Hundreds of students, parents, friends, alumni and lookers-on-crowded Tercentenary Theatre yesterday for the annual Class day exercises, which featured an address by guest speaker C. Lani Guinier '71.

Student speakers and faculty alike emphasized the need for members of the Class of 1994 to continue their commitment to public service.

In his address, Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 said the graduates must continue to serve their "neighbors, schools and legislatures..if democratic society at its best is to survive."

"Harvard, when at its best," Jewett said. "leads [students] to public service.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III began the presentation of the Ames Memorial Awards for "leadership, self-reliance and character."

This year's recipients, Christopher M. Fortunato '94 and Jennifer L. James '94, were both honored for their outstanding commitment to public service.

Fortunato, who was recognized for being "sincere and genuine in [his] concern for others," has devoted 25 hoursper week to an afterschool program, according tothe class marshals who introduced him.

Fortunato has taken time off from school forpublic service, in addition to dedicating hissummers to his work with disadvantaged children.He is also a Crimson editor.

James is a Stride Rite scholar who has workedwith a variety of community organizations duringher years at Hravard, including PresidentClinton's Summer of Service program, theCorporation for National Community Service, YouthBuild and the Mission Hill program at PhillipsBooks House.

James plans to travel to South Africa next yearas a Pforzheimer Fellow in order to designinternships that will teach thelong-disenfranchised Blacks the skills essentialfor success in the business sector.

But despite her impressive resume, James saidshe was shocked when she realized she had won theAmes Award.

"When they were announcing the winner, Iwondered who it was--if I had worked with them atMission Hill," James said. "And then I said, 'Ohmy God--this is me!' I almost didn't hear therest."

In his delivery of the Harvard Oration. Seth A.Sherman '94 discussed a meaningful conversation hehad while taking a semester off from college tolive abroad.

An old man on the coast of Northern Spainhelped him find the sense of direction he hadbegun to lose in college, Sherman said.

"What you see--these are the things that willtell you that you have lived," Sherman said,recalling the old man's advice. "The things thatyou do will determine what you have lived for."

Tia A. Chapman '94, a photographer, began herRadcliffe Oration by snapping a Polaroid of theClass Day audience. With its awed tourists andperpetually clicking cameras, Harvard had seemedto make her life meaningful "just by livingthere," she said .