Dead Poets Society Page #2

In the audience, not far from Todd is Richard CAMERON, one of

the banner carriers, 16, his father's little clone. He stands

eagerly to attention. Too eagerly.

CAMERON:

Yes sir!

NOLAN:

What is Tradition?

CAMERON:

Tradition, Mr. Nolan, is love of school,

country, and family. Our tradition at

Welton is to be the best!

NOLAN:

Good, Mr. Cameron. Welton Society

Candidate George Hopkins. Honor.

Cameron sits. His father beams smugly.

HOPKINS (O.S.)

Honor is dignity and the fulfillment of

duty!

NOLAN:

Good, Mr. Hopkins. Honor Society

Candidate, Knox Overstress

Knox, as mentioned, is a banner-holder. He stands.

KNOX:

Yes sir.

NOLAN:

What is discipline?

KNOX:

Discipline is respect for parents,

teachers, headmaster. Discipline comes

from within.

NOLAN:

Thank you, Mr. Overstress. Honor

Candidate Neil Perry.

Knox sits. Knox's proud father and mother give him pats of

encouragement. NEIL PERRY stands. Whereas some boys have two

or three achievement pins an the lapels of their coats, Neil

has a huge cluster of them on the pocket of his jacket. Neil

is 16, intense, a born leader. However, there is more than a

hint of anger and dissatisfaction in his eyes. Beside him

sits his unsmiling father, MR. PERRY.

NOLAN:

Excellence, Mr. Perry.

NEIL (rote)

Excellence is the result of hard work.

Excellence is the key to all success, in

school and everywhere.

Neil sits. He doesn't look at his father nor does his father

look at him.

NOLAN:

Gentlemen, at Welton you will work

harder than you have ever worked in your

lives, and your reward will be the

success that all of us expect of you. I

would now like to call to the podium

Welton's oldest living graduate- Mr.

Alexander Carmichael, Jr., Class of 1866.

An octogenarian on stage shuns help from those beside him and

makes his way slowly--excruciatingly slowly--to the podium As

the audience rises to another standing ovation

DISSOLVE TO:

4 EXT. THE WELTON ACADEMY - MAIN LAWN - DAY 4

Welton Academy is a cluster of traditional weathered stone

buildings. The time is 1959 but at Welton this is irrelevant.

This school with its traditions is completely isolated from

the politics or trends of the outside world.

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