THE 3 SU's OF SPEECH: A Good Commencment Address

NORTH CENTRAL STATE COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM

Professor Phil Martin was named the 2010-11 Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year at North Central State College where my grand daughter Jessica Pierce just graduated.  Professor Martin used the  Three SU's of Speech, Stand Up, Speak Up and Shut Up in his Commencement Address.  I was taught to do the same by Mrs. Elsie Rairden in 1947.

NORTH CENTRAL STATE COLLEGE AT MANSFIELD, OHIO 

He urged the graduates to consider four most important thoughts.  (1) Ask WHY, (2) Ask WHY NOT, (3) SPEAK UP when you see wrong and (4) TELL YOUR STORY.  He made his point and shut up.  Good Speaker!

As we entered the auditorum I was reminded of taking my 80-year-old mother to Disney World.  My sister, Elizabeth, and my wife, Julie, pondered how they would suggest that my mother let us push her around the park in a wheel chair.  Mom was a wise and practical lady, she loved the idea.

When we were allowed early and favorite seating at all the shows at Disney World, it gave Mom great joy.  I can still see her riding in that wheel chair wearing her Mickey Mouse sweat shirt.

MOM AND DAD
In their mid-60's 

On the floor or the North Central auditorum, along with the graduate seating, was great seating on folding chairs for the ELDERLY AND HANDICAPED.  Others had to sit in the bleachers.  With my daughter-in-law's mother being "elderly", uh, sorry Marilyn,  and with my cane I was obviously  "handicapped", my son arranged excellent seating for the four of us.  I felt much as my mother must have.

WALT IN RESERVED SEATING

The speaker, demostrating  the practically of the many majors, observed that one of the graduates in CRIMINAL JUSTICE might one day taser a criminal using a new taser developed by one of the graduates in ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY, who would then be treated by one of the 89 who graduated in NURSING and then be represented in a lawsuit against all of the above by those graduating in PARALEGAL STUDIES.

JESSICA ELAINE PIERCE
Graduate Respiratory Care Specialist

In the HEALTH AND PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION, Jessica was one of  only 17 getting a highly specialized degree in RESPIRATORY CARE.  She will do well!  Incidentally 20, nearly a fourth, of the 89 graduating as nurses were male.  Times have changed, probably for the better.

MY FIRST 7 GRANDCHILDREN WHEN THEY WERE SMALL
Jillian Elizabeth, the small one, is now starting her 2nd year of Graduate Studies 

Like their parents before them, all of my nine grandchildren, excepting the 10 and 12 year olds, have now graduated from college, one with a Master's Degree and another currently in her graduate studies.  I was present at each or their births and have never missed an event in their lives to which I was invited.

Good job, kids, I love you all dearly and am so very proud of each and every one of you.

May God also bless you and your's as he has me and mine.

May God bless the USA.