Lyndon B. Johnson Commencement Address

Only six months before he would become President in the wake of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was in Cole Field House delivering a commencement address to the 1963 graduating class.

More than 12,500 people were expected to attend the ceremony on the morning of June 8. While the paper wasn’t running when he gave his speech due to summer break, the May 21, 1963, Diamondback carried the announcement of Johnson’s upcoming visit and explained the circumstances surrounding the appearance by the vice president. One factor noted in the report was that both LBJ and UMD President Wilson Elkins were native Texans.

At the time Johnson was simply the vice president under Kennedy after he had lost to the President in the 1960 Democratic Primary. As President, Johnson would play a large role in advancing Civil Rights and social services while also getting America entangled in the Vietnam War.

Johnson’s future vice president, Hubert Humphrey, would come to campus to speak only two years later.

The Diamondback is the university’s primary student newspaper, and its coverage of campus events provides an invaluable perspective on the university’s history. Thanks to generous donations and a successful Launch UMD campaign, the University Archives is digitizing the entire run of the newspaper, which is currently available on microfilm in the University Archives and McKeldin Library. This post is the part of a series based on information collected during the Diamondback Digitization Project. Check out the Twitter hashtag #digiDBK or the DigiDBK tag on our Terrapin Tales blog for previous posts, and watch for more DigiDBK posts from our team throughout the coming months!

 

Remembering the first “Voice of the Terrapins”

Today marks the 49th anniversary of the passing of George F. Batka, the one-time director of the University of Maryland’s radio and television program in the Department of Speech.  Dr. Batka also had the distinction of being the “Voice of the Terrapins” as the public address announcer when Byrd Stadium opened in 1950, as well as at commencement each year.  His voice was instantly recognizable for countless Terrapin students and fans, and when he passed away suddenly from a heart attack at age 50, his loss was keenly felt.

Dr. George Batka (left), consults with Dr. Theodore Aylesworth (center) and a student in the UMD television studio, 1962.

Dr. Batka came to campus in 1948, and in addition to running the radio and television department, served as faculty adviser to the campus radio station, WMUC.  In 1959 he was named Outstanding Faculty Member by the Men’s League, a campus student organization, and in 1961, the Air Force ROTC chapter on campus made him an honorary colonel. He presided over the debut of closed-circuit television on campus in 1958 and produced numerous radio and television programs for Baltimore and Washington stations.

So, the next time you’re at a game, and you hear the public address announcer, remember Dr. Batka and his contributions to the university, as well as to technology that is now completely ingrained into American life.

Dr. George Batka watching a cue being delivered in the UMD studio, 1962.

Commencement programs

Did you know we’ve digitized our commencement programs? We have intermittent programs from 1863 to 1916 and all available programs from 1922 to the present. Commencement ceremonies were held primarily annually until 1970, with the notable exception of the World War II period. After 1970 commencement ceremonies were held bi-annually, with the familiar May-December schedule beginning in 1973. You can page through each program, search for names or keywords, or download your own PDF copy through this site.

Click on these programs to see what graduation was like in 1873, 1934, 1961, and 1999!

               

General “Black Jack” Pershing: War hero, commencement speaker

A recent reference question and the impending end of the fall semester got us thinking about commencement exercises.  In particular, we’ve been remembering some of the memorable speakers the University of Maryland has hosted over the years.  The list is impressive and diverse, including luminaries such as Isaac Asimov (1977), then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson (1963), former Terp quarterback Boomer Esiason (1999), and even Kermit the Frog (1996).

But to find one of the first nationally famous figures to grace the University’s commencement stage, you have to go all the way back to 1922.  In June of that year, General of the Armies John J. “Black Jack” Pershing was the speaker.  General Pershing had served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I, and was at the time of his speech at the University the highest ranking military officer in the country.

According to reports, General Pershing’s address was well-received.  In a sign that commencement addresses haven’t changed much in the past 90 years, the Washington Post reported that:

“The general won the hearts of his auditors when he stated that for some reason it was customary for graduates and their friends at commencement exercises to listen to dull speeches, but he trusted that they would not be too hard on him.”

General Pershing went on to discuss the importance of education and its role in promoting patriotism and fighting against the ignorance that he saw as the cause of World War I.

General John J. Pershing (far right) poses during commencement exercises at the University of Maryland in 1922. (click for a larger version)

After his speech, Pershing was awarded a Doctor of Laws degree by University President Dr. Albert F. Woods.  There was a reception hosted by General Pershing after the ceremony, according to the Baltimore Sun, where he was able to meet with the graduates and pose for some pictures.  Several of these pictures are in the University Archives and can be found in our digital collections.

General John J. Pershing poses with University of Maryland graduates in 1922. (click for a larger version)

General Pershing’s presence on campus was felt long after his speech ended.  In 1935, the University formed its own chapter of the Pershing Rifles, a national military honorary fraternity that Pershing had founded when he was at the University of Nebraska.  The group was known for its drill precision and rifle tricks, and often performed both on and off campus.  The Pershing Rifles were a mainstay on campus until folding in 1967, when the changing times and the end of compulsory military training meant less interest and funding.

The Pershing Rifles yearbook photo from 1966. The women seen here were not members, they were known as “sweethearts”.

The staff of the University Archives would like to extend our congratulations to those receiving their diplomas this December.  You’ve worked hard to get to this point- enjoy it!

Class of 1920

Congratulations to the new graduates! We are proud to call you Terps. There are a lot more of you than there were in 1920. Check out these graduates, including the first woman to earn a four-year degree at UMD – Elizabeth Hook – in the center of the photo. Best of luck to all of you!!

Commencement Programs and Photos Digitized

It’s coming up on that time of year again. On May 19th, the University of Maryland will welcome and recognize a new class of graduates. This is a great time to remind everyone that all of the University of Maryland commencement programs are digitized and available to view online. Our earliest digitized program dates all the way back to 1863. To view the programs just visit: http://www.lib.umd.edu/univarchives/commencement

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In addition to the programs, we also have a number of commencement photos digitized on University AlbUM. To view these photos go to the link :http://digital.lib.umd.edu/album and simply search either “commencement” or “graduation”.

We have everything you need to get in the spirit for the big day. Congratulations class of 2013!

2012 Terrapin Yearbook & Spring Commencement Program Now Available Online!

As of today you can access the 2012 Terrapin yearbook and spring 2012 commencement program online!  Just click the hyperlinks and you can page through each as if it was right in your hands, or download as a PDF!

Commencement ceremony in Ritchie Coliseum,1933.

Commencement, 1933

Congrats to all you grads! We’re proud to call you Terps. As you get ready for commencement, check out your predecessors. This is a graduation ceremony in Ritchie Coliseum from 1933. We wish you all the best of luck!!