University of Virginia Library

Lady Bird To Speak At Commencement

Former First Lady Accepts Invitation
To Replace Husband In June 3 Ceremony

By BARBARA BROWNELL

CD/Arthur Laurent

Lady Bird Johnson:

'A Person Of Reknown In Her Own Right'

Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson
will replace her late husband as
Commencement speaker during
graduation ceremonies to be
held June 3, it was announced
yesterday.

Mrs. Johnson, widow of the
late President Lyndon B.
Johnson, was invited to speak
"not as a formal gesture,"
Graduating Class President Pat
Patrick said, "but because she
is a person of reknown in her
own right."

Environmental Interests

"It is possible that she will
integrate some of Mr.
Johnson's remarks," Mr.
Patrick said, "Before his death
he had made some headway on
his speech."

It had been reported Mr.
Johnson had planned to make
this speech one of the most
important of his career.

Public announcement of
her acceptance was delayed
while receipt of her formal
letter of acceptance was
awaited. Although the
University has not yet received
the letter, as Mrs. Johnson is in
Europe, Mr. Shannon said her
appearance is definite and
could be announced.

Mrs. Johnson is currently
involved in environmental
work with Texas
environmental organizations.
Her plans include funding to
expand services at national
parks, advertising regulations,
buried utility lines in housing
tracts, more respectful
handling of land and seminars
on environment, including
cities.

After Mr. Johnson's death
in January, the Graduating
Class Executive Board
submitted names of possible
speakers to the Public
Occasions Committee, which
chose Mrs. Johnson and
informed President Edgar F.
Shannon of the selection.
When Mr. Shannon was in
Texas on March 1, he phoned
Mrs. Johnson and received
confirmation that she would
speak at graduation.

This will be Mrs. Johnson's
second appearance at the
University, as she gave an
impromptu speech several
years ago.

Since her four years as First
Lady, Mrs. Johnson has spent
much of her time writing
memoirs of her White House
experiences and continuing
work on the environmental
program she began as First
Lady.

Book Of Memoirs

From her time in
Washington, she has compiled
her book of memoirs in which
she remembers "dealing
forthrightly with Eartha Kitt
when the lady made a scene at
a White House Luncheon,
seeing the White House Arts
Festival turned into a shambles
by boycotting artists and those
who could not make up their
minds either way," and sitting
at a luncheon while a petition
was passed around criticizing
her husband's policies as
President.

"There are many things I
would like to see
accomplished," she continued.
"Our goal is a finished project
by 1976, the Bicentennial year.
We want to make this a real
people place."