In a comment to an earlier post on LBJ’s unannounced helicopter landing at Rice someone mentioned that he had heard Johnson speak at the dedication of Sid Richardson College. That reminded me of these unlabeled photos that I had seen before. I had always just assumed that these were taken at that event, but didn’t really have any way to confirm it. So here they are–does anyone remember this?
Also, I’m at a meeting today but I’m taking the rest of the week off for actual vacation. I’ll probably still post because, frankly, I don’t know what else to do with myself. But it will be more erratic than usual.
I really need a break. This is what I feel like:
You could try contacting Scott Hochberg (Will Rice MEE 1976). He has a great picture of himself and LBJ in his office in the state capitol. I believe it is from the Sid Rich dedication. He is now a member of the Texas House representing the area around Meyerland in Houston.
J and Jan Leeds were the first masters of Sid. J is retired from the Elec. Eng. Dept., but they are still in Houston. They were bound to have been at that event. It is certainly in the SRC dining room. Pat Martin (along with Bill, 2nd SRC masters)
These photos certainly look to be of the dedication in Sid Rich Commons. It was, I believe, on a Saturday in late August, September or October 1971. Ours was the first Sid Rich freshman class that fall. Dedication ceremony was in morning or midday and, as the photo suggest, attended mostly by outside dignitaries and University officials and faculty, and the press — that is, not students or at least not many. It was followed by a small luncheon, I believe, in master’s home, but Prof J. Venn Leeds or his wife Jan would be best source on that. The great thing is that President and Mrs. Johnson stayed around for a couple of hours after lunch, holding forth from a soft sofa in the lounge area of the college talking with just us Sid Rich students and the Leedses. As I recall, it was a civil, good-spirited session, remarkable in view of the deep feelings about the Vietnam War that LBJ had handed off to Richard Nixon just 2 1/2 years before. His charm and hers lived up to legend and his answers seemed candid at the time to this awe-struck youngster. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the historiographical presence of mind to rush upstairs and write down the best of his remarks.
I remember the event vividly. Ladybird was there. I got LBJ to autograph one of his books. President Johnson was getting ready to teach a seminar in the Political Science Department. The question is whether or not
George Brown actually told him that the campus was not safe. The seminar was never taught. While we are
on presidents at Sid, it is worth remembering that Jimmy Carter stayed there while he was working for Habitat one summer. JFK not only spoke at Rice but was with President Pitzer the day be.fore the assassination. General Pershing in pursuit of the presidency left us with a pecan tree. President Ford was here for the dedication of the Baker Institute. President G.H.W. Bush was a Lovett associate and taught at Rice.
Hi, Doc! I bet you still have that book somewhere, don’t you?
And also, that’s Herbert Hoover at the left inside the Physics Building archway in the picture at the top of my blog.
I was there too. I have a program of the event autographed by both LBJ and Lady Bird. It was a Saturday afternoon.