Trent Lott: “today I want to honor a man of integrity, perseverance, intellect, and dedication. Dr. Gerald Walton recently retired…”

“today I want to honor a man of integrity, perseverance, intellect, and dedication. Dr. Gerald Walton recently retired from my alma mater, the University of Mississippi. Dr. Walton has served Ole Miss for nearly forty years in several capacities ranging from a part-time English instructor in 1959 to the position of Provost from which he is retiring. Born and raised in Neshoba County, Mississippi, Dr. Walton has been a great servant of higher education in Mississippi. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1956 with a degree in English. He then attended Ole Miss, where he obtained his master's degree and then his doctorate. Dr. Walton's next step was a stint as a teaching assistant. Once he got his foot in the door, he quickly gained the respect of his colleagues and began to move up in the ranks. He has demonstrated exemplary commitment to public education. In addition to managing the demands of a career in academia, Dr. Walton has been dedicated to his family. He has always put his wife and three daughters first. I am envious of all the free time he will have for his four grandchildren. Mr. President, Dr. Walton has stood the test of time. He has adjusted to the many changes Ole Miss and our society have experienced. Dr. Walton has always stood by his principles of right and wrong, which were first professionally tested in 1962. He was one of only a handful of faculty who publicly supported James Meredith and the integration of Ole Miss.”