Graduation Address

"L’Abbe Maheux Addresses Graduates: Six Honorary Degrees Awarded At Encaenia" Daily Gleaner (Extract). (UA Case 67, Box 2)

Encaenial Address

"There are still many persons in our communities who know very little about our university work," L’Abbe Maheux said in his Encaenial address.

"It may be our fault as well as theirs," he added.

L’Abbe Maheux stated that university men are still very far from the idea of publicity in a world which is saturated with publicity.

"It seems to me that the universities themselves, each alone, or at least the Association of Universities should have a regular weekly program on the national broadcasting system and even on television to keep the public well aware of the vast amount of work accomplished by the universities for the public welfare," he emphasized.

'Bonne Entente'

"There is one field in which I would like very much to find the universities interested, and this one is especially dear to my heart: I mean the promotion of Bonne Entente between the two major groups of Canadian population – the French-speaking and the English-speaking Canadians," L’Abbe Maheux said.

The speaker said that all institutions of learning should openly accept and approve the peaceful co-existence of two cultures, the English and the French, of two languages, the French and the English.

"In spite of appearances we are still standing much apart. We are not irreconcilable enemies, but we are quarrelling brothers. There are still 'ashes of resentment' in our common life, ashes made by burning questions which were solved by our predecessors, probably with the best of intentions, but certainly the wrong way."

To Redress Situation

He stressed that university men should join in their efforts in order to "redress the situation."

"The men you have chosen to honor today are a sort of symbol," L’Abbe Maheux said. "Here are one American, four English-Canadians and one French-Canadian, representing the North American family, all desirous to quench the ashes of resentment."