Hamilton College's annual Baccalaureate Service was held on May 20. College Chaplain Jeffrey McArn welcomed the graduating seniors and their families. "You have been on a long journey, students and families alike ... it's a journey where you have walked through a lot of important changes," he said. McArn discussed the tradition of the Baccalaureate at Hamilton, which has been held since the first Hamilton commencement almost 200 years ago; although, like many other college traditions, the service has been modified over the years. "This baccalaureate moment is a traditional moment asking traditional questions. What kind of person am I? What kind of person do I want to be? ... We welcome you to this baccalaureate service, full of tradition of newness."
The opening prayer was delivered by Rabbi David Levy, Hamilton's Jewish Chaplain. Colleen Hallagan '06 led the unison prayer, and readings were delivered by Joshua Wasserman, Alicia Giglio, Peter Van Siclen and Renny Usbay, all '06.
Hamilton College President Joan Hinde Stewart introduced the Baccalaureate speaker, president of the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy Bill Moyers. Moyers worked in the media for 30 years, during which he produced more than 300 hours of programming and received numerous awards for excellence, including more than 30 Emmy Awards from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Moyers was also deputy director of the Peace Corps in the Kennedy Administration and special assistant to President Johnson. Moyers was the recipient of the 2004 Global Environmental Citizen Award from the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. Moyers speech was titled "Pass the Bread." Read Bill Moyers' speech.
Moyers began by apologizing to the class of 2006 on behalf of his generation. "We're really sorry for the mess you're inheriting ... You're going to have your hands full, frankly," said Moyers. It will be easy to be pessimistic, he said, but it is important to stay positive. "This world is hard on believers ... The hardest struggle of all is to reconcile life's polar realities," said Moyers. He called on the graduating seniors to "affirm, connect and signify" in response to the "dissonance in our culture, the rivalry between beauty and bestiality in the world, and the conflicts in your own soul."
Moyers told the story of Shalom. "Every misfortune befell him," said Moyers. Yet he always returned good for evil, and, when he died, the Lord said to him, "Ask, and it shall be given unto you." To which Shalom asked for a hot buttered roll to start each day. "Bread is the great re-enforcer of the reality principle," said Moyers. We need bread to live, but we need others to provide the bread. We depend on hundreds of people we do not know and will never meet for bread. "Reciprocity sustains us," said Moyers. For example, Hamilton was raised by people who thought of today's students before they were even born. And in time, the students will give something back. This deal is what we call civilization.
"My generation hasn't done the best job at honoring this ethical bargain, and our failure explains the mess we're handing over to you," said Moyers in closing. "You may be our last chance to get it right, so good luck, Godspeed, enjoy these last few hours together, and don't forget to pass the bread."
-- by Laura Trubiano '07
