The document summarizes the 1963 commencement ceremony for Wyoming Seminary. It provides details about the commencement speaker, Dr. Robert F. Oxnam, who urged the graduating class to take responsibility as "free and responsible persons" to address the cultural crises facing society. It also lists the names of students who received academic prizes and honors at the ceremony. Photos from the local newspaper coverage of the event are included.

1. “Free and Responsible Persons”
June 10, 1963

3. Remember this?
The tune was that of the Russian Imperial Anthem, “God Save the Czar.”

4. Cum Laude
Seniors: next slide …

5. Cum Laude 1963
Mort
Frank
Phil Allan
Tom
Howard
Ken
Jerry
Bill
BillJohn
Ann
Robin
Leslie Mollie Nancy
Vernalee

6. Faculty
Baccalaureate Procession
June 9, 1963

7. June 9, 1963: Senior girls in procession to the Baccalaureate Service at the Kingston Methodist Church

9. June 9, 1963: Senior boys in procession to the Baccalaureate Service at the Kingston Methodist Church

10. Commencement
June 10, 1963

11. Our Commencement Speaker
Dr. Robert F. Oxman
Robert F. Oxman (1915-1974)
Dr. Oxman was President of Drew University,
1961-1974. He was the first lay president of
Drew, a Methodist school. A scholar of
political science and public administration,
Oxnam was a graduate of De Pauw University
and earned his MAs (two – one before the war
and the other after) and doctorate from USC.
As President of Drew he doubled the school’s
enrollment and expanded its national and
international reach.
Known as a humanitarian, he spoke out
strongly on behalf of civil rights, academic
freedom, and an end to the war in Vietnam at
a time, as we know, when these issues were
most controversial.
His message to us was that our culture was
facing its greatest crisis and that the future
generation (that’s us!) as “free and
responsible persons” had the responsibility to
save it through our commitment to freedom
and justice.
For more about Dr. Oxnam, see …
https://uknow.drew.edu/confluence/display/DrewHistory/Robert+Fisher+Oxnam

12. Our beloved Prof Bugbee delivered the Charge to the Graduates.

17. Ladies

22. Gentlemen

28. Prizes (awarded before Commencement)
Art: Helen Anderson Art Award: Roberta Vullo
The Yearbook Graphic Arts Award: Nancy Goldsmith
Debate: The Seminary Prize for the best argument in the Inter-Society debate: Dave Hill
Declamation: The Seminary Prize for Declamation: Tom Hartman
Drama:
A cup for the best individual performance in the Inter-Society Play Contest: Garner Traher
Outstanding students in drama for this particular year: Bob Dealaman, Garner Traher
General Achievement: Tom Hartman
Language
The Theodore S. Abbot Language Cup: Mollie Harris
Oratory
The George F. Nesbitt Prize for the best original oration: Nancy Curtis
Poetry:
The Charles L. March Poetry Prize: Nancy Curtis, Robin Kadison
Science and Mathematics:
The Bausch and Lomb Medal for outstanding work: Tom Hartman
Sportsmanship
The Babe Ruth Foundation Sportsmanship Awards: Debbie Hess, Bob Dealaman

29. Prizes (awarded at Commencement)
The Guthrie Thomson English Prize: Dave Hill
The L. L. Sprague Parliamentary Law Prize: Sharon Kiley
The Renssalaer Medal for Mathematics and Science: Dick Bubeck
The Citizenship Prizes: Sharon Kiley, Tom Hartman
The Irving Robin Memorial Prize (leadership): Bill Maurer
The Walker Delano Keller Government Prize: Marsha Mittleman
The Almeda Cushman Spencer Bible Prize: Mollie Harris, Verna Pritchard
The Charles Woods Mathematics Prize: Jerry Pechulis
The Parker H. Burt French Prize: Mollie Harris
The Holman Religious Leadership Award: Phil Singer
The Brooks Christian Citizenship Prize: Lee Willard
The Lindsley Morgan Washburn Prize in Mathematics: Verna Pritchard
The Harry W. Ruggles Award to the Outstanding Graduate: Lisa Harvey
The Quay-Adams Award (Scholarship, Character, Reliability, Leadership) - not awarded in 1963

30. Sharon and Lisa receiving awards.

32. From the Times-
Leader, June 10, 1963

33. We lived in troubled times!
This is the front page of the
next day (Tuesday, June
11)’s Wilkes-Barre Record.

34. We were featured on page 2!

35. From the Wilkes-Barre Record, Tuesday, June 11, 1963

36. Picture caption
Wyoming Seminary president Dr. B. Hopkins Moses leads the academic procession with guest
speaker Dr. Robert Fisher Oxnam, president of Drew University, in Seminary’s 119th
Commencement. Behind Dr. Moses are former Governor Arthur H. James, chairman of the
board of trustees, and Rev. William H. Maurer, Hickory Street Presbyterian Church, Scranton,
who gave the invocation. (Not named in the photo is the Rev. Irvin C. Wise, Edwards
Memorial Church, Edwardsville, who gave the benediction.)

37. From the Wilkes-Barre Record, Tuesday, June 11, 1963

39. From the Wilkes-
Barre Record,
Tuesday, June 11,
1963.

40. It’s Roberta!

41. Ya gotta luv the
placement of
this ad!

42. And on June 10, 1963, I was on a cattle station in the bush country of Australia. My mother mailed me
the newspaper pages and commencement program along with the nice photo of Lon with her brothers,
mom, and my parents.

43. And, while we’re at it!
The spring of 2013 saw the
election of a new Pope and so
did the spring of 1963!
From the Wilkes-Barre
Record, June 11, 1963.
The Pope elected on June 21 was
Paul VI.