Hendrix College conferred 204 well-deserved degrees during the college's 124th commencement ceremony. U.S. District Judge William R. "Mule" Wilson, a 1962 Hendrix alumnus, was the commencement speaker.
Dr. J. Timothy Cloyd, president of Hendrix college, welcomed graduates and their families to the ceremony held on the lawn between Fausett Hall and Ellis Hall on the south side of Hendrix's campus.
Board of Trustees member and 1972 graduate of Hendrix, Frank H. Cox Jr., gave the graduating student body advice that he said took him 54 years to understand: "Self-fulfillment is not about money. It's not about the grown up toys we buy for ourselves. It's not about credentials. It's not about your job or your professional success. It's not about any of those things. Even though I, myself, have been guilty of thinking like that at different times in my life," Cox said. "Being truly fulfilled and, therefore, truly happy comes in direct proportion to your personal commitment to use the blessings and talents that your creator gave you in every aspect of your life, to make a positive difference in other people's lives. It's just that simple."
Two retiring professors were also recognized by Dr. Robert L. Entzminger at the ceremony. Drs. Garrett McAinsh, professor of history at Hendrix since 1974, and Warfield Teague, professor of chemistry at Hendrix since 1970, received appaulse for their year's of service to the college.
"Together these professors represent 76 years of service to Hendrix college. Their contributions to Hendrix's allegiance and the impact of their work on the hundreds of students who enjoyed their lectures, worked with them on projects that were inspired by their scholarship and dedication and will continue to be felt for decades to come," Entzminger said.
U.S. District Judge William R. Wilson gave a straight-forward and humorous commencement speech saying he would draw from many great speakers such as Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr. He added he would quote and paraphrase many other commencement speakers "without specific attribution."
Early in his address, Wilson said "Commencement speeches are chocked-full of advice. And I know there's nothing we receive with more reluctance than advice, but I'm a traditionalist, I'm going to sprinkle a little on you as we go a long here. I have one piece of advice that I know is solid," Wilson said. "Whatever calling you follow as you leave Hendrix College whatever profession, whatever job be the sort of person that your colleges will say about you, 'I will shoot craps with her or him over the telephone.'"
On more serious note, Wilson recalled his family's history at Hendrix College. He then said, "As you know when you get out of whatever calling or endeavor you follow, you're going to have good times and you're gong to have bad times," Wilson said. The main thing is to prepare whatever task you have prepare and prepare and prepare you learned it one way or the other at Hendrix either by not preparing or because you did prepare."
Wilson also urged students to "stay at it, be steady and work regularly." He then turned to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Drum Major Instinct" speech saying, "We've all got that drum major instinct, we want to be out front... We talk about how we want to be out front, but (King) pointed out that instinct is a good thing if we channel that to the service of others. Wouldn't you like to be known as a drum major for justice?" Wilson added, "many years from now, when the shadow of your career is falling far to the east wouldn't you like to have it said about you that you were a drum major for justice? I think we all would." Wilson ended by adding "poet of some renown" to his list of credits which include honors from the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association and from the Arkansas and Pulaski County Bar Associations, the National Civil Justice Award from the American Board of Advocates in 1992.
Wilson concluded by reciting his poem: "I love of any speaker./ I really, really do/ Not one who's polished/ One who's through."
(Staff writer Monica Hooper can be reached by e-mail at monica.hooper@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1266. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
