The Michigan Daily - Friday, May 17, 1985 - Page 5

A veritanie sea o graduates clad in ceremonial garn assemblet to hear their farewell attress
Graduates bid farewell
The University calls it a commen-
cement, but for nearly 7,000 former
Michigan students graduation exer-
cises marked the end. The end of four
years of study for the un-
dergraduates. The end of the all- °
nighters, the end of their time in Ann
Arbor.
Commencement speaker James
Blanchard bestowed his best wishes
upon the graduates in an uplifting
political speech. Blanchard called the
University "the crown jewel of state
education ... a place where the dif-
ference between Auschwitz and Bit-
burg will be remembered forever.
In the words of University president i
Harold Shapiro, "For all it will be a University President Harold Shapiro and Governor James Blanchard gree
time for new beginnings." But many Ph. D. recipients with a shake and a smile.
weren't thinking of those new begin-
nings-they were thinking of some un- views of Central America and South whom face uncertainty ahead, was a
finished business. Africa. quote from the fairy tale Alice in
A small group of protesters passed Scheduled to receive an honorary Wonderland, delivered by the gover-
out literature emblazened with "em- degree along with Blanchard was nor. "If you don't know where
bargo South Africa, not Nicaragua," mime Marcel Marceau, but due to you're going, any road will take you
and a number of graduates wore the plane delays Marceau was unable to there."
slogans on their commencement attend the exercises.
robes. High in the stands a group held Perhaps the most comforting ad- Story by Steven E. Herz
placards spelling out their political vice given to the graduates, many of Photos by Dan Habib

Many graduates dispensed with the forma
opting for a more humorous approach.

, relaxation, exaltation, imagination, and congratulation as older relatives greeted the nation.