Remembering Otis A. Singletary

Otis A. Singletary

October 31, 1921 - September 21, 2003

President, 1969-1987

80th Birthday Celebration
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center

Gloria Singletary, Otis Singletary and granddaughter Addie Barret

October 31, 2001

Otis A. Singletary became the 8th President of the University of Kentucky 50 years ago in August, 1969.  He came well prepared as a scholar, an award winning teacher, a nationally recognized historian, first director of President Lyndon Johnson's Job Corps, and an experienced university administrator.

President Singletary liked to quote that often repeated line that a university president needs to be "someone with the physical charm of a Greek athlete, the cunning of Machiavelli, the wisdom of Solomon, the courage of a lion, and the stomach of a goat."  He called upon all of those traits during his very successful eighteen years as UK President.

Dr. Singletary may have found the establishment of the Singletary Scholars Program most personally satisfying.  When many of the current and past Singletary Scholars attended his 80th birthday reception in the Special Collections Research Center, he beamed and wanted to speak personally with each and every student who came.  He often commented about receiving letters from former Singletary Scholars and he was always very proud of their accomplishments.

http://www.uky.edu/Scholars/past_singletary.html

UK HOMECOMING 1963, "ALL FOULED UP!"

UK Homecoming 2019 seems to have been a great success.  Good weather, a football victory with our wide receiver at quarterback, and a new Homecoming Queen and King.

President John Oswald crowns Julie Ritchey Homecoming Queen, 1963
Photo: The Kentuckian

Homecoming 1963 did not turn out as well.  First, UK lost to Georgia 14-17 in route to a 3-6-1 season in front of 30,000 fans at an unseasonably warm Stoll Field.  Second, UK's "Marching 100" band apparently consisted of only 80 members!

However, the biggest mistake that day was President John Oswald crowning Julie Ritchey Homecoming Queen at halftime rather than Vivian Shipley.  Apparently, President Oswald was given the wrong name and, according to the Kentucky Kernel, "once the mistake was made, nobody knew just what to do."  Both Ritchey and Shipley "registered mild shock. Assisting with the ceremony were two UK cheerleaders "who had counted the votes and knew who the winner was supposed to be."

The announcement of the correct queen, Vivian Shipley, was not made until well into the third quarter of the game when Julie and Vivian switched roles along the sideline.  Shipley told the Kernel, "I just didn't know what to do, so I just decided the most graceful way out was to smile and be crowned first attendant.  It was a funny feeling to watch them crown someone else, and terribly embarrassing.  It is just one of those things that you don't believe will ever happen, at least not to you."

Vivian Shipley's reactions as she finally learns she is the Homecoming Queen for 1963
Photo: The Kentuckian

The homecoming day was saved by the official dedication ceremony for the Helen G. King Alumni House located on Rose Street across from the stadium that, by all reports, went very well.  New UK President John Oswald officiated at the ceremony which was also attended by former UK presidents Dr. Frank Dickey and Dr Herman Lee Donovan.

Vivian Shipley

Vivian Shipley is now a distinguished poet!  Following college and graduate school, she has had an outstanding career as a writer and teacher and is a member of the UK Hall of Distinguished Alumni.