South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-06-15
GIVES
ADDRESS To N. D.
GRADUATE CLASS
John Fitzgerald, Former Boston
Mayor, Delivers Commence
ment AddreSS-DraWS From
All Parts of Country.

Commencement exercises at Notre
Dame university were featured last
night BY an interesting address by the
Honorable John Fitzgerald Of Boston.
Mass. The speaker was introduced in
glowing terms By Father Cavanaugh
who traced past history of his life
and intermingled the talk with puns-
''Notre Dame" ne said. "is a won
derful institution and one has 70 only
look over the program here tonight
10 feel the wonder OF il, because NOtre
Dame is represented here tonight by
the class OF 1915 bv almost every place
IN this country and "a place in South
America, and the names of the young
men who are graduating tonight tell
the story OF character of the institu7
ton. AS / said "a few minutes ago
this was a splendid opportunity TO
choose material for a spelling bee.
"YOun~ men do not let college life
spoil you. L am glad TO learn, as l.
aid from your valedictOry. that
around Notre Dame there is a gener-
al feeling OF home and as you go about
this college atmosphere from day to
day gaining knowledge do not make
your college life as i have heard il.
expressed down east. / have heard so
many young men from Harvard uniz
Versity say that they have never been
introduced TO One-tenth of the men,
that were in their classes. / have
heard dozens Of boys make that state7
ment and ! felt sorry for them.
Must Start at Bottom.
Let me tell you young men that
you must be willing 10 start at the
bottom of the ladder and climb up
ward. / happen TO know that all
three OF the presidents of the greatest
railroad systems of the world started,
in at the bottom as clerks in a rail-
road office and worked their way up,
A short time before the termination
Of my last term as mayor of Boston,
/ gave a dinner and they were pres-i
ent' II
Then Mr.. Fitzgerald went on to
speak of the lack of the merchant ma
rine system, and the opportunities that
would come of the building of a large
American mercantile commerce. lie
mentioned the fact that Americas bill
lions of dollars worth of exports were
practically carried in foreign vessels
and that only about a third of tho
vessels that pass through the Panama.
canal are American owned. Mr.. Fitz7
gerald attributed the defeat of the
presidents merchant marine purchase
bill 10 the indifference and hostility
of western congressman and said that
in this and other regards college men
such as those graduated at NOtre
Dame should be of great service to
their country in promoting wise legis-
latiOn.
Should Keep In Touch.
$50 l say as you pass out of your
college life you should always keep
in touch with the members OF your
class and keep up the atmosphere
which made your school life so pleas
ant. And with the experience that
will come TO you later, that which you
have acquired here at school should
make YOU in every way fitted for
leadership in the world, not mere
camp followers. Only such a career
in life is worthy of such an institui
ton as your alma mater and she and
the world expects of you nothing
less than this"
The program opened with a selec-
ton by the university orchestra after
which the university quartet sang
Home Sweet Home" A class poem
was given by George Peter Schuster.
a. B., of Lancaster, Wis. NaledtctOri1
an Emmett George Lenihan, Pm. B.a
of Clarion, Ia. told the history of his
class and gave the final farewell4
Awarding of hOnors and the confer
rims of degrees by the Rev. Mathew
schumacher, G.. 5. c., then followed
Following Mr.. Fitzgerald's address a,
few remarks were made bv Bishops
Alerding and Carroll. The latter
gave the apostolic benediCtion.
Letter of Vice Pres't Marshall. who
was unable TO be present was read by
Doctor Cavanaugh. The general con-
sensus Of opinion among old grads
was that his year was the biggest and
best commencement in he history of
the university. Large sums of money
were pledged by many and the new
building is an assured fact
GROCERY STORES AND MAR
KETS CLOSED EVERY WEDNES-