On May 1 my wife and I attended the UT-Memphis graduation where our daughter received her Master's.  The commencement speaker was Gov. Phil Bredesen.  The brief bio in the program said "Bredesen has increased funding for public education..."

   When Memphis President Dr. Shirley Raines introduced the governor she modified this to say he had increased funding for K-12 education.  In his subsequent remraks the governor said he planned to be remembered for increasing funding for higher education, too.

    He gave a better than average speech, too.  (13 minutes)

    1500 graduates "walked."  As the parade droned on it bacame harder and harer to hear as people began talking after their graduate shook the president's hand.  Our daughter was among the last to to this.  We did not appreciate the noise.

   There is *no* excuse for noise, disruption, and distraction in what should be a dignified ceremony.

   I am first generation college.


   Jim Hiestand, ENGR