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	TBP COMMENTS OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES SPRING CONVOCATION STUDENT UNION BALLROOM APRIL 13, 1982

7:30 P.M.

I. PRESIDENT BOGER, DEAN HOLT, PROFESSOR MONNETT, ASSOCIATE DEANS POWELL AND HACKETT, PROFESSOR PETTYJOHN, CHARLES PLATT, MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

A. BEA AND I ARE INDEED HONORED BY THE ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION YOU HAVE GIVEN US THIS EVENING.

B. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY GENEROUS COMMENTS MADE TONIGHT BY DISTINGUISHED LEADERS AND FACULTY MEMBERS OF OSU.

C. I WISH THAT MY LATE MOTHER AND FATHER COULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT TO HEAR YOUR PLAUDITS.

D. IF THEY HAD BEEN HERE, MY MOTHER PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SAID YOU DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH IN YOUR GENEROUS COMMENTS, AND MY FATHER WOULD HAVE {STRICKEN TEXT: CALLED EACH OF YOU LIARS} [HANDWRITTEN ADDITION: SAID YOU EXAGGERATED]

E. BUT IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK ON CAMPUS, TO MEET WITH GOOD FRIENDS AND OBSERVE THE PROGRESS THAT IS BEING MADE AT OSU.

II. I HAVE MANY FOND MEMORIES OF MY DAYS AT OSU.

A. TRANSFER FROM TEXAS A&M
B. VARSITY BASKETBALL EXPERIENCE
C. MARRIED-LITTLE TIME TO BECOME INVOLVED IN CAMPUS ACTIVITIES.
D. ODD JOBS TO HELP FINANCE EDUCATION
E. "TRANSFORMATION" AS A STUDENT-DR. MONNETT'S COMMENTS
F. THE OLD GEOLOGY BUILDING-TEMPORARY STRUCTURE-"BUT BUILDINGS DO NOT MAKE A UNIVERSITY-PEOPLE DO."
G. UPON GRADUATION-"GOOD LUCK SON."

III. MANY HAVE ASKED WHY BEA AND I HAVE MADE THIS GIFT TO OSU AND WHAT WE EXPECT IT TO ACCOMPLISH.

A. I RECEIVED A GOOD EDUCATION FROM OSU.

B. I'M A BELIEVER IN BEING LOYAL TO ONES' ALMAMATER.

C. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN BUSINESS, WHO HAVE PROFITED FROM THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, SHOULD PUT SOMETHING BACK INTO THE SYSTEM TO BENEFIT OTHERS.

D. THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A STRONG NEED FOR GEOLOGISTS IN THE FUTURE...OIL AND GAS WILL BRIDGE US TO OTHER FORMS OF ENERGY.

E. BEA AND I HOPE THAT OUR GIFT TO THE UNIVERSITY WILL HELP THE SCHOOL OF GEOLOGY CONTINUE TO GROW IN EXCELLENCE BY ATTRACTING THE MOST TALENTED AND GIFTED STUDENTS AND FACULTY POSSIBLE.

F. I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE BY CHALLENGING THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO TAKE AS MUCH FROM THE SYSTEM AS THEY CAN—IN THE FORM OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE—BE LOYAL TO THE UNIVERSITY—AND RETURN SOMETHING OF VALUE SO THAT OTHERS MAY ALSO RECEIVE THE BENEFITS THAT YOU HAVE ENJOYED.

G. THANK YOU