胡适留学日记卷四三九、记本校毕业式

卷四三九、记本校毕业式

　　（六月十七日）

　　余虽于去年夏季作完所需之功课，惟以大学定例，须八学期之居留，故至今年二月始得学位，今年夏季始与六月卒业者同行毕业式。毕业式甚繁，约略记之。

　　六月十四日，星期，礼拜堂有“毕业讲演”（Baccalaureate Sermon）。讲演之牧师为纽约The Rev. William Pierson Merrill，D. D. ，题为“So speak ye，and so do，as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty”（James Ⅱ：12），略言今人推翻一切权势，无复有所宗仰，惟凡人处权力之下易也，而处自由之下实难，前此种种之束缚，政治法律宗教各有其用，今一一扫地以尽，吾人将何以易之乎？其言甚痛切。

　　十五日，往观大学象戏会（Cornell Masque）演英大剧家Bernard Shaw之讽世剧“You Never Can Tell”。

　　十六日谓之“毕业班之日”，毕业生及其戚友会于山坡草地上，行毕业日演艺。是夜白特生夫人延余餐于其家。以予客处，无家人在此观予毕业，故夫人相招以慰吾寂寥，其厚意可感也。

　　十七日为毕业日，英名Commencement，译言肇始也，夫毕业也而名之曰肇始者，意以为学业之终而入世建业之始，其义可思也。是日毕业可九百人，皆礼服，各以学科分列成双行。礼服玄色，方冠。冠有旒，旒色以学科而异，如文艺院生白旒，农院黄旒，律院紫旒是也。钟十一下，整队行，校董前行，校长院长次之，教长教员又次之，学生则文艺院生居先列，而工科生为最后。毕业场在山坡草地上，设帐为坛。坛上坐校董以次至教员。坛前设座数千，中为毕业生，外为观者，盖到者不下三千人。坐定，乐队奏乐。有牧师率众祈祷。校长颁给学位，毕业生起立，旒垂左额；既得学位，则以手移旒于右额。复坐，又奏乐。乐终，校长致毕业训词。校长休曼先生（Jacob Gould Schurman）本演说大家，此日所演尤动人，略言诸生学成用世，有数事不可少：

　　一、健全之身体，二、专一之精神，三、科学之知识，四、实地之经验。

　　其结语尤精警动人，语时诸生皆起立。其言如下：

　　Ladies and gentlemen of the graduation classes: If what I have been saying is correct—and I think it is—I may draw a conclusion of great encouragement for every one of you. The life you are about to enter is indeed a race; but it is a race in which not merely one, but every one, may win the prize. For each of you is called on to serve the community; and if, like the members of the crew or team, you each play your part well, you will have won the only prize that is open to you. If the life of men were a mere struggle for each one to get his head above everybody else, then of course the only victor would be the financial magnate, the political potentate, or the gourmond or insatiate sensualist. But if life really means faithful service in and for the community—as religion and reflection agree in declaring—then all honest work, all loyal effort, brings its own reward.

　　"Act well your part,

　　There all the honor lies. "

　　If life is a game。it is a rivalry in generous service to the community of which we are all members. College graduates because of their superior education should be able to render better service than others. The public has a right to expect it of us. My dearest hope, my most earnest prayer, for each and all of you is that you may rise to the height of your opportunities and win the noblest prize open to human beings—the crown of high character, of intellectual attainment, and of loyal service to your day and generation.

　　〔中译〕

　　诸位毕业之女士及先生们：

　　如果我刚才所说的话是对的，那么我将以它来勉励在座的各位。你们即将进入的人生定为一场激烈的竞赛。但此竞赛，金牌不止一枚，人人皆可得奖。社会向你们召唤，召唤诸位去服务人生。各位正好比一名船员，或一名队员，尽可扮演好自己的角色，必定会得到那一份为你所设的奖赏。假如奋斗只是为了出人头地，那么将来的成功无非只是当一名金融巨头，或是官场显要，或是贪吃的老饕，抑或是一好色之徒而已。各位若是认定人生本是诚实地得之于社会，用之于社会——就像宗教和反思所认定的那样——那就请各位热诚工作，忠实奉献，这些将给你带来应得的回报。

　　“畅演人生，
　　光荣属于你。”

　　假如人生是一场竞赛，那么人人都力争慷慨地去为这个社会服务，因为我们都是社会一份子。大学毕业生受过优良的教育，理应比一般人更优秀地去服务社会，公众有权寄厚望于他们。我最深切地希望，最热诚地祈祷，祝在座诸位一定振臂而起，抓住良机，赢得这顶向各位招手的桂冠，即高尚的品格，智识的成就，忠诚的服务于时代。

　　演说既毕，全体合唱《母校》之歌。有哽咽不成声者。盖诸生居此四年，一旦休业，临此庄肃之会，闻赠别之辞，唱《母校》之歌，正自有难堪者在，盖人情也。

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