Graduation Address

"Address to the Graduating Class of '41 by Walter C. Allison" (15 May 1941). (UA Case 67, Box 1)

Mr. President, Your Honor, Mr. Premier, Young Men and Young Women of the Class of ’41

Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I take you all into my confidence just to tell you that when Dr. MacKenzie asked me to be here today and to talk to you for a few minutes, I felt there were a good many reasons why I should not accept the honor.

I had asked him why I should be so honored with such an invitation and he replied with words to the effect that, on account of my great age, I must have had a wide experience of life!

Of course, I did not tell him, that, for somewhere between 50 and 60 years or so, I had been patiently waiting for just such an opportunity to deliver an address to someone, preferably the students of the University of New Brunswick.

Before I say a few words to you young people in particular, I have a very general message which has been in my mind for sometime and which I decided, on the occasion of the opening of the Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium, ought to be told somehow, somewhere, sometime.

AND THIS IS MY MESSAGE:

Had Lord Beaverbrook been present on the occasion of his first-night as the author of what made it possible to present the performance of a most appropriate programme celebrating the opening of the Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium, and mingled with those happy people, he would, I am sure, have been exceedingly pleased. To have seen the delighted faces of the great gathering which assembled, and I could not but feel they were there in a spirit of enthusiastic appreciation of his great munificence, would have been to him a genuine "thank you".

This splendid building, so complete and perfect in its appointments, is another monument to him and his late wife of whom New Brunswickers have had great reason to feel proud indeed.

While the Gymnasium is a fine addition to the facilities offered by the University for the education of our youth to fit them for busy, useful lives, in that it helps greatly to make healthy, strong bodies to house the minds and intellects which the college is endeavoring to develop. It is also, through its intercollegiate games, a means of creating and fostering an espirt-de-corps among the students which is of great value, to all those in association with them, in successfully carrying on the work and purpose of the institution.

Indeed the building had not been completed before it was to take its place as an additional aid to Canada’s War effort and to do its part in that great crusade by housing, in splendidly equipped quarters, the University’s C.O.T.C.

I have been told that the number of New Brunswick students enrolled in the University is a considerable disappointment.

One reason for this may be that the Beaverbrook residence is always crowded and inadequate to even the present demand upon it.

In regard to the co-eds, there is no building at all to provide for their residence at the University.

Surely if the University is to grow and prosper, as I am certain the Province itself will in the years to come, it would be well to look ahead and provide the additional housing accommodation for both classes of students, which is so much needed even at the present time.

I believe that the greater the facilities which could be much improved, or enlarged and others added to make this dream of expansion and growth a reality, for here in New Brunswick, we have great traditions – Loyalists – Political – Religious and Educational, and scattered all over Canada and throughout the Empire and other lands, are many of our sons who have become famous. Surely then we should not allow our own University to fall behind the March of Time, and remain limited in the facilities required to carry on in the responsibilities of our heritage.

When Lord Beaverbrook, this New Brunswick boy, risen from humble position to stand among the great of our might empire and, from that exalted position, looking wistfully homeward prefers to be considered one of us, is it not our great privilege to emulate the fine example he has set us? Surely New Brunswickers are not going to refuse his challenge by doing any less than I have suggested even if it were only in appreciation of him and what he has done for us.

His generosity has set an example to some of the well to do sons of New Brunswick to "go and do likewise" and I am suggesting, and even urging, that those intimately connected with the administration of this N.B. owned educational institution take steps to correct these deficiencies and start out in a deliberate and vigorous effort to improve the conditions I have mentioned.

I believe there are men (perhaps women also) New Brunswick born, or of N.B. parents, or maybe otherwise sufficiently interested in this Province, who have been wondering, perhaps for a long time, what they could do for New Brunswick; who, if the real immediate needs of this fine old institution were brought to their attention, would actually be grateful to you for affording them the privilege of an opportunity to contribute to such a worthy cause.

The New Gymnasium not only stands as a monument to the New Brunswicker who so generously made it possible, but to me it is also a symbol of what could be done in the future and from the fact that it stands on the site it does, which was, until it was built, outside the boundaries of the now old campus, suggests progress already and it seems to me to beckon to the other buildings which are needed, to come over onto the new campus in fulfillment of the realization of dreams, which may, and, I believe, can and will, come true.

THAT IS MY MESSAGE.

Your President, Dr. MacKenzie, I am afraid is not going to hear the kind of an address for me that he expected, or perhaps hoped I would deliver to you, the Graduating Class of ’41.

I believe he thought that, after the so untiring efforts of your teachers and professors to pass along to you all possible academic preparation to fit you for the journey of life, possibly some words from me, or someone like me, might help you to the better apply some of the theories you have studied and, it may be, have learned by heart.

Practical experience from a life time spent in the business world rather than theory is all that I can contribute to help you today. From that experience he perhaps thought I might tell something of how to become a business man or woman and perhaps what is, and is not considered good practice in business generally. If I did I would only be interesting a few of you for some of you will not become business people but the future scientists, doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, bankers, politicians, soldiers, civil servants, clerks and so on down through the whole list.

You would rather like to hear from me something that will be of interest and, I hope, of help to each and every one of you and so I have chosen to talk about one attribute, in the attainment of, and from which you will each one get the greatest possible help and satisfaction.

Never having been a student of a University, I do not know exactly what your feelings and thoughts are at this time, but, as a human being with probably somewhat the same desires, hopes, ambitions and mental reactions as you have, I expect you are pleased, and justly so, at having finally achieved something in your young life which has brought you to where you are right at this moment.

I also suspect you have given some thought as to where you will go from here, and so I offer you my most hearty congratulations for you achievements so far. I really would like to help you in attaining some of those wonderful "castles in the air" in which, I am sure, you have sometimes thoughtfully indulged.

No doubt the word SUCCESS has figured prominently in your day dreams. You hope to make a success of your lives but just how definite is your idea of success I do not know.

Possibly some of you might feel that success in life would be the accumulation of great wealth. This should bring you so-called success, with some power and prominence in your own world, but in your domestic affairs and within your own life, you might never know happiness.

If time permitted, I could cite many other achievements which would, in a measure, give you what the world calls success but, in my humble opinion, a successful life is not necessarily the acquisition of worldly goods, or other material things, but rather one that has been lived (it may be ever so unobtrusively) by using and developing, to the fullest extent, the great gifts with which you have been endowed and for the best use of which you will be held responsible.

By always doing your daily task (no matter how humble) to the best of your ability, you will have achieved success of that kind that is lasting and worth while, because, in so doing, you will have made the most of YOURSELF and, if your conduct towards your fellow beings has been kind, sympathetic, and helpful, you will have built up and strengthened you character.

Many people unknown and unsung have lived, and are living such lives, so that, to my mind, they are leading SUCCESSFUL lives and they enjoy peace of mind and contentment (which are other words for happiness) and which many another, much more prominent, does not and cannot enjoy.

You have spent several years in preparing yourselves for the success in life on which you have set your hearts and minds, and you are now equipped with specialized or general knowledge to apply to your selected work.

Most of you will be looking for, or maybe already have, jobs, some of you, perhaps, will not work at all (though in these days, where there is work for all, that seems unlikely).

At any rate whatever your mental equipment and technical qualifications may be, you will soon become aware that whatever is to be the value of these academic accomplishments to you, they will be greatly enhanced by the strength of your CHARACTER and this is the word to which I want to call your special attention today.

In referring to the word character, I want you to please remember that I do so using the word entirely and only in its good or favorable meaning. For instance, we will not consider bad or doubtful character.

Character is the heart – soul – and very life of YOU and CAN be the very flower of that life.

It is character that has sustained the wonderful people Britain in their most magnificent display of courage and morale just as it is character which we of the British Empire will need in the days of reconstruction, after we have won the victory in the greatest crusade against barbarism since the world began.

Because character is so desirable a possession, is it not reasonable, and indeed necessary, to consider how it can be obtained and in as great a degree as possible.

Character is not achieved in a day. It is built up over the years, by constant day by day contributions from your good conduct, and your good deeds and good thoughts, with the result that they are impressed upon your personality and become part of your character. Therefore, it is extremely important that you do good deeds and have good thoughts constantly, if you would strengthen your character.

Every time you do a worth while action or even indulge in fine elevating thoughts, you by just that much, suppress other thoughts or actions which would interfere with character building.

Character is something which is looked for by employers and others who would use your accomplishments because it guarantees that reliability and trustworthiness which is so much desired by those who would use your services.

Character will give you strength that you will need in time of affliction and trouble, pain and sorrow.

There must have been a very good reason for the adoption of the articles of their faith which have been set up those who founded the Boy Scouts in that they are supposed to do one good deed a day and, of course, it was for nothing in the world but to help them build character.

Whenever you can be of help to someone else, help him by kindly interest, word or deed. Cultivate the habit of what is generally known as common courtesy and an ever ready, though priceless, smile.

These comparatively simple things will contribute towards the building of your character and give you the priceless boon of happiness, as you go along.

You are starting out in life when problems, such as we never knew before, confront you, and the fundamental and basic principles of true democracy, which recognize the rights, privileges and protection of the individual, are at stake. Your responsibility to uphold these precious privileges is very great. In doing your part you will have no time to think about the various "isms" with which the world is afflicted and which are responsible for so many of the ills and sufferings which mankind is bearing, and will be called upon to bear. So character hand in hand with the academic ability to meet such a situation, is "more to be desired than great riches", for character is not the lesser of these possessions.

I hope I have made it plain that the building of character is sufficiently worth while for you to carry these thought with you from day to day for, if you do, it will not be long until the character I speak of will shine through your eyes and stamp itself on your very features, because character has its seal of goodness and beauty and imprints itself on the outside of the temple in which it is housed, for all the see.

CHARACTER CAN BE YOUR PASSPORT THROUGH LIFE.