STAGE 2: STUDENT: INSTRUCTOR & DISSERTATION ADVISOR

  My next association with Ken was in a very different role--he was my teacher and advisor from 1964 to 1966. After earning a doctorate of philosophy in rural sociology from MSU, Ken became a member of its faculty and associate director of the Social Science Research Center. During 1964, Ken was my instructor in two graduate seminars--one in social psychology and one in group dynamics. To this day, I have my class notes and one of the texts, Individual in Society, by David Krech, Richard Curtchfield and Egerton L. Ballachey. This text was published by McGraw Hill Book Company in 1962 and remains a common reference. Always thoroughly professional, Ken was a generous and sensitive instructor.

  Several memories of Ken during the second stage of our relationship are vivid. Ken's performance in the classroom was exceptional--as a young assistant professor, he was a seasoned and skillful instructor. Through his lectures and seminars, Ken demonstrated mastery of the subject matter. His teaching methods included in-class application of theory from group dynamics and social psychology--he bridged the gap between theory and practice to make his classes dynamic. Even in his first years of classroom instruction, Ken usually came to class without lecture notes--he only brought the class roster and whatever papers or tests we may have written for him. I remember Ken saying, "After you complete this class in group dynamics, you will never be forced to attend a boring meeting because if you find the presentations or discussions boring, you can become intellectually absorbed analyzing 'why?'. If you master the information which will be presented in this course, you will benefit from this course as long as you live." He was correct. I have followed his advise, playing mental games to turn many dull meetings into interesting events.

  During the mid-sixty's, Ken helped Harold Kaufman build a strong research program in the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State. It was my good fortune to work under Ken's supervision as we planned the research project for my doctoral studies, and as I gathered data for the research which supported my dissertation. The research project was titled "Community Structure and Involvement." It was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. My family and I spent the summers of 1964 and 1965 in Natchez, Mississippi, where I worked under Ken's supervision.

  These were troubled times in the Deep South, a period of intense racial tension and conflict. While we were off campus gathering data, manufacturing plants, homes, and cars were bombed, several in Natchez! For protection, Ken made sure that my family and I had official university documents, proof that we were MSU researchers not insurrectionist! These security measures provided solace and helped eliminate suspicion. During this intense period of field work, Ken taught me skills that have served me well throughout my career.

  Because of intense racial conflict over voter registration and school desegregation during this period, data collection was an arduous and precarious task. During this stage of our relationship, Ken taught me the art and science of community development field work, a craft which he mastered very early in his career. For example, I recall the day Ken and I were pre-testing our interview schedule in Piney Woods, a rural area near the Mississippi State campus. We needed to make sure that the questions we intended to ask subjects in our sample were understandable and made sense to community residents.

  Ken parked his car in front of a small, wood-framed farm house. Upon getting out, Ken paused and began looking around, carefully viewing the landscape. When I inquired, "What are you doing? Is this the correct place? Is something wrong?" Ken replied, "No! We want to interview someone inside this house, and they may be watching us. So, look around as if you want to buy the place, then they'll let us inside. After bragging about the place, maybe we can complete the interview." His strategy worked; we completed pre-test interviews at every residence included in the sample. Ken Wilkinson could be subtle.

  Ken was a member of my dissertation committee. My research goal was to learn more about the influence of social class on community identity and participation, or social involvement in Natchez, Mississippi. We learned that participation in the community field and the strength of associational networks in Natchez was indeed strong, but participation among African Americans tended to be informal, while among whites, it was more formal. Ken's contribution to my professional career during this stage was very significant. In addition to providing sound advice to my research designand analysis, he helped edit the final manuscript. But for his help, it would have never passed the committee or library's review. From Ken, I learned not to dangle participles, not to split infinitives, not to state repeatedly--"it is interesting to note that ...," and not to end sentences with prepositions.

  Being the generous person that he was, Ken and his family hosted a yard party at their home in June of 1966. It was immediately after the MSU graduation where I received the Ph.D. Faculty, graduate students (colleagues from the University) and my extended family attended. I recall Ken and Dr. Kaufman pulling me aside near the end of the party. "Congratulations!" they said, "We're proud of you. We're happy that you have earned the Ph.D. and that you have a great job. That's the good news . . . The bad news is that a Ph.D. is only good for three or four years. It won't get you tenure or promoted. You must keep studying, and you must publish if your career is to develop." I have never forgotten that moment -- Perhaps it was the first time I understood the reality of being a student and a professional. I have shared this advice with every graduate student with whom I've had the privilege of working. Indeed, one does not cease growing until after one quits learning!