Here is the full transcript of author Fred Rogers’ speech at 2002 Dartmouth College Commencement.
Listen to the audio version here:
TRANSCRIPT:
Wow, what a privilege to be with you all. Since I’ve arrived here in Hanover, many people have greeted me by saying, “It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood.” Well, indeed it is a beautiful day.
But before I begin, I’d like you to know that I recognize that you who live and work here have had many days, particularly during these last several months, that have been far from beautiful. You’ve had a painful time, and you’ve handled it with dignity.
Honoring the Zantops
I feel certain that the Zantops’ generous spirits inspire you, and it’s a great privilege for me to be with you all. When I was at Dartmouth in the late 1940s, the tuition, room, and board all added up to $1,100 a year. Nobody owned a home computer, and hardly anyone had a television set.
And those who did, there was a choice of three channels. I’m not sure if Jeanne Shaheen was even born yet, but very few people would have guessed that within 50 years, a woman would be governor of New Hampshire.
Changes at Dartmouth
Yes, when I was here, the first word of the alma mater was “Men.” “Men of Dartmouth, give a rouse.” Well, now the first word is “Dear.” Some things change for the better. During my first year here, I lived right over there at 101 Middle Mass, and I had two roommates.
I had a professor over there who did his best to scare everyone in his class, and he gave me the lowest grade that I ever had in any school anywhere. But I also had an astronomy professor, George Dimitrov, who looked for and found what was best in each of his students. When I look at the night sky, I still think of that extra-special kind man.
Gratitude and Congratulations
Dartmouth is many things to each of us, and I’m grateful to Jim and Susan Wright for all that they have done for this school, and I’m grateful to my old friend Chick Koop for all that he has done for all of us. And I congratulate every one of you who is being honored in any way during this commencement weekend. Our world hangs like a magnificent jewel in the vastness of space. Every one of us is a part of that jewel, a facet of that jewel.
We Are All Related
And in the perspective of infinity, our differences are infinitesimal. We are intimately related. May we never even pretend that we are not. Have you heard my favorite story that came from the Seattle Special Olympics? Well, for the 100-yard dash, there were nine contestants, all of them so-called physically or mentally disabled.
All nine of them assembled at the starting line, and at the sound of the gun, they took off. But not long afterward, one little boy stumbled and fell and hurt his knee and began to cry. The other eight children heard him crying.
Helping Others Win
They slowed down, turned around, and ran back to him. Every one of them ran back to him. One little girl with Down syndrome bent down and kissed the boy and said, “This will make it better.” And the little boy got up, and he and the rest of the runners linked their arms together and joyfully walked to the finish line.
They all finished the race at the same time. And when they did, everyone in that stadium stood up and clapped and whistled and cheered for a long, long time. People who were there are still telling the story with great delight. And you know why. Because deep down, we know that what matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What really matters is helping others win, too. Even if it means slowing down and changing our course now and then.
Love Ruling Our Hearts
Aeneas Manlius Severinus Boethius – what a name – was the last of the great Roman philosophers and the first of the scholastics of the Middle Ages. 1,500 years ago, Boethius wrote this sentence: “Oh, happy race of mortals, if your hearts are ruled, as is the universe, by love.” I was once invited to sit in on a master class of six young cellists from the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. The master teacher was Yo-Yo Ma.
Now, Yo-Yo is the most other-oriented genius I’ve ever known. His music comes from a very deep place within his being. And during that master class, Yo-Yo gently led those young cellists into understandings about their instruments, their music, and their selves, which some of them told me later they’d carry with them forever.
Nobody Else Can Make Your Sound
I can still see the face of one young man who had just finished playing a movement of Brahms’ Cello Sonata when Yo-Yo said, “Nobody else can make the sound you make.” Of course, he meant that as a compliment to the young man. Nevertheless, he meant that also for everyone in the class. Nobody else can make the sound you make. Nobody else can choose to make that particular sound in that particular way.
The Choices We Make
I’m very much interested in choices and what it is and who it is that enable us human beings to make the choices we make all through our lives. What choices lead to ethnic cleansing? What choices lead to healing? What choices lead to the destruction of the environment, the erosion of the Sabbath, suicide bombings, or teenagers shooting teachers? What choices encourage heroism in the midst of chaos?
I have a lot of framed things in my office which people have given to me through the years. On my walls are Greek and Hebrew and Russian and Chinese. And beside my chair is a French sentence from Saint-Exupery’s Little Prince.