SOUTHWORDS
June 1969
Former S. graduate speaks out
no author
Hillary Rodham, a graduate of Maine South, recently made the front page of the Chicago newspapers when she became deeply involved in her commencement exercises at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Hillary, who is an honor student and also president of the Wellesley student government, was a scheduled speaker at the ceremony. It was the first time in the history of the school that a student had been allowed to speak at graduation exercises.
Senator Edward W. Brooke, a Republican senator from Massachusetts, was speaking to the 6,000 attending the ceremony. According to Hillary, "He wasn't talking about any of the things Wellesley's graduating class had been thinking about for four years."
When it came Hillary's turn to address the group, she engaged the senator in an impromptu debate. "Senator Brooke's speech is similar to a lot of rhetoric we've been hearing for years," Hillary charged. "We have seen very little action coming out of rhetoric, and the entire tone of Senator Brooke's speech is one that we find to be very discouraging."
Hillary continued, "For too long, those who lead us have viewed politics as the art of the possible. The challenge that faces them and us now, is to practice politics as the art of making possible what appears to be impossible."
Her speech was soon finished, and Hillary's days at Wellesley ended with her statement. "Be realistic. Demand the impossible." She was greeted with a standing ovation by both students and faculty at the conclusion of her speech. Applause lasted more than seven minutes.
This summer, Hillary plans an Alaskan trip. "I want to find what it is that we all seem to have lost such a long time ago> Maybe it's up there with all those grizzly bears, and maybe I'll be able to find it." Next year, she plans to attend Yale Law School.