of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 185

Take away with you today, along with your diploma, a full appreciation of
the fact that you have been privileged to drink from the fountain of Maryland
education and tradition. Let it stand for something important in your life,
something of transcending importance, that you have inherited a tradition of
education, and of thought, that unfortunately is all too rare throughout the
world today.

As one who appreciates thoroughly the problems that you face as you
prepare to set out along your various paths through life, I can only emphasize
again the importance of holding fast to first principles.

After all, there are certain ways of life, and1 only those certain ways, open
to men and women of principle, such as you. Your professors here and those
at home who have worked along with you will not be at your side forever to help
you and to advise you. Henceforth, to a great extent, you are on your own.
Your decisions are your own, and you are the ones who will have to abide by
the results.

If you remember your days here in school, if you keep sacred in your mind
the things you have learned here, the things for which our State has always
stood, then you need have no fear for your future. You may not be successes
as the world counts success, but if you are true to your own principles, if you
preserve unsullied the tenets of decency, of toleration, of fair play and of
loyalty, that you have received here, you will achieve the kind of success that
after all is the most important success of all. And with this I say, God speed
you, and may you all be the credit to yourself, your family and your State
that at this moment each one of you plans to be.

MARYLAND FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS

Emerson Hotel, May 29, 1940

Baltimore

THE undoubted progress which has been made by women, while it is the
basis of justifiable pride on their part, has definitely inured to the benefit
of society in general. No such intense progress touching all phases of activity,
State, National and International, could help but affect the course of civilization.

In the fundamental changes which have occurred it is to the credit of the
present and preceding generations that the status and position of women have
been definitely acknowledged for the better. Here in America, notably, the
change during the past few decades has been noteworthy and what is even more
gratifying, the progress of women as the result of increased opportunities for
activity has been remarkable.

Fortunately the whole point of view of the general public has been re-
arranged as a consequence of the forward strides made by members of the sex.
It is stating but the obvious fact to assert that this change, affecting, as it
did, our entire society and polity, was not an easy accomplishment.

Well-informed persons know that the course of progress was difficult,
indeed, and that handicaps and obstacles had to be overcome in the struggle
for the attainment of the ideal, and before referring to the splendid part being
played in the present day by women, the debt owing to the far-sighted women
who blazed the trail years ago must be acknowledged and a tribute paid to