STAGE 4. RIDING IN THE RURAL COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT OMNIBUS THAT KEN DRIVES

  H. G. Wells, the British historian wrote, "We are an omnibus in which our ancestors ride." I propose that many community developers, including myself, are "The rural community development omnibus in which the professional accomplishments and wonderful spirit of Ken Wilkinson rides--he is its primary driver." Persons engaged in rural community development should not ignore his work.

  I certainly cannot and do not wish to escape Ken's influence. Why? After accepting the B. F. Smith Chair for Economic and Community Development at Delta State University in January of 1994, I learned that it was Ken Wilkinson who had given my name and a strong recommendation to William LaForge of McGuinnes & William, a "professional head-hunting" firm in Washington, D.C., which did the national search for the position.

  Moving from Champaign-Urbana to Cleveland, Mississippi, from the University of Illinois to Delta State University has not been an easy transition. It's been challenging and demanding, as expected, but there have been several major rewards. I'm sure others will follow. Today, I'm helping to develop and implement community development programs to attack the massive problems of the Mississippi Delta--pervasive poverty with all of its accompanying social and cultural evils, intensive competitiveness between and within communities, rigid social class structures, and intensive prejudice and racism among some whites and some African Americans. My intent is for the art, theory, of Ken Wilkinson to be the heart and soul of this program. I hope that I'll help shape the lives of a few students, citizens, leaders and communities as Ken Wilkinson did.