MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2001 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Hewes, King, Farris

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING DR. JOHN EDMOND GONZALES, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, FOR HIS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, Dr. John Edmond Gonzales has served the University of Southern Mississippi with distinction for 54 years, longer than any other faculty member in the history of the university; and

WHEREAS, born in 1924, Gonzales grew up in Gonzales, Louisiana, where his father worked in an agricultural cooperative and his mother taught school; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Gonzales came to the University of Mississippi in 1945, after receiving his master's degree in history at Louisiana State University and subsequently earning a Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Gonzales was an outstanding teacher of history at the University of Southern Mississippi, teaching more than twenty thousand students; and

WHEREAS, in addition to his teaching, Dr. Gonzales, whose specialty is 19th Century southern history, edited the Journal of Mississippi History for 30 years and was a driving force in the revival of the Mississippi Historical Society, serving as its president; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Gonzales has a reputation among students not only as an outstanding teacher but also as a caring, civil gentleman; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Gonzales supervised and participated in the training of numerous graduate students who went on to make their contributions to the history profession; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Gonzales retired from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1995, but continued to teach until 1999, when health problems forced him to give up the love of his life; and

WHEREAS, in June 2000, Dr. Gonzales was honored with the dedication of the auditorium in the new Liberal Arts Building in his name; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Gonzales has generously donated both his time and financial resources to the USM Department of History, bestowing the largest gift ever given by a current or former faculty member at the University of Southern Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend such an outstanding professor as Dr. John Edmond Gonzales, who has dedicated his life to educating the young people of this state, who are its future:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend Dr. John Edmond Gonzales for his many contributions to the University of Southern Mississippi.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Dr. John Gonzales and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.