FREDERICKSBURG's superintendent of schools became an instant hero a few weeks back at the graduation for James Monroe High School.

Preceded by a series of speakers who, together, had talked for more than an hour, Dale Sander shortened his remarks to a minute of congratulations and advice.

He urged them to keep up with each other, to appreciate the people who'd helped them get this far and to be good to the folks they'd study and work with in the future.

Appreciating his remarks and, perhaps even more his brevity, the audience gave him the most rousing applause of the night.

Having been to my share of awards banquets, high school and college graduations and similar ceremonies through the years, it's clear there should be a boot camp of sorts for speakers, be they paid professionals or kind volunteers.

The first, middle and last class in this boot camp should stress the one key ingredient to speeches: brevity.

Years ago, I heard journalist Bill Moyers give a talk to a college crowd. He mentioned advice he'd gotten early in his career from a regular on the speech circuit.

The essence of the advice: No matter what you've got to say, keep it simple, to the point, and above all, short.

It isn't that crowds at public events aren't interested in complex issues, revealing insights or a speaker's wide range of experiences.

It's just that their focus on graduation nights are directed to their kids and the milestone they are passing.

The advice should be short, pithy and insightful.

Anything beyond is going to be lost, by parents and students alike, in a wash of anticipation and emotion.

There's a telltale sign at most of these ceremonies you can use to judge whether the speaker is tuned into their role at the event.

It's the introduction when someone thanks them for speaking and reads a short biography.

If it's short and sweet, summing things up in just a few sentences, you're in good shape.

But if the intro biography goes on and on, extolling every position and experience the speaker has had, settle in.