Chapter 9: A Leader For A New Millennium

In January, 2007, O.L. Davis, Jr., the Catherine Mae Parker Centennial Professor of Education at The University of Texas officially retired. Most of O.L.’s friends and colleagues were stunned as no one thought that O.L. would ever retire. Already he had outlasted many of his former students who opted for the quieter days of retirement. Although O.L. is no longer a physical presence on the UT campus, his legacy of teaching, leadership, and scholarship will continue for years to come.

On January 1, 2000, a new millennium dawned. The world waited anxiously to greet the new era. Some world leaders declared the first year of the new millennium to be the year of peace. Other pundits predicted the demise of all things technological. Not surprisingly, technology entered the twenty-first century with ease and peace continued to elude many parts of the world. The new millennium began much as the previous one had ended. In 2000, Breathe, by Faith Hill was the top Billboard single (Top 20 Hits of 2000, n.d.), despite the prevalence of hip-hop and rap music. The Brethren, by John Grisham (Best Selling Books, 2000) was the top selling book of the year, and the “preppy” look was popular in fashion. The Rams won the Super Bowl for the first time and Elian Gonzales, a 6-year old boy, was seized from his grandparents’ home in Miami and returned to his Cuban father. George W. Bush and Al Gore heatedly campaigned in what was to be a close election.