Page speech aside, a great day for WC
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Two down, one to go.
That was my first comment after Meghan joined 335 other graduates and walked through the 134th commencement ceremony at Wilmington College on Saturday, May 8.
Despite having great seats, thanks to the early arrival of my sister, Kathleen Fuller, we missed Meghan's "walk." We sat on the first row of bleachers at Hermann Court's east sideline. Meghan was the first graduate to walk on the opposite side. We missed her. In fact, I didn¹t catch a glimpse of her until she hugged Dr. Dan DiBiasio upon receiving her diploma.
But that's OK.
Last year at Caitlin's graduation, we sat in the top row on the west side of Hermann Court. I felt like Bob Uecker in the old Miller Lite commercials. I even commented to a total stranger, "Great seats, eh, Buddy?"
We did locate Caitlin, though, and followed her "walk." (Nice shoes, Kid.)
As it turned out last weekend, Meghan couldn¹t find us, either. She kept looking upward into the various bleacher sections. We were on the floor level, behind her and to her left. About the only way she could have spotted us was to stand on her folding chair. If a college degree didn't "learn her nothing else," it taught her not to attempt such tomfoolery in high heels and a mortarboard. God bless higher education.
In addition to Meghan, who earned her bachelor¹s degree in education at age 19, graduating magna cum laude, we were also pleased to see Meghan's uncle, Chris Fuller, receive another degree. We were there many years ago when Chris and Kathleen graduated from Ohio University, and we were proud to be there again. Chris is a true historian. He loves history. He devours it like I might devour a slab of barbecued ribs.
There were a number of area graduates we knew, or at least we knew their families. We saw Chuck and Tracy Wait, whose daughter, Megan, graduated. There were Kyle Kisling, Lauren Williams, Adam McGinnis and Natalie Reiber (the daughter of Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Art Reiber). There was a graduate named Thomas Cogar of Cincinnati and I couldn't help but wonder if he's related to my high school friend, Todd Cogar, who used to live in Wilmington. Suffice it to say, Highland County was well-represented at the WC commencement.
On a less-positive note, the commencement speech given by Clarence Page seemed to me to begin and end with an attack on comments Page attributed to Glenn Beck.
I am not a fan of Beck or Page. In fact, I don't have the time nor the inclination to read, watch or listen to either of them. From checking after Page¹s speech, I do know that on his own website, Beck calls himself an entertainer. Perhaps he is. Page told the 2010 class of WC and their many friends and family, "Unlike Glenn Beck, I am a real journalist." Perhaps he is.
As such, Page ought to know there are two sides to a story. To use Beck's
comments on "social justice" out of context as he did in his May 8 speech,
did nothing to support Page's assertion that he is a "real journalist."
Much of what has been reported on Beck's social justice opinions is the result of the ongoing battle between Beck and a Washington, D.C. minister and adviser to President Obama. The social justice comment attributed to Beck centered around "Jeremiah Wright-style social justice."
Stu Burguiere, Beck's producer, points out, "It took all of eight seconds to clarify the type of church (Beck) was speaking of, but that was long enough for most in the media to end the transcript." (And perpetuate the inaccurate reports.)
Lest we forget, Obama himself "strongly condemned" Wright's preachings in April 2008, during his presidential campaign (see ABC News, et. al.).
Page is smart enough to know all of this. And as a self-proclaimed "real journalist," he ought to know better. Maybe he felt his "social justice" speech to the Wilmington graduates and their families would play better if he could insert a convenient target.
Social justice is a fine topic on its own merits. Let¹s leave the politics out of it.
Following Page's speech which wasn't that bad, otherwise graduates were – fortunately – left with the more enlightening words of their president. (And wonderful music, "Go the Distance," performed by Katherine Bonk, Amanda McDonough, Keith Hamrick and Rachel Kramer.)
"I know you will make the world a better place," Dr. DiBiasio told the class of 2010. "Use what you have learned here to improve your profession and strengthen your community."
Dr. DiBiasio closed with a quote from 1913 WC graduate Thomas Kelly, "It is the light that overcomes the darkness. To give the message, we must be the message be the message."
We have many reasons to believe that the Wilmington College class of 2010 will do just that. On behalf of two WC graduates (and, with a little luck, a future graduate), thank you, Wilmington College. Thank you, faculty, staff, student advisers and everyone in the college community for all you have done for my daughters.
And, congratulations to the class of 2010.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.
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That was my first comment after Meghan joined 335 other graduates and walked through the 134th commencement ceremony at Wilmington College on Saturday, May 8.
Despite having great seats, thanks to the early arrival of my sister, Kathleen Fuller, we missed Meghan's "walk." We sat on the first row of bleachers at Hermann Court's east sideline. Meghan was the first graduate to walk on the opposite side. We missed her. In fact, I didn¹t catch a glimpse of her until she hugged Dr. Dan DiBiasio upon receiving her diploma.
But that's OK.
Last year at Caitlin's graduation, we sat in the top row on the west side of Hermann Court. I felt like Bob Uecker in the old Miller Lite commercials. I even commented to a total stranger, "Great seats, eh, Buddy?"
We did locate Caitlin, though, and followed her "walk." (Nice shoes, Kid.)
As it turned out last weekend, Meghan couldn¹t find us, either. She kept looking upward into the various bleacher sections. We were on the floor level, behind her and to her left. About the only way she could have spotted us was to stand on her folding chair. If a college degree didn't "learn her nothing else," it taught her not to attempt such tomfoolery in high heels and a mortarboard. God bless higher education.
In addition to Meghan, who earned her bachelor¹s degree in education at age 19, graduating magna cum laude, we were also pleased to see Meghan's uncle, Chris Fuller, receive another degree. We were there many years ago when Chris and Kathleen graduated from Ohio University, and we were proud to be there again. Chris is a true historian. He loves history. He devours it like I might devour a slab of barbecued ribs.
There were a number of area graduates we knew, or at least we knew their families. We saw Chuck and Tracy Wait, whose daughter, Megan, graduated. There were Kyle Kisling, Lauren Williams, Adam McGinnis and Natalie Reiber (the daughter of Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Art Reiber). There was a graduate named Thomas Cogar of Cincinnati and I couldn't help but wonder if he's related to my high school friend, Todd Cogar, who used to live in Wilmington. Suffice it to say, Highland County was well-represented at the WC commencement.
On a less-positive note, the commencement speech given by Clarence Page seemed to me to begin and end with an attack on comments Page attributed to Glenn Beck.
I am not a fan of Beck or Page. In fact, I don't have the time nor the inclination to read, watch or listen to either of them. From checking after Page¹s speech, I do know that on his own website, Beck calls himself an entertainer. Perhaps he is. Page told the 2010 class of WC and their many friends and family, "Unlike Glenn Beck, I am a real journalist." Perhaps he is.
As such, Page ought to know there are two sides to a story. To use Beck's
comments on "social justice" out of context as he did in his May 8 speech,
did nothing to support Page's assertion that he is a "real journalist."
Much of what has been reported on Beck's social justice opinions is the result of the ongoing battle between Beck and a Washington, D.C. minister and adviser to President Obama. The social justice comment attributed to Beck centered around "Jeremiah Wright-style social justice."
Stu Burguiere, Beck's producer, points out, "It took all of eight seconds to clarify the type of church (Beck) was speaking of, but that was long enough for most in the media to end the transcript." (And perpetuate the inaccurate reports.)
Lest we forget, Obama himself "strongly condemned" Wright's preachings in April 2008, during his presidential campaign (see ABC News, et. al.).
Page is smart enough to know all of this. And as a self-proclaimed "real journalist," he ought to know better. Maybe he felt his "social justice" speech to the Wilmington graduates and their families would play better if he could insert a convenient target.
Social justice is a fine topic on its own merits. Let¹s leave the politics out of it.
Following Page's speech which wasn't that bad, otherwise graduates were – fortunately – left with the more enlightening words of their president. (And wonderful music, "Go the Distance," performed by Katherine Bonk, Amanda McDonough, Keith Hamrick and Rachel Kramer.)
"I know you will make the world a better place," Dr. DiBiasio told the class of 2010. "Use what you have learned here to improve your profession and strengthen your community."
Dr. DiBiasio closed with a quote from 1913 WC graduate Thomas Kelly, "It is the light that overcomes the darkness. To give the message, we must be the message be the message."
We have many reasons to believe that the Wilmington College class of 2010 will do just that. On behalf of two WC graduates (and, with a little luck, a future graduate), thank you, Wilmington College. Thank you, faculty, staff, student advisers and everyone in the college community for all you have done for my daughters.
And, congratulations to the class of 2010.
Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.
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