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My Dad was valedictorian of Flint Mandeville High School class of 1956 for about 90 kids.
我的父亲1956年从弗林特曼德维尔高中毕业，这届大约有90 个学生，他发表了毕业演讲。
I happened across his graduating speech recently, and it blew me away.
最近我有幸读到了这段演讲，并被其折服。
53 years ago my Dad said: “···we are entering a changing world,
父亲在他53年前的毕业典礼上这样说：“……我们进入了一个日新月异的新时代，
one of automation and employment change where education is an economic necessity.
机器自动化和就业方式的改变使得教育成为经济发展的动力。
We will have increased periods of time to do as we wish,
我们有足够的时间去实现我们的梦想，
as our work week and retirement age continue to decline and we wish that were true.
正如缩短一周工作时间及提前退休年龄已经实现一样。
We shall take part in, or witness, developments in science, medicine, and industry that we can not dream of today ...
我们将参与或者见证我们做梦也想不到的当今的科技、医药和工业的快速发展……
It is said that the future of any nation can be determined by the care and preparation given to its youth.
有人说，民族的未来都决定于对其年轻人的关心和培育。
If all the youths of America were as fortunate in securing an education as we have been,
如果所有的美国青年都能像我们这代一样有幸受到教育，
then the future of the United States would be even more bright than it is today.”
那么美国的明天将更加辉煌。”
If my Dad was alive today,
如果我爸爸能活到今天，
the thing I think he would be most happy about is that Lucy and I have a baby in the hopper.
我想他最开心的莫过于看到露西和我即将拥有自己的孩子。
I think he would have been annoyed that I hadn’t gotten my Ph.D. yet (Thanks, Michigan!).
我想他会因为我还未拿到博士学位而恼怒(谢谢你，密大!)。
Dad was so full of insights, of excitement about new things,
我的父亲是一个对新事物充满洞悉力和激情的人，
that to this day, I often wonder what he would think about some new development.
直到今天，我还经常想他会如何思考一些新发展。
If he were here today—well, it would be one of the best days of his life.
如果他今天也能来到这里，噢，那将会是他人生中最美好的日子之一。
He'd be like a kid in a candy store.
他会像一个在糖果店的儿童般高兴。
For a day, he'd be young again.
在这一天，他又年轻了一把。
Many of us are fortunate enough to be here with family.
我们中很多人都很幸运，能够在这里和家人们一起。
Some of us have dear friends and family to go home to.
我们中的一些还可以和亲友家人一起回家。
And who knows, perhaps some of you,like Lucy and I, are dreaming of future families of your own .
还有一些人也许像我和露西一样，正梦想着自己未来的小家。
Just like me,your families brought you here, and you brought them here.
总之，和我一样，家人将你带到了密大。
Please keep them close and remember: they are what really matters in life.
请和他们保持亲密，并且记住：他们才是生命中真正至关重要的。
Thanks, Mom; Thanks, Lucy.
感谢妈妈，感谢露西。
And thank you, all, very much.
感谢大家。
