Class Day Activities Fill Yard

Despite a 50 percent chance of rain yesterday, the weather for Class Day exercises came through.

Clear skies and a mild breeze put smiles on the faces of seniors as they listened to the Class Day speech by NBC "Nightly News" anchor Tom Brokaw, students orations and award presentations. And at the urging of First Marshal Peter S. Cahn '96, the entire class stood to give a round of applause to parents, teachers and friends.

"The most important thing you may have learned at Harvard is how to keep on learning," Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 said during his brief address.

Lewis encouraged students to continue balancing many activities at once so they could lead more fulfilling lives. And most importantly, Lewis said, "please keep your sense of humor."

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III then announced the recipients of the Ames Awards, presented to an outstanding man and woman of the senior class for community service as well as "leadership, self-reliance and character."

This year's recipients are Michael K. Tran '96, who has been extensively involved Phillips Brooks House programs, and Marta R. Rivas '96, who has worked with a number of groups to fight violence against women.

"These recipients remind us of what one should value most at Harvard," Epps said.

Clete D. Johnson '96 delivered the Harvard oration and said that his experience at the College had taught him to be proud rather than ashamed of his background and accent from Royston, Ga.

"I am finally comfortable being myself," Johnson said. "I can appreciate you because I can appreciate myself."

Johnson said that Harvard's diversity had helped him to define his identity.

"Though Harvard definitely has its own prejudice and intolerance, it is a place where, if you try, you can truly appreciate the myriad of cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds that all of us bring to Cambridge."

Alice S. Chen '96 then delivered the Radcliffe oration.

"May we take comfort in knowing that the paths we are walking are part of a proud network that extends back through a century and across the world," she said.

Chen urged her classmates to remember the importance of community and to cherish its continuity through time.

"Even in the midst of our late 20th century blahs, we should live our lives in such a way that decades later, at least some young woman, and maybe the world, will be thankful and proud and comforted."

Charles R. Kapelke '96 delivered the Ivy Oration, a humorous speech, in poetry form, that recounted the highlights of his four-year college experience. And the Class Day exercises ended with a long-standing tradition, the Class Ode, written by Jason Cooper '96 and Jeffrey Miller '96, led by the 1996 Class Choristers.

Many soon-to-be graduates said that they had mixed feelings about the day's ceremonies. "Right now I feel not apathetic, but stagnant. Like a deer in front of a car, not knowing what's going on. It'll hit me in the end, tomorrow," said Tej D. Phatak '96.

--C.R. McFadden contributed to the reporting of this story.