Sonny Montgomery Statue Dedication Speech
Good morning and welcome to the beautiful campus of Mississippi State University.
Before I get started, I just want to thank all of you for joining us today for a very special event. And I want to give a special thanks to Congressman Chip Pickering for taking time out of his busy schedule to be with us today.
Now, Congressman Pickering and I have something in common. We've both served in positions formerly held by Sonny Montgomery. As you all know, the Congressman,
represented Mississippi's third district, now occupied by Congressman Pickering.
But Mr. Montgomery also served as Student Association President here at MSU in 1942-43. And I have to relay to y'all a story Congressman Montgomery told me about his adventures as Student Association President just after I got elected last Spring.
Congressman Montgomery, forgive me if I don't get all the details right. Well, back in 1942, George Humphrey was serving as university president. If I remember correctly, the administration enacted a new rule outlawing all student automobiles on campus.
Well, Mr. Montgomery, being the true representative of the people that he was, devised a plan. He was going to go straight to the president. He spent several days determining how he was going to diplomatically approach the administration.
And so, well-prepared, Mr. Montgomery proceded into Humphrey's office and told the president that the new parking plan was simply not acceptable for students. President Humphrey, a little upset that his decisions were being questioned by a lowly student told Mr. Montgomery that if he didn't get up and walk out of his office right now, he would be promptly expelled from the university.
Now at this point, I was fully expecting Mr. Montgomery to tell me about an elaborate plan he used to thwart Humphrey's denial and eventually solve student concerns. However, instead, Mr. Montgomery quietly got up, and walked out of the room without a fight. Mr. Montgomery certainly knows how to pick his battles.
Luckily, I don't have those kinds of problems with Dr. Lee. You won't find a university president out there that cares more about his students.
This is a very special morning. We're paying tribute to an American hero and a Mississippi State man, Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery.
But we're doing more than that: We're paying tribute to a family, the Mississippi State family, and no member of that family better exemplifies the spirit of that family, a spirit of chivalry, a spirit of service, and a spirit of loyalty than does Congressman Montgomery.
Two summers ago, my predacessor as Student Association President, Mr. Josh Blades, another gentleman from Alabama, saw that many Mississippi State students were missing out on something very special.
MSU students were walking accross a beautiful campus everyday,
a campus where Old Main stood, a campus where Old Main burned.
a campus that watched more 2,000 of its 2,500 students leave to fight in World War II
and most importantly, a campus that has represented an opportunity for a better life to tens of thousands of Mississippians
and they were walking accross this campus, many of them oblivious to the contributions that the men and women before them have made to this special place, oblivious to the contributions that MSU folks have made to Mississippi, the nation, and the world.
And Josh, being the perceptive problem-solver that he is, decided he'd better try and do something to remedy that growing disconnection.
And it didn't take him long. Josh knew. I knew. Everyone sitting here today knows it: There has been no better ambassador for Mississippi State University in its proud 127-year history than Sonny Montgomery.
We knew that if the tremendous legacy of Sonny Montgomery couldn't help MSU students understand that they are part of something bigger, something magical, then nothing could.
(Look at Sonny)
Congressman Montgomery: You helped capture a German machine gun nest during World War II. You returned to duty in Korea. You faithfully served the people of Mississippi for fifteen terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Your dedication to our country's veterans has been second to none. You've regularly broken bread with U.S. presidents and world leaders.
Yet, you always come back. I can't tell you how much it has meant to me, as an MSU student, to see you at Mississippi State football games, to see the same hands that accepted a bronze star, the same hands that authored the Montgomery G.I. bill, clapping for the Maroon & White.
And so, Congressman Montgomery, the students of Mississippi State University got on the phone with some of your friends, and let me tell you I didn't know a person could have so many friends.
And to be honest with you, raising the funds necessary to make this project a reality was easy, and this is not intended to take anything away from the students who spent countless hours on the phone with Sonny's friends,
But when you mention the name "Sonny Montgomery," folks just don't even hesitate to give up a piece of themselves to honor such a wonderful man.
Before I get started, I just want to thank all of you for joining us today for a very special event. And I want to give a special thanks to Congressman Chip Pickering for taking time out of his busy schedule to be with us today.
Now, Congressman Pickering and I have something in common. We've both served in positions formerly held by Sonny Montgomery. As you all know, the Congressman,
represented Mississippi's third district, now occupied by Congressman Pickering.
But Mr. Montgomery also served as Student Association President here at MSU in 1942-43. And I have to relay to y'all a story Congressman Montgomery told me about his adventures as Student Association President just after I got elected last Spring.
Congressman Montgomery, forgive me if I don't get all the details right. Well, back in 1942, George Humphrey was serving as university president. If I remember correctly, the administration enacted a new rule outlawing all student automobiles on campus.
Well, Mr. Montgomery, being the true representative of the people that he was, devised a plan. He was going to go straight to the president. He spent several days determining how he was going to diplomatically approach the administration.
And so, well-prepared, Mr. Montgomery proceded into Humphrey's office and told the president that the new parking plan was simply not acceptable for students. President Humphrey, a little upset that his decisions were being questioned by a lowly student told Mr. Montgomery that if he didn't get up and walk out of his office right now, he would be promptly expelled from the university.
Now at this point, I was fully expecting Mr. Montgomery to tell me about an elaborate plan he used to thwart Humphrey's denial and eventually solve student concerns. However, instead, Mr. Montgomery quietly got up, and walked out of the room without a fight. Mr. Montgomery certainly knows how to pick his battles.
Luckily, I don't have those kinds of problems with Dr. Lee. You won't find a university president out there that cares more about his students.
This is a very special morning. We're paying tribute to an American hero and a Mississippi State man, Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery.
But we're doing more than that: We're paying tribute to a family, the Mississippi State family, and no member of that family better exemplifies the spirit of that family, a spirit of chivalry, a spirit of service, and a spirit of loyalty than does Congressman Montgomery.
Two summers ago, my predacessor as Student Association President, Mr. Josh Blades, another gentleman from Alabama, saw that many Mississippi State students were missing out on something very special.
MSU students were walking accross a beautiful campus everyday,
a campus where Old Main stood, a campus where Old Main burned.
a campus that watched more 2,000 of its 2,500 students leave to fight in World War II
and most importantly, a campus that has represented an opportunity for a better life to tens of thousands of Mississippians
and they were walking accross this campus, many of them oblivious to the contributions that the men and women before them have made to this special place, oblivious to the contributions that MSU folks have made to Mississippi, the nation, and the world.
And Josh, being the perceptive problem-solver that he is, decided he'd better try and do something to remedy that growing disconnection.
And it didn't take him long. Josh knew. I knew. Everyone sitting here today knows it: There has been no better ambassador for Mississippi State University in its proud 127-year history than Sonny Montgomery.
We knew that if the tremendous legacy of Sonny Montgomery couldn't help MSU students understand that they are part of something bigger, something magical, then nothing could.
(Look at Sonny)
Congressman Montgomery: You helped capture a German machine gun nest during World War II. You returned to duty in Korea. You faithfully served the people of Mississippi for fifteen terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Your dedication to our country's veterans has been second to none. You've regularly broken bread with U.S. presidents and world leaders.
Yet, you always come back. I can't tell you how much it has meant to me, as an MSU student, to see you at Mississippi State football games, to see the same hands that accepted a bronze star, the same hands that authored the Montgomery G.I. bill, clapping for the Maroon & White.
And so, Congressman Montgomery, the students of Mississippi State University got on the phone with some of your friends, and let me tell you I didn't know a person could have so many friends.
And to be honest with you, raising the funds necessary to make this project a reality was easy, and this is not intended to take anything away from the students who spent countless hours on the phone with Sonny's friends,
But when you mention the name "Sonny Montgomery," folks just don't even hesitate to give up a piece of themselves to honor such a wonderful man.
posted by A. Telle at 12:52 AM
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