Evening star., 1940-06-10
Georgetown 10 Give
DEGREES 10 437 al
Exercises Today
Justice Stephens Of
Appeals Court to Be
Commencement Speaker

Bringing ltS l4lSt commencement
program to close, Georgetown
University will confer degrees on a
class of 437 seniors in all depart
ments at graduation exercises at 4
o'clock this afternoon on the college
compus. In event of rain the pro-
gram will be held in CASTOR Hall
Associate Justice Harold M
Stephens of the United States Court
of Appeals, who received an hon
.orary degree of doctor of laws from
Georgetown last year, will make
the commencement address. Can
didates for degrees will be pre-
sented from the college of arts and
sciences, the graduate school and
the schools of law, medicine, den-
tistry and foreign service. Included
are the graduates of Woodstock
College, the Jesuit house of studies
in Maryland, which is affiliated
with the university.
The Very Rev. Arthur A OLeary,
s. j., president. will honor two
leading alumni at the exercises by
Conferring degrees of doctors of
laws. They are the Right Rev
Msgr. Michael David Leahy. A. B
'92, pastor of st. James Church,
Lakewood, Ohio, and Judge George
Iandon Browning, IL. B. '95, of the
Supreme Court of Appeals of Vir-
einia. MSgr. Leahy, whose brother
has just died, will be unable to at
tend the ceremony.
Baccalaureate Sermon.
Yesterdays program featured the
baccalaureate mass and sermon in
the morning and the awarding of
academic prizes to about IS honor
students in the various senior
classes. Carl H. Watson, jr., COL
lege senior, gave the Cohonguroton
grafton, the class valedictory. at
e1e tropaia exercises in the evening.
The Rev. Wilfrid Parsons, S. j..
dean of the graduate school, in the
baccalaureate sermon before the
seniors in Dahlgren Chapel, re-
minded the class that the Catholic
Church teaches that obligation to
ones country means even the will
1ngneSS to sacrifice life in its de-
fenSe. when we submit our wills,
our liberty, our goods and all we
have TO the welfare of our country
We are paying a debt, not to man
but to God" he said.
Warning them that they are fac
Ing the darkest OF times in the
history of the modern world" Father
Parsons, who was formerly editor
of America, told the seniors: "Those
OF us who have been brought up in
the Catholic faith know that in our
religion We can find all the re-
sources to meet whatever crisis con-
fronts us" Referring to the moral
obligation of patriotism to ones
fatherland, as interpreted by the
church, he said:
The Catholic Church has never
taught that the debt which we owe
to our country is a matter of choice.
1t has never taught that it was
mere secular and temporal matter
to be put aside at our convenience.
Duty to Country.
ut has always taught that we
have even the duty to risk our lives
when our country is in danger. 1t
has always taught that for the
sake of our country we must be
ready to lay down our lives, to leave
our family, our ease and possessions.
when danger threatens. Unless all
of us keep this faith in mind. then
we will have failed in one of our
most important religious obliga-
tions."
Celebrant at the mass was the
Rev. Charles j, Foley, S. j., pro-
fessor of philosophy. Music was
sung by the choir of St. Paul's
Church under direction OF DR.. Ed
ward P. Donovan.
Presiding at the awarding of aca-
demlc honors last night was the
Rev. John E. Grattan. S. j., dean
of the college. The prizes from the
various schools were presented to
the following:
College of Arts and Sciences.
Dixon Medal for the best contri-
button to advancement of the Mask
and Bauble Dramatic Club, Carl H.
Watson, jr., of Great Neck. N. Y.
French Prize, donated by the
French Minister of Foreign Affairs
for excellence in language and liter
ature, Donald Francis Heany of
Chevy Chase, Nd
The American Institute of Chem
lists Medal for highest average in
chemistry, William E. Schaefer of
Chevy Chase.
Lynch-Pendergast Medal for the
best essay on selected topic in
English literature, John S. Rugge
Of Glens Falls, N. Y.
Hamilton Philodemic Medal,
founded by Dean George E. Hamil-
ton of the law school, for extempore
debating, Burke E. Schoensee of
White Sulphur Springs, w. Va.
Quicksall Medal for best oral
examination in Shakespeare, Thomas
Paul Dove of Washington.
Brennan Medal for best essay on
an assigned religious subject, Robert
L. T. McDevitt of Binghamton,
N. Y.
Merrick Debating Medal, for VIM
ming the annual debate of the Phil
odemic Society, Dexter L. Hanley
of San Juan. Puerto Rico.
Ryan Medal, for the best record
In psychology, natural theology and
ethics, Dexter L. Hanley of Puerto
Rico.
School of Medicine.
Kober Medal in Hygiene, Richard
J. Walsh of Brooklyn
Ewing Prize in Pathology, George
I. MishtOWt of Chevy Chase.
McCullum Prizes in Pathology, eX
eequo, William c. Hurley of Willis
ton, N. Oak, and Arthur J. Grimes,
il, of Gloucester, Mass.
Baker Medal in Anatomy, John
J. Rowe of New London, Conn.
Prize for outstanding scholarship,
c. Francis Werts of Los Angeles.
Hird Prize in Physiological Chem
istrY. first, Bertram Rose of New
cAcrc nAIu