Class Committee May Invite Jordan as Class Day Speaker

The Class Committee decided yesterday to invite Rep. Barbara Jordan (D-Texas) as this year's Class Day Speaker, and the invitation will be sent to the Congresswoman within the next two weeks, a source close to the committee said yesterday.

Ronald W. Wade '76, co-chairman of the Class Committee, yesterday denied the report that Jordan will be invited to speak. "It would be erroneous to say that we are inviting Barbara Jordan to speak because we are still in the process of selecting a speaker," Wade said, adding "It's still a very iffy situation."

According to the source, the committee selected Jordan from a list of names submitted by its Class Day subcommittee. The subcommittee compiled the list from the results of a poll conducted last fall asking seniors to state their preferences for Class Day speaker.

"A very large majority of the committee very for Jordan," the source said. "If she accepts the invitation to speak, she's it," he added.

Should the Congresswoman decline, however, the source said the committee has "no strong second choice."

Teresita Alvarez '76, co-chairman of the Class Committee, declined comment on the report. Margaret C. Ross '76 and Wiz Wyatt '76, co-chairmen of the Class Day subcommittee, were both unavailable for comment last night.

Jordan was last month reported to be one of three frontrunners the subcommittee would recommend as possible speakers. Two other public figures under consideration were Daniel P. Moynihan, professor of Government and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and Daniel J. Boorstin '34, Librarian of Congress.

The Class Committee also discussed preparations for commencement week (June 13-19), Alvarez said. Class Day is scheduled for June 16.

Rep. Jordan first rose to national prominence as a member of the House Judiciary Committee that approved three articles of impeachment against former President Richard M. Nixon in July, 1974.