Penultimate Rites Celebrated

Both Presidents Bok and Horner spoke on the critical state of the world condition in their Baccalaureate Service speeches yesterday in Memorial Church. Bok called for more national service and Horner stressed the need for interdependence.

Over 200 seniors and their parents listened to Bok and Horner, prayed together with Harden H. Wiedemann '75, in a "Responsive Reading" of the Ninetieth Psalm, and sang hymns in the traditional religious service.

Lamenting the emphasis in American on "self-reliance" and "individual initiative." Horner said that few people have "acknowledged the possibility that the capacity for cooperation, mutual support and interdependence may well now be a sign of strength, self confidence maturity and realism."

She added. "This is equally true whether one is speaking about the relationship between men and women, those between institutions like that of Harvard and Radcliffe or those between nations."

Bok and Horner both pointed to the problems of the economy, unemployment, dwindling natural resources and the energy crunch to illustrate their points.

"The conditions our society today are surely not favorable for the exercise of constructive leadership." Bok said while calling "native" the nation of the failure of leadership.

Understanding

Horner said, "We will need considerably more understanding, sustained attention to and cognizance of the growing network of interdependencies" to deal with "new problems and pressures."

Bok added to the list of global problems the spread of U.S. armaments and the lack of medical care. Attacking national isolationism and public complacency, he contrasted the "huge sums spent on an ill, considered was against cancer" to the "tiny amounts" devoted to the study of diseases "that ravage hundreds and millions in the power nations of the world."

He also compared the "marginal accommodations" of the Strength Arms Limitation talk's to increased season of arms to foreign countries.

"Our sales of arms to other countries continue to double every year in a thinly disguised attempt to overcome the mounting costs of purchasing our energy requirements from abroad," Bok said.

Bok told the seniors that the problems of the future "cannot be left to leaders alone," and that their solution will "ultimately depend on the energy and convictions of citizens exactly like your-selves."

Horner borrowed a quotation from A.A. Milne that she used in last year's baccalaureate speech: "Whatever fortune brings, don't be afraid of doing things." But this year, she added that graduating seniors should "not be afraid of doing things interdependently.