goodafternoon,ladiesandgentlemen!

　　todayi’dliketosharemypersonalexperienceofhappinessandbitternessofbeinganenglishteacher.

　　iremember,fiveyearsago,whenistoodattheteacher’sdeskforthefirsttime,maybebecauseiwastooyoung,maybebecauseiwastooinexperienced,thestudentsinmyclasspaidnoattentiontome,didn’tbehavethemselvesatall.ifeltashamedandhelpless.inordertosavemyface,ijustcriticizedthestudentsseriouslywhenevertheytalkedinclassorevenmovedalittle.ithoughtsoonerorlater,theywouldlistentome.yes,icouldcontroltheclassnow,butthestudentsandtheatmospherebecamestrange.no,theywerenotlisteningtome.itwastooquiet.thebreathlesssilenceurgedmetoconsiderthewayiwasteaching.

　　then1august,igotthechancetostudythenewcourseofenglish.untilthencouldirealizedthatitwasmyfrozeneyesthatmakethestudentsflinch,itwasmystifffacethattrodouttheenthusiasminthechildren’shearts.howtostimulatemyclassandshowmywarmth,sothattheycanenjoytheirstudyinenglish?ihadadeepthought.

　　it’ssmile.thereisakindnesscalledsmile.itisthemostbeautifullanguageintheworld.itcanmakedistancenodistance.“justawakethestudentswithasmilingface!”isaidtomyself.

　　thenextday,whenistoodonthestagewithasmilingface,wheniaskedthequestionswithasmile,wheniencouragedthechildreninafriendlyway,thestudentswerejustshocked!buticouldfindtherewasmorehappinessandexcitementintheireyes!gradually,theygotusedtoit,andparticipatedinmyteaching.asipredicted,thatclassbecamealovelyone.iwasmoved,andsaid“thankyouforlistening,boysandgirls!”

　　inthefollowingdays,ikeeponworkingevenharder.ipreparemylessonscarefully.iuseflash,pictures,riddles,andinterestingstoriestomakegreateffortstohelpthestudentstolearnmore.butiwillneverforgetonething:smile,givethemasmile,togivethemstrength,toletthemfeelhappy,tomakethemconfident.thechildrendoenjoytheenglishlessonnow,whentheytellmetheanswersingreatexcitement,icanfeeltheirgladness,andmysmileismoresincerelythanever!

　　thereiskindnesscalledsmile.fromthechildren’syearningeyes,iunderstand,itissmilethatmakesmystudentsandigetcloser,itissmilethatfillsthekindnesstomyenglishclass,itissmilethatshapesmepopularenglishteacherfinally.

　　that’sall.thankyouverymuch!

　　Faculty,family,friends,andfellowgraduates,goodevening.

　　Iamhonoredtoaddressyoutonight.OnbehalfofthegraduatingmastersanddoctoralstudentsofWashingtonUniversity'sSchoolofEngineeringandAppliedScience,Iwouldliketothankalltheparents,spouses,families,andfriendswhoencouragedandsupportedusasweworkedtowardsourgraduatedegrees.Iwouldespeciallyliketothankmyownfamily,eightmembersofwhichareintheaudiencetoday.Iwouldalsoliketothankallofthedepartmentsecretariesandotherengineeringschoolstaffmemberswhoalwaysseemedtobetherewhenconfusedgraduatestudentsneededhelp.AndfinallyIwouldliketothanktheWashingtonUniversityfacultymemberswhoservedasourinstructors,mentors,andfriends.

　　AsIthinkbackontheseven-and-a-halfyearsIspentatWashingtonUniversity,mymindisfilledwithmemories,happy,sad,frustrating,andevenhumorous.

　　TonightIwouldliketosharewithyousomeofthememoriesthatItakewithmeasIleaveWashingtonUniversity.

　　ItakewithmethememoryofmyofficeonthefourthfloorofLopataHall-theroomattheendofthehallwaythatwastoohotinsummer,toocoldinwinter,andalwaystoofarawayfromthewomen'srestroom.Thewindowwasmyoffice'sbestfeature.Wereitnotforthephysicsbuildingacrosstheway,itwouldhaveaffordedmeaclearviewofthearch.ButinsteadIgotaviewoftheroofofthephysicsbuilding.IalsohadaviewofonecorneroftheroofofUrbauerHall,whichseemedtobeafavoriteperchforvariousspeciesofbirdswhoalternatelywonperchingrightsforseveralweeksatatime.AndIhadaniceviewofthephysicscourtyard,noteworthyasagoodplaceforwatchingpeopleruntheirdogs.It'samazinghowfascinatingtheseviewsbecamethelongerIworkedonmydissertation.Butmyfavoriteviewwasofanearbyoaktree.Frommyfourth-floorvantagepointIhadaratherintimateviewofthetreeandthevariousbirdsandsquirrelsthatinhabitit.Occasionallyabirdwouldlandonmywindowsill,whichusuallyhadtheeffectofstartlingbothofus.

　　ItakewithmethememoryoftwoyoungprofessorswhopassedawaywhileIwasagraduatestudent.AnneJohnstone,theonlyfemaleprofessorfromwhomItookacourseintheengineeringschool,andBobDurr,apoliticalscienceprofessorandamemberofmydissertationcommittee,bothlostbravebattleswithcancer.Irememberthemfondly.

　　ItakewithmethememoryoffailingthefirstexaminoneofthefirstengineeringcoursesItookasanundergraduate.IrememberthinkingthecoursewasjusttoohardformeandthatIwouldneverbeabletopassit.SoIwenttotalktotheprofessor,readytodroptheclass.Andhetoldmenottogiveup,hetoldmeIcouldsucceedinhisclass.Forreasonsthatseemedcompletelyludicrousatthetime,hesaidhehadfaithinme.Andafterthatmygradesintheclassslowlyimproved,andIendedthesemesterwithanAonthefinalexam.Irememberhowmotivationalitwastoknowthatsomeonebelievedinme.

　　ItakewithmememoriesofthemidwesternfriendlinessthatsosurprisedmewhenIarrivedinSt.Louis8yearsago.SincemovingtoNewJersey,Iamsadtosay,nobodyhasaskedmewhereIwenttohighschool.

　　Itakewithmethememoryoftheshort-livedcomputersciencegraduatestudentsocialcommitteelunches.TheideawasthatgroupsofCSgradstudentsweresupposedtotaketurnscookingamonthlylunch.ButafteronegradstudentpreparedapotofchickenthatpoisonedalmosttheentireCSgradstudentpopulationandoneunluckyfacultymemberinonefellswoop,therewasn'tmuchenthusiasmforhavingmorelunches.

　　Itakewithmethememoryofamoresuccessfulgraduatestudenteffort,theestablishmentoftheAssociationofGraduateEngineeringStudents,knownasAGES.Startedbyahandfulofengineeringgraduatestudentsbecauseweneededawaytoelectrepresentativestoacampus-widegraduatestudentgovernment,AGESsoongrewintoanorganizationthatnowsponsorsawidevarietyofactivitiesandhasbeeninstrumentalinaddressinganumberofengineeringgraduatestudentconcerns.

　　ItakewithmethememoryofanEngineeringandPolicydepartmentthatoncehadflourishingprogramsforfull-timeundergraduate,masters,anddoctoralstudents.

　　Itakewithmememoriesofthe1992U.S.Presidentialdebate.EagertogetinvolvedinalltheexcitementIvolunteeredtohelpwhereverneeded.IrememberspendingseveraldaysinthemakeshiftdebateHQgivingout-of-townreportersdirectionstotheathleticcomplex.Irememberbeingthrilledtogetassignedthejobofcollectingfilmfromthephotographersinthedebatehallduringthedebate.AndIrememberthedisappointmentofdrawingtheshorteststrawamongthestudentvolunteersandbeingtheonewhohadtotakethefilmoutofthedebatehallanddowntothedarkroomfiveminutesintothedebate-withnochancetore-enterthedebatehallafterIleft.

　　PresidentpitzerMr.VicePresident,Governor,CongressmanThomas,SenatorWiley,andCongressmanMiller,Mr.Webb,Mr.Bell,scientists,distinguishedguests,andladiesandgentlemen:

　　Iappreciateyourpresidenthavingmademeanhonoraryvisitingprofessor,andIwillassureyouthatmyfirstlecturewillbeverybrief.

　　IamdelightedtobehereandI'mparticularlydelightedtobehereonthisoccasion.

　　Wemeetatacollegenotedforknowledge,inacitynotedforprogress,inastatenotedforstrength,andwestandinneedofallthree,forwemeetinanhourofchangeandchallenge,inadecadeofhopeandfear,inanageofbothknowledgeandignorance.Thegreaterourknowledgeincreases,thegreaterourignoranceunfolds.

　　Despitethestrikingfactthatmostofthescientiststhattheworldhaseverknownarealiveandworkingtoday,despitethefactthatthisNation'sownscientificmanpowerisdoublingevery12yearsinarateofgrowthmorethanthreetimesthatofourpopulationasawhole,despitethat,thevaststretchesoftheunknownandtheunansweredandtheunfinishedstillfaroutstripourcollectivecomprehension.

　　Nomancanfullygrasphowfarandhowfastwehavecome,butcondense,ifyouwill,the50,000yearsofman'srecordedhistoryinatimespanofbutahalf-century.Statedintheseterms,weknowverylittleaboutthefirst40years,exceptattheendofthemadvancedmanhadlearnedtousetheskinsofanimalstocoverthem.Thenabout10yearsago,underthisstandard,manemergedfromhiscavestoconstructotherkindsofshelter.Onlyfiveyearsagomanlearnedtowriteanduseacartwithwheels.Christianitybeganlessthantwoyearsago.Theprintingpresscamethisyear,andthenlessthantwomonthsago,duringthiswhole50-yearspanofhumanhistory,thesteamengineprovidedanewsourceofpower.Newtonexploredthemeaningofgravity.Lastmonthelectriclightsandtelephonesandautomobilesandairplanesbecameavailable.Onlylastweekdidwedeveloppenicillinandtelevisionandnuclearpower,andnowifAmerica'snewspacecraftsucceedsinreachingVenus,wewillhaveliterallyreachedthestarsbeforemidnighttonight.

　　Thisisabreathtakingpace,andsuchapacecannothelpbutcreatenewillsasitdispelsold,newignorance,newproblems,newdangers.Surelytheopeningvistasofspacepromisehighcostsandhardships,aswellashighreward.

　　Soitisnotsurprisingthatsomewouldhaveusstaywherewearealittlelongertorest,towait.ButthiscityofHouston,thisstateofTexas,thiscountryoftheUnitedStateswasnotbuiltbythosewhowaitedandrestedandwishedtolookbehindthem.Thiscountrywasconqueredbythosewhomovedforward--andsowillspace.

　　WilliamBradford,speakingin1630ofthefoundingofthePlymouthBayColony,saidthatallgreatandhonorableactionsareaccompaniedwithgreatdifficulties,andbothmustbeenterprisedandovercomewithanswerablecourage.

　　Ifthiscapsulehistoryofourprogressteachesusanything,itisthatman,inhisquestforknowledgeandprogress,isdeterminedandcannotbedeterred.Theexplorationofspacewillgoahead,whetherwejoininitornot,anditisoneofthegreatadventuresofalltime,andnonationwhichexpectstobetheleaderofothernationscanexpecttostaybehindinthisraceforspace.

　　Thosewhocamebeforeusmadecertainthatthiscountryrodethefirstwavesoftheindustrialrevolution,thefirstwavesofmoderninvention,andthefirstwaveofnuclearpower,andthisgenerationdoesnotintendtofounderinthebackwashofthecomingageofspace.Wemeantobeapartofit--wemeantoleadit.Fortheeyesoftheworldnowlookintospace,tothemoonandtotheplanetsbeyond,andwehavevowedthatweshallnotseeitgovernedbyahostileflagofconquest,butbyabanneroffreedomandpeace.Wehavevowedthatweshallnotseespacefilledwithweaponsofmassdestruction,butwithinstrumentsofknowledgeandunderstanding.

　　YetthevowsofthisNationcanonlybefulfilledifweinthisNationarefirst,and,therefore,weintendtobefirst.Inshort,ourleadershipinscienceandindustry,ourhopesforpeaceandsecurity,ourobligationstoourselvesaswellasothers,allrequireustomakethiseffort,tosolvethesemysteries,tosolvethemforthegoodofallmen,andtobecometheworld'sleadingspace-faringnation.

　　Wesetsailonthisnewseabecausethereisnewknowledgetobegained,andnewrightstobewon,andtheymustbewonandusedfortheprogressofallpeople.Forspacescience,likenuclearscienceandalltechnology,hasnoconscienceofitsown.Whetheritwillbecomeaforceforgoodorilldependsonman,andonlyiftheUnitedStatesoccupiesapositionofpre-eminencecanwehelpdecidewhetherthisnewoceanwillbeaseaofpeaceoranewterrifyingtheaterofwar.Idonotsaythatweshouldorwillgounprotectedagainstthehostilemisuseofspaceanymorethanwegounprotectedagainstthehostileuseoflandorsea,butIdosaythatspacecanbeexploredandmasteredwithoutfeedingthefiresofwar,withoutrepeatingthemistakesthatmanhasmadeinextendinghiswritaroundthisglobeofours.

　　Thereisnostrife,noprejudice,nonationalconflictinouterspaceasyet.Itshazardsarehostiletousall.Itsconquestdeservesthebestofallmankind,anditsopportunityforpeacefulcooperationmanynevercomeagain.Butwhy,somesay,themoon?Whychoosethisasourgoal?Andtheymaywellaskwhyclimbthehighestmountain?Why,35yearsago,flytheAtlantic?WhydoesRiceplayTexas?

　　Wechoosetogotothemoon.Wechoosetogotothemooninthisdecadeanddotheotherthings,notbecausetheyareeasy,butbecausetheyarehard,becausethatgoalwillservetoorganizeandmeasurethebestofourenergiesandskills,becausethatchallengeisonethatwearewillingtoaccept,oneweareunwillingtopostpone,andonewhichweintendtowin,andtheothers,too.

　　ItisforthesereasonsthatIregardthedecisionlastyeartoshiftoureffortsinspacefromlowtohighgearasamongthemostimportantdecisionsthatwillbemadeduringmyincumbencyintheofficeofthePresidency.

　　Inthelast24hourswehaveseenfacilitiesnowbeingcreatedforthegreatestandmostcomplexexplorationinman'shistory.WehavefeltthegroundshakeandtheairshatteredbythetestingofaSaturnC-1boosterrocket,manytimesaspowerfulastheAtlaswhichlaunchedJohnGlenn,generatingpowerequivalentto10,000automobileswiththeiracceleratorsonthefloor.WehaveseenthesitewherefiveF-1rocketengines,eachoneaspowerfulasalleightenginesoftheSaturncombined,willbeclusteredtogethertomaketheadvancedSaturnmissile,assembledinanewbuildingtobebuiltatCapeCanaveralastallasa48storystructure,aswideasacityblock,andaslongastwolengthsofthisfield.

　　Withintheselast19monthsatleast45satelliteshavecircledtheearth.Some40ofthemweremadeintheUnitedStatesofAmericaandtheywerefarmoresophisticatedandsuppliedfarmoreknowledgetothepeopleoftheworldthanthoseoftheSovietUnion.

　　TheMarinerspacecraftnowonitswaytoVenusisthemostintricateinstrumentinthehistoryofspacescience.TheaccuracyofthatshotiscomparabletofiringamissilefromCapeCanaveralanddroppingitinthisstadiumbetweenthe40-yardlines.

　　Transitsatellitesarehelpingourshipsatseatosteerasafercourse.Tirossatelliteshavegivenusunprecedentedwarningsofhurricanesandstorms,andwilldothesameforforestfiresandicebergs.

　　Wehavehadourfailures,butsohaveothers,eveniftheydonotadmitthem.Andtheymaybelesspublic.

　　Tobesure,wearebehind,andwillbebehindforsometimeinmannedflight.Butwedonotintendtostaybehind,andinthisdecade,weshallmakeupandmoveahead.

　　Thegrowthofourscienceandeducationwillbeenrichedbynewknowledgeofouruniverseandenvironment,bynewtechniquesoflearningandmappingandobservation,bynewtoolsandcomputersforindustry,medicine,thehomeaswellastheschool.Technicalinstitutions,suchasRice,willreaptheharvestofthesegains.

　　Andfinally,thespaceeffortitself,whilestillinitsinfancy,hasalreadycreatedagreatnumberofnewcompanies,andtensofthousandsofnewjobs.Spaceandrelatedindustriesaregeneratingnewdemandsininvestmentandskilledpersonnel,andthiscityandthisstate,andthisregion,willsharegreatlyinthisgrowth.WhatwasoncethefurthestoutpostontheoldfrontieroftheWestwillbethefurthestoutpostonthenewfrontierofscienceandspace.Houston,yourcityofHouston,withitsMannedSpacecraftCenter,willbecometheheartofalargescientificandengineeringcommunity.Duringthenext5yearstheNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationexpectstodoublethenumberofscientistsandengineersinthisarea,toincreaseitsoutlaysforsalariesandexpensesto$60millionayear;toinvestsome$200millioninplantandlaboratoryfacilities;andtodirectorcontractfornewspaceeffortsover$1billionfromthiscenterinthiscity.

　　Tobesure,allthiscostsusallagooddealofmoney.Thisyear'sspacebudgetisthreetimeswhatitwasinJanuary1961,anditisgreaterthanthespacebudgetofthepreviouseightyearscombined.Thatbudgetnowstandsat$5,400millionayear--astaggeringsum,thoughsomewhatlessthanwepayforcigarettesandcigarseveryyear.Spaceexpenditureswillsoonrisesomemore,from40centsperpersonperweektomorethan50centsaweekforeveryman,womanandchildintheUnitedStates,forwehavegiventhisprogramahighnationalpriority--eventhoughIrealizethatthisisinsomemeasureanactoffaithandvision,forwedonotnowknowwhatbenefitsawaitus.ButifIweretosay,myfellowcitizens,thatweshallsendtothemoon,240,000milesawayfromthecontrolstationinHouston,agiantrocketmorethan300feettall,thelengthofthisfootballfield,madeofnewmetalalloys,someofwhichhavenotyetbeeninvented,capableofstandingheatandstressesseveraltimesmorethanhaveeverbeenexperienced,fittedtogetherwithaprecisionbetterthanthefinestwatch,carryingalltheequipmentneededforpropulsion,guidance,control,communications,foodandsurvival,onanuntriedmission,toanunknowncelestialbody,andthenreturnitsafelytoearth,re-enteringtheatmosphereatspeedsofover25,000milesperhour,causingheatabouthalfthatofthetemperatureofthesun--almostashotasitisheretoday--anddoallthis,anddoitright,anddoitfirstbeforethisdecadeisout--thenwemustbebold.

　　I'mtheonewhoisdoingallthework,sowejustwantyoutostaycoolforaminute.

　　However,Ithinkwe'regoingtodoit,andIthinkthatwemustpaywhatneedstobepaid.Idon'tthinkweoughttowasteanymoney,butIthinkweoughttodothejob.AndthiswillbedoneinthedecadeoftheSixties.Itmaybedonewhilesomeofyouarestillhereatschoolatthiscollegeanduniversity.Itwillbedoneduringthetermsofofficeofsomeofthepeoplewhosithereonthisplatform.Butitwillbedone.Anditwillbedonebeforetheendofthisdecade.

　　AndIamdelightedthatthisuniversityisplayingapartinputtingamanonthemoonaspartofagreatnationaleffortoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.

　　ManyyearsagothegreatBritishexplorerGeorgeMallory,whowastodieonMountEverest,wasaskedwhydidhewanttoclimbit.Hesaid,"Becauseitisthere."

　　Well,spaceisthere,andwe'regoingtoclimbit,andthemoonandtheplanetsarethere,andnewhopesforknowledgeandpeacearethere.And,therefore,aswesetsailweaskGod'sblessingonthemosthazardousanddangerousandgreatestadventureonwhichmanhaseverembarked.

　　Thankyou.