Morehouse College - Torch Yearbook (Atlanta, GA)

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IHAUGURkL ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT LEROY KEITH MOREHOUSE COLLEGE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR CHAPEL FEBRUARY 20, 1988 12:00 NOON MR. CHAIRMAN, MAYOR YOUNG, DR. GLOSTER, MR. ALEXANDER, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, ALUMNI, REPRESENTATIVES 0F COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES AND LEARNED SOCIETIES, FRIENDS AND RELATIVES, I AM GHATEFUL AND EXTREMELY HONORED TO BE INAUGURATED AS THE EIGHTH PRESIDENT OF THIS GREAT CITADEL OF LEARNING CALLED HOREHOUSE COLLEGE. THIS OCCASION WILL HOLD RANK IN MY MEMORY ALONG SIDE MI MARRIAGE T0 ANITA HALSEY KEITH, MY WIFE AND BEST FRIEND, AND THE BIRTH OF MY FOUR CHILDREN, LORI, SUSAN, KELLI, AND KIMBERLY. I ONLY HISH THAT ROY AND LULA KEITH, MY PARENTS, WERE HERE TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH US BECAUSE THEY MADE THIS DAY POSSIBLE BY INSTILLING IN ME THE VIRTUES 0F DISCIPLINE AND ACHIEVEMENT AND THE NECESSITY TO BE A DECENT HUMAN BEING IN WHATEVER I ENDEAVORED TO DO IN LIFE. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CHAPEL TODAY HHO HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN MY LIFE AND CAREER, ESPECIALLY MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES FROM CHATTANOUGA WHO ARE SO PROMINENTLY REPRESENTED; HHEN HOMETOWN PEOPLE ARE AROUND, THEY RENEE YOUR SENSE 0F HUHILITY WITH SUCH STATEMENTS AS I KNEW YOU WHEN YOU WERE KNEE-HIGH TO A DUCK OR I USED TO CHANGE YOUR DIAPERS . IT IS GOOD TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE TODAY. HY BEGINNINGS AT MOREHOUSE TAKE ME BACK TO THE YEAR I 11

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jnaugurai Committee Dr. Wcldo'n Jackson, Chairman Dr. Thomas Kilgore, HOHOTQPZV Chairman Mrs. Phyllis Bentley, Administrarive Assisram Mr. Charles Bedford Mr. Calvm Johnson Dr. Ben Blackburn Mrs. Anita Kelth Dr. Cheri Bridgeforth Mrs. Yvonne King Dr. Anna Grant Dr. Frederlck Mapp Dr, Calvin Grimes Mr. Ben McLaurm Dr. James Haines Mr. Wlley Perdue Dr. Alton Hornsby Dr. E. Delores Stephens Dr. Roswell Jackson Dr. Anne Watts jnaugura! Wardllagj Dr. Tobe Johnson. Chief Marshal Dr. Harriett J. Walton Dr. Uzee Brown Dr. Clarence Clark Dr. Abraham Davis Dr. Troy Story Dr. Errol Archibold M r. McKinley Wooten 'lIJ

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l2 ENTERED AS A YOUNG COLLEGE FRESHHAN. AS I REFLECT BACK OVER MY STUDENT YEARS AT MOREHOUSE, THEY HAVE BECOME MORE HEANINGFUL WITH TIME. MY REFLECTIONS TAKE ME BACK TO THE CHARGE TO MY GRADUATING CLASS OF 1951 BY PRESIDENT BENJAMIN ELIJAH HAYS WHICH HAS PROPHETIC STATEMENT FOR ME. THAT CHARGE: ON THAT DAY IN JUNE DR. THERE IS AN AIR 0F EXPECTANCY AT HOREHOUSE COLLEGE. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE STUDENT HHD ENTERS HERE HILL D0 HELL. IT IS ALSO EXPECTED THAT ONCE A MAN BEARS THE INSIGNIA OF A MOREHOUSE GRADUATE HE WILL DO EXCEPTIOHALLY HELL. HE EXPECT NOTHING LESS. .... MAI YOU PERFORM SO HELL THAT WHEN A MAN IS NEEDED FOR AN IMPORTANT JOB IN YOUR FIELD, YOUR HORK WILL BE SO IMPRESSIVE THAT THE COMMITTEE OF SELECTION HILL BE COMPELLED TO EXAMINE YOUR CREDENTIALS. HAY YOU FOREVER STAND FOR SOMETHING NOBLE AND HIGH. LET N0 HAN DISHISS YOU WITH A HAVE OF THE HAND OR A SHRUG OF THE SHOULDER. .... A THE FOLLOWING ARE TWO EXCERPTS FROM AS I SAT LISTENING TO THE INSPIRING HORDS 0F HAYS, I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE REIGNS 0F LEADERSHIP OF MOREHOUSE HOULD SOMEDAY BE IN MY HANDS. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT FATE HAS STORE FOR YOU, BUT I THANK GOD FOR THE GOOD FORTUNE TO BE TODAY IN THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. INTERNATIONAL ACCEPT MY CALLING. CHAPEL IN HERE TO