR CHILDREN, WHEN NOT LONG


AGO PARENTS CLAIMED THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN TO

BE THEIR PRIVILEGE AND OBLIGATION, EVEN IF SHARED WITH


THE SCHOOLS.

RELIGIOUS TEACHING AND ETHICAL VALUES, IF THEY ARE

INSTILLED AT ALL, ARE NOW LEFT TO CHURCH OR SYNAGOGUE..

. OR MTV.

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ELDERLY PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS ARE SHUNTED OFF TO

NURSING HOMES OR "SENIOR CENTERS", TOLD TO FIND THERE

THE SENSE OF BELONGING THAT USED TO COME WITH FAMILY.

CHILDREN LIVE IN THEIR OWN CULTURE, REMOTE FROM ADULTS,

DOMINATED ONE YEAR BY TRANSFORMER TOYS, THE NEXT BY

CABBAGE PATCH DOLLS, THE NEXT BY TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA


TURTLES.

THEY LEAD LIVES DETACHED FROM PARENTAL CONCERN OR

INTEREST, TURNING TO PEERS FOR THE GUIDANCE OR EVEN

PLAYFUL COMPANIONSHIP THAT PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS

USED TO PROVIDE.

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I HAD NOT PLANNED TO TALK IN THIS VEIN, BUT MY EXPERIENCES

THIS WEEK, DEMAND IT. I AM IN THE MIDST OF SHOOTING A ONE

HOUR PRIME TIME TV SHOW FOR NBC ON TEENAGE HEALTH. I

SPENT THE LAST 4 DAYS WITH HOMELESS ADOLESCENTS,


STREET KIDS - I AM APPALLED AND DISMAYED -

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OF COURSE, I AM AWARE THAT EACH GENERATION MAKES ITS


SHARE OF MISTAKES. THERE ARE NO PERFECT CHILDREN

BECAUSE THERE ARE NO PERFECT PARENTS, OR PERFECT


GRANDPARENTS...AS CLOSE TO PERFECT AS THOSE HERE TODAY

MIGHT COME!

AND NOW BACK TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

LIFE AFFORDS NO GREATER RESPONSIBILITY, NO GREATER


PRIVILEGE THAN THE RAISING OF THE NEXT GENERATION.

INDEED, I AM HEART SICK AT THE WAY A PREVIOUS GENERATION

HAS FAILED THEM.

THE YOUNGSTERS I HAVE BEEN WITH ARE NOT PRODUCTS OF

THE GHETTO, THEY ALL COME FROM HOMES LIKE YOURS.

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I AM CONVINCED THAT ONE OF THE MOST RESPONSIBLE USES OF

YOUR TIME, TIMELY FULFILLMENT OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY MAY

BE AS THE FATHER OR THE MOTHER --REMEMBER CHILD-

REARING IS NOT JUST WOMENS WORK-- TO BE WITH THE

YOUNG CHILD, EACH DAY OF THOSE CRITICAL FIRST YEARS.

IN THE LAST DECADE I HAVE SEEN TOO MANY PEOPLE

DETERMINED TO BE RIGHT THERE FOR THE INITIAL PHASES OF A

NEW PROJECT AT THE OFFICE, BUT ABSENT FOR THE INITIAL

PHASES OF A NEW CHILD AT HOME.

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MAYBE THAT SECOND INCOME FOR THE MORTGAGE PAYMENT ON

THE BIGGER HOUSE IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT, BECAUSE A GOOD

HOUSE IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS A GOOD HOME.

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COLLEGE USUALLY DOES LITTLE IN A DIRECT WAY TO PREPARE

YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK OF PARENTING,


- ALTHOUGH YOUR VASSAR EDUCATION SHOULD HELP BUTTRESS


THOSE BASIC VALUES THAT WILL PROMPT YOUR RIGHT CHOICES.

BUT MY REMARKS ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHILDREN

ARE NOT DIRECTED TO THEIR PARENTS OR PARENTS-TO-BE

ALONE. YOU ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE YOUNGER

GENERATION. EACH ADULT, PARENT OR NOT, CAN MAKE A


DIFFERENCE.

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AND, UNFORTUNATELY, OUR CHILDREN NEED YOU NOW MORE


THAN EVER. OUR CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS OUR MOST

VULNERABLE CITIZENS, BUT IT IS A SAD COMMENTARY ON OUR

TIMES THAT TODAY THE MOST LIKELY VICTIMS OF POVERTY,

ABUSE, MALNUTRITION AND CRIME IN AMERICA ARE AMERICA'S


CHILDREN.

I WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE ALTRUISM AND GENUINE CONCERN

THAT WOULD PROMPT YOUR CARE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

THOSE ARE THE BEST OF MOTIVES.

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BUT, IF THEY DON7 PERSUADE YOU, SELF-INTEREST SHOULD.

THE NEXT GENERATION MAY BE TINY NOW, EVEN UNBORN.

BUT EVENTUALLY YOULL NEED THEM TO CARE FOR YOU.

AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE YOUR BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN,


THEYLL BE THE ONES VOTING TO ALLOCATE OUR INCREASINGLY


SCARCE RESOURCES FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICES YOU'LL NEED


WHEN YOU ARE MY AGE.

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YOU MAY SEE THAT THE CHILDREN PLACED INTO DAY CARE FOR

THE SAKE OF CONVENIENCE AND NOT OF NECESSITY IN THE

NINETIES WILL, FOR THE SAME REASON, BE THE ONES TO EASE

THEIR PARENTS INTO NURSING HOMES LATER ON.

REACH OUT TO THESE CHILDREN, TO AMERICA'S CHILDREN, TO

YOUR CHILDREN, TO OTHER CHILDREN.

BE PART OF THEIR WORLD, MAKE THEM PART OF YOURS.

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THERE IS NO BETTER INVESTMENT OF YOUR TIME.

TAKE YOUR TIME AND GIVE IT TO THEM.

I KNOW THAT SOCIAL ISSUES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OF CONCERN

TO VASSAR STUDENTS.

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YOU CAN "SEIZE THE DAY"

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

YOU CAN MAKE IT BETTER, FOR CHILDREN AND THAT MEANS

FOR ALL OF US.

AND NOW A SINCERE WISH FOR EACH ONE OF YOU:


      THAT YOU HAVE GOOD HEALTH . . . A LONG LIFE . . .


      AND A TRUE LOVE TO MAKE THEM BOTH WORTHWHILE.


THANK YOU.

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