The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was honored and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang as Weber State College held its centennial commencement exercises Friday night.
One of the school's largest graduating classes, some 2,328 students, received diplomas during the 101st commencement.The tradition of having a commencement speaker was broken this year, and instead the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang patriotic songs for about 20 minutes.
The LDS Church was honored with the college's Founders Award. President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the church's First Presidency, accepted the award.
The college awarded six honorary doctorate of humanities degrees and three posthumous degrees during the exercises held at the Dee Events Center.
The honorary degrees went to Robert A. Clarke and James Foulger, former college administrators; John S. Hinckley, an Ogden businessman; Blanche Browning Rich, an Ogden philanthropist; Merlon Stevenson, a former coach of all WSC athletics; and Orson W. Young, an emeritus professor of zoology.
The three posthumous degrees were given in honor of Lewis W. Shurtliff, president of the school's first Board of Education; Louis F. Moench, the college's first principal; and H. Aldous Dixon, the college president from 1919-20 and again from 1937-53.
"It's appropriate during our centennial year that we honor some of the great individuals who have given so much to this institution," said WSC President Stephen D. Nadauld. "We thank these men and women who have made major contributions to Weber State and to the community."
Spencer Kinard, vice president and news director of KSL television, told the packed group at the Events Center about how important education is in a democratic society and the impact education has had around the world, noticeably in China.
"You who graduate here today must assume part of the responsibility to remember what you have learned and share it with others," Kinard said.
Ironically, he said, it was a Chinese philosopher who said nearly 5,000 years ago, "To live and not learn is not to live; to learn and not understand is not to learn; to understand and not put into practice is not understanding."
Kinard said WSC should be proud of its achievements, especially how it has improved the lives of thousands of students who have attended the school during the past 100 years.
"You leave here tonight with the best the `ship of democracy' could deliver to you: an opportunity to learn."