East Tennessee State University - Buccaneer Yearbook (Johnson City, TN)

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IReason for hope' Former NBC news correspondent Edwin Newman spoke to the graduating class of 1988 during the spring com- mencement exercises. Newman, the author of two books dealing with the use of the English language, avoided the typically unspectacular themes of most commencement addresses. itl feel I must offer you graduates an apologyfi he began. iiYou probably expected me to lay a burden upon you . . ibutl the state of our language commands our attention. iiBusiness leaders are looking for people who can speak and write effectively? he said, hand they are far from optomistic about getting it? He cited information supporting his claim of Americas ineffective use of its language, such as the United States having the higest illiteracy rate of all industrial nations. tilt has become typical of American English that enough is almost never enough. When words are plain, specific, and do the job, why not let them? iiLibraries are now learning resource centers. Bank tell- ers are now customer service representatives. We speak of self-admitted drug users, as if someone else could admit it for you? iiDoes it make the citizens of Albuquerque, New Mexico feel safer not to have a fire department, but instead a fire retardation and suppression department? itWe hear of the soap that lathers up really good, and some people think the word iainiti sells more hamburgers than are nof uThere is reason for hope. We may be on the way back because it is increasingly understood that a nation en- washed in jargon and opaque language on one hand and enwashed in illiteracy and semi-illiteracy on the other is not healthy. It is damaging itself? I I l Dennis Brooks and Susan Saylor NBC newscaster Edwin Newman addresses the 1988 graduat- ing class. With a sigh of relief, this grad- ttWhere do we go from here? uate looks around for a familiar was the question on many gradu face. ateis mind. tSee facing pageJ Graduating was a memorable Students displayed messages tt experience, especially when parents in various places. Hats be- shared with friends and family. came instant billboards. tSee facing pageJ 7x; L7,,QVLVAV VV7 AV 54A7 J r7 va lz eeV'ILS-l: 7Pb; e$ 5LhA JVAVr VCAAFA

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Parents often accompanied en- tering freshmen to orientation to offer support and to learn about the university themselves. - Orientationk kes the

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