Duran Palmertree’s speech

Mr. President.

In the line of Mr. Kyle Hudson, Mr. Alan Walker, Mr. Bill Winters, Mr. Danny Boling and many others that have come afterwards.

Mr. vice-president.

In the line of Dale Huff, Ronald Harvard, Max Gerstman, Alan Walker, Kyle Hudson, these names we hear over and over.

In those days the secretary/treasurer was a single position : Mr. Duane Lambert

and there were a myriad of other people of excellence.

And the Reverend Chaplain

Mr. Billy O’Neil was our first one followed rather immediately by Mr. Ronald Harvard.

It is absolutely overwhelming to see what has taken place in 35 years. We had difficulties maintaining numbers. Period. As Mr. Pettitt has indicated.

But Upsilon started with a purpose. My first year here, Mr. George was quite literally the nexus of intellectual, cultural, creativity, ideas. He is an extraordinary human being. During my second year here, I was beginning to recognize that there was a desire for something out of the ordinary to take place. It was here. We didn’t create it. It was here. It was here with people before you, before me. And it simply needed an avenue of expression, an idea, a direction. And so some of us got together as Mr. George has indicated. This time in early September. We began to talk about what we should be about. We gave a lot of thought to this. It wasn’t superficial. Our thinking was not spirited. It was not lite. It was very serious. The discussion was sobering. Lite at times but the heart of us, the nucleus of the group, was very serious.

You see about two years before, Rev. Hughes had been plucked by the board of directors of the Church in general, shall we say basically to rescue this institution? It was in hard times. And of course, he did. There was all this, "Lee for you, Lee for me, Woopee, Woopee, Woopee, Woopee." (laughter) He sent everybody that breathed, stirred, spoke, and almost any other capability into every youth camp. you name it, selling Lee, touting Lee. And so, people began to come. But that year was hard for our youth. That year we had, what, 325? 1961-62. I mean, you’ve pastured larger congregations. There were few. We were not big in number.

So we met and began to talk about what we wanted to do. So we began to think in terms of a men’s group. We’re still cautious of the term, "fraternal." You sort of hinted at that a moment ago (addressing Mr. Pettitt’s comments.) We could be a society, we could be a Greek club, we could be this, but God forbid don’t mention the other (fraternity), it’s next to blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (laughter)

So we narrowed it down to very simple stuff. That we should have the common chords of the Christian gentleman, and the Christian was the underlying factor. The Christian scholar, where we have the academic expectations of Upsilon. And as somebody has already indicated very strategically, the Christian servant. Service was always a part.

And so the only thing that was left from all of that was to come up with a name and Dr. George shared accurately and correctly. The words that we found I believe were from the book of Acts. True Pentecostal in style.

So we started with the constitution. As Dr. Conn has indicated earlier, right on the money. That he thinks ten years later the receptivity was still, you know, this way. Fall of 1963 it was ,"Ha, Ha, Ha! You want to do a Greek club!" In fact, they knew that we were working. They knew that we were talking. They knew that were meeting. And I am on my way from (aside) is it still Hughes hall? Facing what used to be church street? So, I was walking from the student’s center and I understand Dr. Conn’s office is back in the same space. That was the President’s office before we got rich and built the administration building. (laughter) I was going across with a little piece of paper in my hand. And there was a large group of students. Jim Forester I remember by name. I was standing there at the corner of the building and they indicated very poignantly, "we’re going to stick by, because we want to catch you when you get thrown out of the president’s office. (laughter) And that was a possibility. (aside) I don’t think he would throw me out physically. . .I would run. (laughter)

I thought that we would be accepted, but I didn’t know that he would be as open. I went knowing what we wanted to do. I knew where we were. I knew what we wanted to do. I knew where we wanted to go. I was able to enunciate it to him and all he said to me was, "can you get me a constitution and bi-laws?" And I thought of just being sob. (laughter) No I didn’t. I passed out. (laughter) And I said, "Yes, we’re already working on it." And he said, "well, do good." Those are the last kind words he ever spoke. (great laughter) Because I know personally, first hand, that I have to bring him in to the foray. Because hey, let’s face it. There are people who have the last word and then there are people who create the last word and then say the last word. (laughter) And Dr. Hughes can do that. But he was very open and very responsive. And we went from there. There were nine of us at that time.

And so, we began to write the constitution and put it forward. Now, Upsilon had the heart of it, as Dr. Jeffords pulled it together beautifully. We never did choose, or select, or tap anyone that I remember during my decade, that had already made it. We couldn’t tap anyone who was a president. They were already us. We couldn’t tap anybody who was vice-president. They were already us. We couldn’t tap secretary/treasurer. All of a sudden when Upsilon was formed, that switched from a mostly female office to a male office. I believe there is a Mr. Sheppard here. I don’t remember your first name, but your father… my second year of Upsilon, Junus Fulbright was president, Dennis McGuire was vice-president, and Mr. Sheppard was secretary/treasurer. Robert Sheppard was the father’s name.

You talk about Sadie Hawkins. We just didn’t know what you couldn’t do. But. Back to my other point. What we wanted to do, and I see it still present is that we wanted to create an atmosphere and an attitude, to create a heart business. When we could choose persons to become part of Upsilon simply because there were people within the group already, like yourself, who would know these persons and would sell the rest of us that this man has the possibilities. That was the big word. All of the other things being even. And a creative atmosphere in which that person could develop into the person as big as he could possibly develop himself into. I’m sure that Upsilon is not all of it, but some of you have developed into some powerfully big people. Military, ministry, medicine, law, and on, and on, and on, education.

And so, that was the thrust. That was the main part. And I’ll guarantee that most of you thought that we chose you because we thought you were really good looking. (laughter) We thought that someone had a heartbeat with your heartbeat and came to the group and said I think we ought to consider, a Bill Winters, a Danny Boling, a Kyle Hudson. You know these are all, right there. I am quite pleased that Dr. Jeffords is working on plastic surgery.

That’s basically how Upsilon functioned in the tapping. I don’t know what you do now, but that was the early days. I don’t know anyone we brought to the group as a recommendation because they had already achieved. And we loved them and created a hope that it can be done. I don’t remember, "we can’t do that."

Sadie Hawkins. That’s where I was a moment ago when I remembered I had to be back on another point. Sadie Hawkins, in those days we had meetings on wednesday nights after the canteen closed. There was a little room off to the side. I think it was because it was the only place on campus where they had cushions. We went there and met and the meeting was almost over. And Duane Lambert, be sure to cultivate this man, Duane Lambert is precious, and still lives in town. And he said, "Why don’t we have a Sadie Hawkins?" And we scuttled about for a friday or two away and they were all filled and the only one that was open was two days later. That night, around midnight, Duane Lambert and Dale Huff went to, I believe the man’s name was Mr. Smith, you know, you don’t understand these things, but here we are, he materialized. And we had four covered wagons, very romantic. In fact, I have here my request to be approved by the social committee, I think it was the social committee. It was either the social committee or the judicial committee. Because Dr. Swigger wrote on the bottom : "approved, but there will be no blankets, nor quilts." (laughter) I’m serious. He signed on the bottom, right here. (laughter)

During this time, it was something that I mean just, caught. And we had the four wagons and this dear gentleman was there with his mules and they were really nice and I thought I was ready to go on the Oregon Trail. We had such a turnout. We loaded the wagons and there were still more people wanting to get in the wagons. And I went and someone went with me, I don’t remember who at the time, maybe it was Mr. Lambert, but someone went with me. Because we needed transportation. And the university at the time had two flat-bed trucks. And here I take off and he (the president of Lee, Dr. Hughes) said yeah, check with Charlie Brown and just be careful. And we threw hay on and pulled it out from beneath the wagons, and we had it off north Lee highway. We had entertainment, we had food, and we were on our way. But, we didn’t know that it couldn’t be done. That’s continued, hasn’t it. I mean, this gathering today. I mean, this is overwhelming. By the way, there are some cups there, that every time after today, you ought to be overwhelmed with guilt, if you drink coffee out of any other cup. (laughter.) How’s that, Trace?(laughter)

I did some checking up on, what we had done in such a short time. We had 51 members at that time. We had had 2 "Mr. Lee College" during our existence, 3 presidents of student government, 4 vice-presidents, 1 secretary, 2 presidents of Pi Delta Omicron, 2 vice-presidents of Pi Delta Omicron (those were the brains of our group), 2 members elected to "who’s, who", 3 presidents of Phi Beta Kappa (remember, we were a junior college in those days), 2 presidents of Pioneers for Christ, a business manager of the Claritan, 2 editors of the Vindagua. Forgive me, let me forgo the boredom by summarizing that in five years in addition to the years that I am talking to you about, Upsilon Xi had had 73 presidents, vice-presidents of classes, and clubs both religious and academic. 73, and we only had a total membership of 51. That’s you. That’s the kind of people you are made of, that make up the group.

What about the future? What’s ahead for Upsilon? Upsilon is not only servant, scholar, but believe you me, everyone here knows we are also dreamers. Good dreamers, effective dreamers. Those of you who put this together today, didn’t come out of a business precession per se. It’s a dream, to put something together that’s excellent, they will come. What about the future? What about the future? What might we do? I’m not just talking about you. You know, I’m part here. What might we do? What things are possible? Well, let’s dream big for a while. (this portion of the speech is not available.)

Would you permit me to stop for just a moment for all of us? As far as I know, Mr. Alan Walker, one of the persons who could absolutely work you into the ground, whose brain never stopped coming up with stuff, good stuff. As far as I know is the only Upsilon member who has gone on to be with the Lord. Does anyone know any others? (A historical archive recently acquired by The UXH lists Mr. Jerry Stover also as being deceased.) Mr. Walker died about thirteen years ago, sitting at a table one morning for breakfast and just, expired. Mr. Walker was the third president of Upsilon. Mr. Hudson succeeded me when I stepped down and became chaplain. Then Mr. Walker succeeded Mr. Hudson. Would you bow with me for prayer?

You are the immortal, O God. Mortal we are. You are the Creator and Maker of all mankind. You formed us from the earth and in the earth we shall return. And all of us shall go down into the dust. And yet, even in death, you make our song, "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah." We remember this day the venerable, the Reverend Alan J. Walker, of late our brother, and our president. A sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your flock, and we thank you that you gave him to us for a season. And he touched our lives and enriched us with your grace. We ask you to continue to comfort his two children and strengthen them in their lives as well as Diane, his beautiful companion. And so Lord we thank you that in life and in death, you are our Lord. We praise you and give you glory, Amen.

And so, I am really pleased. I am glad to be able to say that I am a Christian, because of the one who paid the price for me and likewise, I am proud to say loud and clear, to anyone at any time, that I am a member of Upsilon Xi and that all of you are my brothers. God love you, God bless you, and may he season your life with love, Amen.