Street Names Finalists - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jan 10, 2005

Street Names Finalists

Date: Jan 10, 2005

Good work, Dr. Goebbels!

What I want to know is, is it illegal in Mississippi to leave human excrement in the street?
If they name a street after either McCain or SFT, I am going to vomit on it . . . or worse.

Date: Jan 10, 2005

Who on earth are the idiots who determined a list of street names finalists that includes Shelby Thames and William McCain? This is utterly appalling! It's bad enough that campus buildings are already named for these two miscreants.

Last spring I saw pictures of Thames placed in urinals -- a far more fitting tribute to such a despicable individual!

Date: Jan 10, 2005

Better yet, they should finish The Rock and hold an annual bowl game there...the Shelby F. Thames Toilet Bowl.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

I don't think Jimmy Buffett even graduated from USM, although he did attend. My fave story about him was that he once (one time!) sent a check to the Alumni Assoc. back in the 70s or 80s and it bounced. They used to have the check framed in the Alumni offices.

Do they think that if they named a street after him he would suddenly start sharing his millions? Why don't they turn Nitchampburg into Margaritaville instead?

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
"I don't think Jimmy Buffett even graduated from USM, although he did attend. My fave story about him was that he once (one time!) sent a check to the Alumni Assoc. back in the 70s or 80s and it bounced. They used to have the check framed in the Alumni offices. Do they think that if they named a street after him he would suddenly start sharing his millions? Why don't they turn Nitchampburg into Margaritaville instead? "

You are incorrect. Jimmy Buffett did graduate from Southern Miss.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Left (formerly Leaving Soon)
"Who on earth are the idiots who determined a list of street names finalists that includes Shelby Thames and William McCain? This is utterly appalling! It's bad enough that campus buildings are already named for these two miscreants."

Methinks you take Dr. Goebbels too seriously. But if the thought of Thames' name being on a street bothers you, go look at the name on the Polymer Science Building. And although it's named for different members of the family, you can ogle the name on the Baseball Center building, too.

I don't think McCain has anything named after him on campus. Thames has one facility named for him & another facility that would be easily confused as being named for him. (My opinion has long been that the contribution to the athletic facility went a long way to securing Daddy's current position...)

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Update
"You are incorrect. Jimmy Buffett did graduate from Southern Miss."

As Bwana Jim himself wrote, "When they tried to draft me, I earned a college degree. Buying time 'til things were not so bad."

Date: Jan 11, 2005

Actually, we have McCain Library. And there's nothing wrong with Polymer Science being named after Dr. Thames. Just wish he had left it at that . . .

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
"I don't think Jimmy Buffett even graduated from USM, although he did attend."

Jimmy got a B.S. in 1970 from USM in Political Science, and was a member of Kappa Sigma. At one time, Horace Fleming's VP for fund-raising (can't remember his name, but came to Hattiesburg from Florida) was working on a 'sizable' donation from JB. There is an endowed scholarship for a USM student attending Gulf Park, which is named after Jimmy's mother (http://www.usm.edu/pr/prnews/apr03/125scholarship.htm) -- quietly donated without fanfare by the Buffett family.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: oldtimer
" Jimmy got a B.S. in 1970 from USM in Political Science, and was a member of Kappa Sigma. At one time, Horace Fleming's VP for fund-raising (can't remember his name, but came to Hattiesburg from Florida) was working on a 'sizable' donation from JB. There is an endowed scholarship for a USM student attending Gulf Park, which is named after Jimmy's mother (http://www.usm.edu/pr/prnews/apr03/125scholarship.htm) -- quietly donated without fanfare by the Buffett family. "

I stand corrected. Though he's not lending his name, fame, or lots of $$ to USM, that's for sure.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

jimmy won't give money to USM. gave $50 in honor of his fraternity roommate. the story i heard was that jimmy was standing in line to graduate and was pulled out of the line because he had parking tickets or owed library fines. made him very angry. thought this was an urban legend until lucas told me that there was a woman whose responsibility at graduation was to do that. for what it's worth.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"Actually, we have McCain Library. And there's nothing wrong with Polymer Science being named after Dr. Thames. Just wish he had left it at that . . ."

Thanks for correcting me on the library. I never called it anything else but "The Library."

on my face!

What I think is improper about the Polymer Science Building being named after Thames is simply that he is still employed by the university. I would think a building-naming ceremony is more appropriate when a person retires, or a few years later. Bear in mind that I'm not insisting on post-humous recognition...

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" Thanks for correcting me on the library. I never called it anything else but "The Library." "

You got your Cook Library, named for one President Cook, not the same or even related to the President Cook for which the Union Building is named. Then you got your McCain Library that was originally named McCain Graduate Library until somebody figured out "graduate library" really meant something at most places, so they dropped the "graduate" part, I think. McCain Library houses archives, special collections, Learning Resources Center and other stuff. It also houses a wonderful portrait of Dr. McCain in full academic regalia with a grandson sitting on his lap. Or it used to anyway.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" What I think is improper about the Polymer Science Building being named after Thames is simply that he is still employed by the university. I would think a building-naming ceremony is more appropriate when a person retires, or a few years later. Bear in mind that I'm not insisting on post-humous recognition... "

A.K. Lucas and Arthell Kelley notwithstanding, I like the idea of waiting until the nominee is deceased. There have been too many situations where the scandal occurs or is discovered after the building has been dedicated.

Apparently the scandals didn't matter with respect to the Polymer Science Building.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

Left (formerly Leaving Soon) wrote:"Who on earth are the idiots who determined a list of street names finalists that includes Shelby Thames and William McCain?"

If I'm not mistaken the Alumni Assoc. conducted the name search.

From what I understand McCain was a historian/archivist so they "honored" him this way.

...Of the names listed, I see only Favre's name being a lock for one of the re-named streets (the street by the Rock, of course).

I heard one student tell me they should rename Kennard-Washington to Kennard-Lucas.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

"I heard one student tell me they should rename Kennard-Washington to Kennard-Lucas."

...fellow student, that is.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

I've always been a fan of Aubrey Lucas. According to the music faculty, he was a supporter. But though his word would carry a lot of weight, he has not spoken out. Many, many (not just faculty) are disappointed in him.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

Didn't Lucas teach music at one time?

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: "These are the times..."
"Left (formerly Leaving Soon) wrote:"Who on earth are the idiots who determined a list of street names finalists that includes Shelby Thames and William McCain?"
. . . "

McCain was a plagiarist (among other things). McCain should not have his name on a building.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Moral fiber
" McCain was a plagiarist (among other things). McCain should not have his name on a building."

I agree.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
" A.K. Lucas and Arthell Kelley notwithstanding, I like the idea of waiting until the nominee is deceased. There have been too many situations where the scandal occurs or is discovered after the building has been dedicated. Apparently the scandals didn't matter with respect to the Polymer Science Building."

I always heard that they named the Polymer Science Building after SFT because at the time he had recently had a heart attack and everyone thought he was going to retire and/or croak soon, however he did neither.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

who says he has a heart?

Date: Jan 11, 2005

Clyde Kennard deserves just his name on that building. And why not add Osceola to the roadway name game?

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Emma
"Clyde Kennard deserves just his name on that building. And why not add Osceola to the roadway name game?"

Is it true that Osceola's portrait was gone from the conference room shortly after the Thames regime began?

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
"It also houses a wonderful portrait of Dr. McCain in full academic regalia with a grandson sitting on his lap. Or it used to anyway."

One thing that I do miss from the McCain era is the bagpipe band. It was very martial & meshed nicely with the military ranks that most of the administrators held.

For the record, I am told that my freshman class was the first in which male students didn't have to wear beanies & ROTC was not mandatory in lieu of P.E. courses.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

Hmmmm. Can't believe SFT's on the list. Same with Natalie Allen...does she even have a job any more? No Osceola? A crime.

For the "mascot and traditions", I would humbly submit Kelly Love and Ray "two bits" Crawford. But then, I'm old school.

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Emma
"Clyde Kennard deserves just his name on that building. And why not add Osceola to the roadway name game?"

Here, here, Emma. I'm with you. Of course, I can remember when it was simply called "Student Services Building."

Anyone who wants to know the story behind Clyde Kennard (and why McCain should have NOTHING named after him) should read Exit 13. There's a whole chapter devoted to Clyde Kennard's terrible story.

NO QUARTER!

Date: Jan 11, 2005

Well, Miss McCarty does have a good building named for her. Did anybody ever explain WHY we need to change the street names? So we can throw away all the letterhead and envelopes and make everyone's address wrong? Does SFT own an interest in a commercial print venture? Maybe it's a new form of economic development?

Date: Jan 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" One thing that I do miss from the McCain era is the bagpipe band. It was very martial & meshed nicely with the military ranks that most of the administrators held. For the record, I am told that my freshman class was the first in which male students didn't have to wear beanies & ROTC was not mandatory in lieu of P.E. courses."

Invictus -- shades of my old alma mater. I refused to wear the beanie (it was also the final year) and just the semester previous to my arrival on campus as a freshman they had abolished ROTC as a required class for all male students (1969). I registered as a Conscientious Objector and then got a special waiver from Washington to take ROTC since I was actually pretty interested in how ROTC functioned. When deferments were abolished the year the lottery started I dropped my CO status, let my name go into the lottery and packed my bags for Canada.

Your memories manage to remind me of some long ago things I had forgotten. I hated that stupid beanie.