His Words

Dad's EKU Commencement Speech

This is my favorite excerpt from Dad's Commencement speech to the EKU Class of 1993.  Dad truly understood what Eastern's mission was/is.  At a different point in the speech, he asked that any graduate who was the FIRST person from their family to graduate college please stand.  Dad knew the response would be huge, but the audience was amazed how many graduates stood.  It is, to my understanding, a tradition which continues.  The text of the speech follows

Dad's 1993 EKU Commencement Address

Bedrock

Dad developed the concept of "Bedrock" as an introduction to speeches more than a decade before using this style in his 1993 EKU Commencement speech.  This speech was on changes in vocational education (the field where dad did most of his scholarly work).

Industrial Arts and the Gifted Student

This speech is from 1965; I especially like the portion on pages 8 & 9 where he describes me as "at least average intelligence"...and my early construction of cat tables...simply a classic.

Dad's Testimony on Proposed changes in Kentucky Higher Education

Dad's letter to his children regarding proposed changes

In 1985 the Kentucky Council on Higher Education was considering some, in his opinion, Draconian changes to higher education.  Dad offered this testimony which was and is spot on target.  He sent each of his children a letter explaining why he felt so passionately about the issue and told us that he was willing to lose his job of them 32 years.  He simply felt the plan was wrong for Kentucky.   I recall sending him a letter telling him how proud I was to be his son and how much I admired his (and others) conviction.  In the end, the words and wisdom of Dad and many others prevailed.   Dad simply understood the role of Eastern and spent his career shepherding the implementation thereof.

Dad's letter to his four children regarding this is included below; it contains my father's thoughts on his career and efforts and states his conviction and mission better than anyone else could hope to do

How to write a proposal

Dad spent much of  the mid-portion of his career seeking and securing funding for a wide range of projects for Eastern and Kentucky.  He once told me he never submitted a proposal which was not funded.  Part of this was careful selection and not spending time on less-than-feasible projects, but much of the reason was that he knew what he was doing.  When I was considering applying for some external funding, he penned this "How To" for me.

Madison High School Commencement, 1974

Dad spells out five tasks that young people should follow--as correct today as they were more than 40 years ago....some of my friends were in that audience as graduates...hope they listened.