The Opening Address for the Induction Of

Dorothy I. Height

 into the Democracy Hall of Fame

 International

of

National Graduate University

September 7, 2004

 by Dr. Walter E. Boek

President, of the University 

     The tremendous Legacy of Dr. Dorothy I. Height, we will hear about tonight, might be almost unbelievable if it were not for her being here with us so that we know she is real.

     During this Induction into our Democracy Hall of Fame International, you will hear her praised justly although it is difficult for any of us to do complete justice to her because she has accomplished so much.

     One of her most significant contributions deals with the strengthening of democracy through youth. As she said "We have got to work.. to save our children and do it with the full respect for the fact that if we do not, no one else is going to do it."

     Thus I will mention possibilities for a positive future that rests with our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and all other children. Babies are not born full of hate, they do not come into this world with independent sets of values. They do not know whether they are rich or poor, slow learners or whizzes, members of a minority, a majority, or a republican or a democrat and they are not asking for someone else to make a decision for them but they will give in to what their elders have in store for them.

What happens to them, what they become, what education they obtain, what their life work is, is not in their hands to decide at that early age. Instead the burden of producing a happy productive individual or a thrill seeking criminal is in the minds and behavior of those older than the child -- yes, including you and me.

     For us here tonight, the right answer is simple, we must do our best to help produce the ideal happy productive child, adolescent, young adult and adult. Unfortunately, how ever, we can not do it all, we must depend on parents who themselves may not have the essential values ingrained in their own personalities and on teachers some of whom do not know how much depends on them, or who have not accepted the grave responsibility of forming an ideal child who is free to think and learn to become a productive unit in a democratic culture. How then can this be achieved? We must focus our attention, not just on the infant, child and adolescent, ours along with the others, but rather on their parents, teachers and those older than they are in their families and neighborhoods.

A Tribute to Dr. Dorothy I. Height during her induction Ceremony into the Democracy Hall of Fame International by Miss Beatrice E. Werness, a fifth grader.