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June. 1937 The Notre Dame Alumnus 239
The distinguished honor of addressing
the men of Notre Dame is mine
—today—^but the memory will always
live in my heart. Upon the occasion
of Commencement, when thoughtful
yoimg men finally close that chapter
of their lives which embraces the
comparatively carefree days of boyhood
and of school—^when they look
ahead to a new, more rigorous and
perhaps more problematical future,
these questions loom up in their
minds. "This is Commencement Day
—^^vhat does it signify? Of what is it
the beginning? To what may we justifiiably
look forward?" In facing,
with you, this Commencement, in
looking ahead with you to a life of
worth while endeavor, I wish, if I
may, to be of service.
In the antediluvian days—^I refer
to that period prior to 1930—many
college graduates were accused of
facing the world wth a superiority
complex. However, if Notre Dame
men have had such a complex, it is
probably due to the great pride that
Notre Dame graduates have in their
school.
Notre Dame Leading
And this is indeed justifiable, for
three important members of the faculty
of one of the largest universities
in Chicago have mentioned to me
on several occasions that in their
opinion Notre Dame is leading all
other colleges in educating our young
men. It is a •widely conceded fact
that Notre Dame men are easily recognized
through the inimitable character
training that has been theirs
during the years they spend at this
school under its scholarly teaching
staif.
You ^vill carry with you, not only
the evidence of the years of effort
you made here, but something of the
spirit as well, something that will
assure you a cordial reception wherever
you may go. And so, when you
leave Notre Dame, you vnU have not
only your diploma, but the best of all
the signature of Notre Dame's president
implies — the distinction that
identifies graduates of Notre Dame
as a class apart.
You gentlemen undoubtedly have
in mind the question, "What are my
The Commencement Address
By Dennis F. Kelly, LLD., '30
Distinguished Catholic Layman, Head of
the Fair Store in Chicago, Warns Graduates
Against Hopes of Rapid Rise in Business.
opportunities in the business world?"
Business men to whom you will look
for employment expect you to possess
the necessary attributes that fit you
for business. I use the term business
in its all inclusive sense, for the
simple reason that every form of occupation,
whether it be professional,
manufacturing, retailing or statesmanship,
is a business, and business
is a profession. And, speaking of
qualifications, if you have the will to
succeed in your life's work it is taken
for granted that integrity and truthfulness
will ever be your watchwords
—and that you will always seek responsibility
rather than attempt to
evade it.
Decide—^Then Go Ahead
I hope none of you will make the
mistake of vacillating in the choice
of your life's work. Decide upon your
career — definitely — then go ahead,
for this is the age of specialization.
Like Mr. Forbes, I believe that
"Diamonds are merely little chunks
of coal that stayed on the job" and
I entirely agree with the sentiment
of the song, "You Can't Play Every
Instrument in the Band." Pick out
DENNIS F. KELLY
the one you like and stick to it, if
you want to become a star.
When accepting a connection with
an organization, especially if it happens
to be one of the larger type, you
will find that the majority of men
whom you meet are not collegetrained.
They have, however, something
you do not possess, as yet—^the
training secured through the experience
of years. With the ground work
that you have acquired at Notre
Dame, you should be able, in a comparatively
short time, to master the
details of any position to which you
may be assigned, so that under ordinary
circumstances your advancement
would be much more rapid than
you could possibly hope for without
the benefits of a college education.
The one great truth that I would
like to leave with you today is—forget
about rising rapidly — forget
about becoming a star within a year
or two. Oh, it is going to take much
longer than that: You have to look
far ahead—^if at the end of the first
ten-year cycle, you find yourself successful,
you have builded well, and
you may well be proud of your
achievement: Geniuses that startle
the world with their youthful triimiphs
are but the e.xceptions that
prove the rule. Mistakes, when recognized
and analyzed, are the richest
pay dirt a man. can pan. They are to
the ambitious man what the placer
sands are to the miner — treasure
houses of gold. Those of you who will
profit by your mistakes will wind up
your careers with an invaluable asset
—^knowledge based on experience.
Recognize Importance of Truth
This is why looking backward is
the first step toward looking forward.
I would like every young man here
to grasp the importance of truth. I
would like to have you form the habit
of reviewing yourselves and your
work weekly, not treating lightly mistakes,
rebukes and errors, but rather
turning them over and examining
them. Be searching and ruthless, if
you will, in your honest self-analysis.
Study what prompted your mistakes.
And, last but not least, make plans
to see that they will not happen