NOTRE DAME GRADUATES LEAVE STUDENT DAYS BEHIND

104 STUDENTS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL TRADE IN THEIR ROBES TO BE ADULTS

The Morning Call Newspaper Company
by M. FLOYD HALL, The Morning Call
Sunday, June 8, 1997
Scott's comments: This is the first year Dan was asked to speak at thier grauation


As television actor Dan Roebuck put it, til Saturday they had been separate. All through their years at Notre Dame High School, it had been "us" the kids and "them" the adults.

"Today is your first day of becoming them," said Roebuck.

Sorry, there's no turning back.

Nearly 1,300 people turned out for commencement exercises at the Bethlehem Township parochial school.

Roebuck, a Bethlehem Catholic High School graduate and former stand-up comedian who is probably best known for his role on the television drama "Matlock," entertained the crowd with a self-deprecating talk about the "gift" of hindsight, warning graduates they, too, would someday receive the gift.

In particular, Roebuck pointed to his own poor performance in school and how he soon had to make a decision about what he was going to do.

"At some point, I decided to stop being an under-achiever and try a little harder," said Roebuck, who more recently has co-starred in the movie "The Fugitive" and on the cable movie "The Late Shift."

The Notre Dame Class of 1997 totaled 104. The valedictorian was Melissa C. Goertel, the salutatorian Janel M. Mariano... [story continues without Dan]

PHOTO by DOUGLAS BENEDICT,
The Morning Call
CAPTION: Actor Dan Roebuck delivers the commencement address at Notre Dame High School in Bethlehem Township.