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MS 0058-1942-001
1942 May 25
Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the speakers at commencement. Prior to the ceremony she received an Honorary Doctorate in Law, her fellow honorees were Sophie Kerr and Adele France who received Doctorates in Literature. This speech was given during the 50th anniversary of co-education at Washington College. Mrs. Roosevelt stressed the responsibility that comes with the privilege of higher education that was denied for so long and not to become complacent. As America had just entered World War II, Eleanor brought up the crisis the country was facing, and the important roles women would play on the home front. She also talked about how, as well as being willing to die for one’s country, you should also live for it and fight for the ideals of democracy. She touches on promoting democracy worldwide, how with citizenship comes responsibility, the importance women play in both the domestic and political spheres, and how important it is for young people to engage in the process of democracy.
Audio
21m 42s
[item identification], Washington College audio visual collection, MS 0058, Archives and Special Collections, Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland.
Digitized by the Northeast Document Conservation Center using IRENE from several laminated discs.