BY THEODORE GEISEL | JUNE 4, 1977
Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) delivered a famously short commencement address at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois, on June 4, 1977. It is often cited as one of the shortest (if not the shortest) college commencement speeches ever given—roughly 30–75 seconds long, consisting of a short original poem he wrote for the occasion.
The poem uses the metaphor of eating popovers (light, airy pastries) to advise graduates to discern truth from nonsense—swallow what’s solid, but spit out the “hot air.”
My Uncle Terwilliger on the Art of Eating Popovers
My uncle ordered popovers
from the restaurant’s bill of fare.
And, when they were served,
he regarded them
with a penetrating stare.
Then he spoke great words of wisdom
as he sat there on that chair:
“To eat these things,”
said my uncle,
“you must exercise great care.
You may swallow down what’s solid
BUT
you must spit out the air!” And
as you partake of the world’s bill of fare,
that’s darned good advice to follow.
Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.
And be careful what you swallow.
History and Background
Lake Forest College President Eugene Hotchkiss III invited Geisel (then 73) to receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and speak. Geisel was initially reluctant to give a full address—he reportedly said something like “I talk with people, not to people”—and kept the president guessing about whether he would speak at all. He ultimately agreed to attend and surprised everyone by pulling a short poem from his pocket after receiving his degree. (ChigacoTribune.com)
The speech was a hit with the graduates (many from a generation that admired Seuss’s anti-establishment vibe), who cheered and threw their caps. The college later commemorated it with a plaque on campus (near Middle Campus/Brown Hall). (ChicagoTribune.com)
This was the only college commencement address Dr. Seuss ever gave. The “Uncle Terwilliger” reference has deeper personal meaning for Geisel, tying into reflections on a past professional failure, but the poem stands alone as witty, practical advice. (DamnInteresting.com)
Theodore Geisel at Lake Forest College (source DamnInteresting,com)
Commemorative plaque of the commencement address at Lake Forest College:
Last Updated on June 14, 2026 by Real KBrett