USMA FOUNDERS DAY DINNER

1800 Benny Heavens Hour All Mezzanine

1850 MINUTE CALLER: “Attention all old grads. There are 10 minutes until

Founders Day dinner. Uniform is: Army or Civilian formal. The menu for dinner is Sirloin Steak or Pasta Primavera, twice baked potato, seasonal vegetables, Founders Day cake, and assorted beverages, 10 minutes remaining!”

1858 MINUTE CALLER: “Attention all old grads. There are 2 minutes until

1900 MC Ball Room

“Ladies and Gentlemen, as is echoed from the Poop Deck each day in Washington Hall, “TAKE SEATS!”

1901 Opening Remarks MC

“Fellow Graduates, Friends of West Point, Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the senior graduate present and the Founders Day Executive Committee, welcome to the 2006 USMA Founders Day Celebration.

Before we march in the colors, I would like to introduce the head table. Again, our senior graduate present (Class of ‘, Class Motto)

Our Guest Speaker (Class of ‘, Class Motto)

Our host tonight (Class of ‘, Class Motto)

Our youngest graduate present tonight is (Class of ‘, Class Motto)

My name is, Class of ’ (Class Motto); I will be your Master of Ceremonies tonight.

1905 Posting of the Colors

Ladies and Gentlemen: please stand for the posting of the colors.

1908 Invocation/Cadet Prayer

Please remain standing as, Class of ’ (Class Motto) leads us in reciting the Cadet Prayer for our invocation.

1910 Toasts

Ladies & Gentlemen, please remain standing for our traditional toasts. Please take a moment to ensure your wine glasses are appropriately charged.

Name:

Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose a toast to the Commander-in-Chief, The President of the United States.”

“To the President.”

Name:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose a toast to the United States Army.”

“To the Army”

Name:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose a toast to the United States Military Academy.”

“To the Academy.”

Youngest Grad

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose a toast to the Corps of Cadets.”

“To the Corps.”

Name:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I propose a toast to our fallen comrades.”

“To our Fallen Comrades.”

MC:

Gentlemen, please seat your ladies. [pause]

“Gentlemen, I propose a toast… to the ladies.”

“To the Ladies.”

Gentlemen, please be seated.

1913 The Background of Founders Day

The origins of Founders Day Ceremonies remain obscure. (Actually, it has little to do with the Founders of the Academy at all.) Following the Civil War, graduates from both sides met several times to re-kindle old friendships and help forge the new nation as it moved into the future. Likewise, there are records of graduates meeting in March of 1902 to celebrate the Academy’s Centennial while deployed to the Philippines. The first regular celebration of Founders Day, however, is attributed to the West Point Society of New York in March of 1914 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. This tradition has continued to the present day, and has expanded to all graduates everywhere—regardless of location, deployments, conflicts, and commitments. Graduates take the time to remember from where they came.

So what is Founders Day? Founders Day is an event to celebrate the great school that we are all lucky enough to have been able to attend, to remember those that have fallen in service to the nation, to underscore the contrast of generations through the insights and humor of the oldest & youngest graduates present, and to look into the future—with a knowledge of the past—through the comments of the guest speaker. But mostly, Founders Day is a time to embrace classmates and catch up from our otherwise hectic lives.

All of us have distinct memories from our years up on the Hudson. These memories don’t fade as it were, but I will submit that the themes and undercurrents change with the passing of years. I found myself very moved this year to watch my classmates get promoted; I also find a stronger and stronger kinship with the Cadets each time I go back and visit West Point. By definition, since you are all here tonight, you are all Gray Hogs. So enjoy this cherished time with your classmates, remember who was in Plebe Math with whom, re-live the stories that made the Funny Papers (and quietly hush through those that did not!). We each spent four years wishing we were somewhere else; tonight is a time to celebrate the great times we actually had there.

Ladies & Gentlemen, please enjoy your dinner. I will continue to announce classes for photos as we eat.

1920 Dinner

1945 Cake Cutting Ceremony

Ladies & Gentlemen, we will now have the Founders Day Cake cutting ceremony. Will the Oldest Grad & Youngest Grad please come forward?

<they come forward> The oldest and youngest graduate present will now cut the Founders Day cake; the Oldest Grad, will sample the first piece of cake. He will pass the cake to the youngest grad. The passing of the cake from the oldest to the youngest graduate symbolizes the passing of the history and traditions that is at the heart of West Point. It also signifies the manner in which senior graduates coach & mentor the next generation of Army leaders—who in turn, will one day follow suit.

1950 Introduction of the Guest Speaker

Ladies & Gentlemen, the host of tonight’s Founders Day Celebration, name, will now introduce our guest speaker.

Sir, thank you for those great comments.

I would ask our host (name) to again come forward and present you a small token of our appreciation.

Ladies & Gentlemen, we will now take a short break; please be seated again by 2025.

2015-2025 Break

2025 Introduction of the Senior Graduate.

<Read Oldest Grad Bio> Ladies & Gentlemen, may I present the senior Graduate present, name, Class of ‘, Class Motto.

Sir, thank you for those great insights and thoughts about West Point. May it be said ‘Well Done.’

2050 Introduction of the Youngest Graduate.

Name, thanks for entertaining us with your unique perspective and thoughts for this great day. I hope someday that you are the oldest grad at a Founders Day and get to talk about this very night.

Ladies & Gentlemen, we have heard from our Oldest and Youngest Grads.

I would ask, by a show of hands, who has heard of Sergeant Martin (Marty) Maher. <hands show> Marty Maher was a southy Irishman who emigrated to the US in 1898 and spent the next 56 years as the boxing & swimming coach. As an Academy fixture, Marty Maher encapsulated many of the good things about West Point. During a Congressional inquiry about the status of training at the Academy, he reported: “Well, you see, Mr. Congressman, all West Pointers give their lives for their country…some in battle and some in service, but they all lead & set the example for the Soldiers to follow.”

With that, we will sing the Alma Mater.

2100 Alma Mater

OK, all graduates who were in the Glee Club or one of the Choirs, please raise your hands. [pause] Please come forward and lead us through the singing of the Alma Mater.

Ladies & Gentlemen, please rise for the singing of the Alma Mater & remain standing for the retiring of the colors.

Ladies & Gentlemen, I would be remiss for not thanking a few key people and organizations that have made this night possible. I must also recognize the members of the Founders Day Executive Committee:

This concludes the formal portion of the 2006 Founders Day Celebration. Please remember to take your souvenir.

Please continue the Benny Havens social in the foyer & thank you all for attending, and, Happy Birthday, West Point!