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Regular Session, 2011 ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 38
BY SENATORS THOMPSON, ADLEY, ALARIO, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME,
CHABERT, CHAISSON, CHEEK, CLAITOR, CROWE, DONAHUE,
DORSEY, ERDEY, GAUTREAUX, GUILLORY, HEITMEIER,
JACKSON, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARIONNEAUX,
MARTINY, MCPHERSON, MI CHOT, MILLS, MORRELL,
MORRISH, MOUNT, MURRAY, NEVERS, PERRY, PETERSON,
QUINN, RISER, SHAW, SMITH, WALSWORTH AND WILLARD-
LEWIS AND REPRESENTATIVE DOWNS
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To express the sincere condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the death of Dr.
Foster Jay Taylor.
WHEREAS, Foster Jay Taylor was born August 9, 1923, in Gibsland, Louisiana, in
Bienville Parish and graduated from Gibsland High School in 1940; and
WHEREAS, he attended Louisiana Tech as a student for four semesters but then
enlisted in the United States Navy, where he completed aviation training in 1943, and was
commissioned as an ensign; and
WHEREAS, as a Navy pilot, he logged two thousand hours of flight time during
World War II and was sent to the Pacific theater for two tours of duty, rose to the rank of
lieutenant commander, and was honorably discharged in 1946; and
WHEREAS, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in social science in 1948 from
the University of California at Berkeley, and in 1949 he obtained a Master of Arts from
Claremont Graduate University; and
WHEREAS, he was later named to the Claremont Alumni Hall of Fame and procured
his Ph.D. in history and government in 1952 from Tulane University in New Orleans,
Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, prior to his service at Louisiana Tech, Dr. Taylor became an associate
professor of history, dean of men, and dean of the Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in
Pineville in Rapides Parish; and
WHEREAS, at the age of thirty-nine, Dr. Taylor was named as the Louisiana Tech
president and presided over the transformation and expanded enrollment of the institution
founded in 1894, known prior to 1970 as Louisiana Polytechnic Institute; and
WHEREAS, he was an historian who served from 1962 to 1987 as the president of SCR NO. 38 ENROLLED
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Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana, in Lincoln Parish; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Taylor was a visible president who spoke before educational and
civic groups across the state and believed that the university should pursue excellence in
academics; and
WHEREAS, under his leadership, numerous modern buildings were constructed,
such as the Wyly Tower, a library and administration office complex, the Thomas Assembly
Center, the Lambright Intramural Sports Complex, the Aillet Stadium, and the J.C. Love
Field; and
WHEREAS, he expanded the graduate program of Louisiana Tech to include new
master and doctoral degrees in several fields, all of which earned national recognition or
accreditation while also expanding the summer programs in Mexico and Italy; and
WHEREAS, in 1968, Dr. Taylor hired Wiley W. Hilburn from the Shreveport Times
to revamp the Louisiana Tech Journalism Department and make the college newspaper, The
Tech Talk, more indicative of student viewpoints; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Taylor was a man who believed in the First Amendment and
established a campus media free of administrative interference and for many years, answered
any and all student questions in a column published weekly in the campus newspaper and
treated student reporters and editors as the professionals they would some day become; and
WHEREAS, in 1974, Dr. Taylor hired Sonja Hogg, then a twenty-eight year old
physical education instructor at Ruston High School, to develop what turned into a nationally
successful women's basketball team, reaching the Final Four in 1979, and winning the
national championship in 1981; and
WHEREAS, since 1979, Louisiana Tech has been giving an annual award in Dr.
Taylor's name to a successful faculty member engaged in undergraduate teaching duties and
there is also an F. Jay Taylor Eminent Scholar Chair of Journalism and an F. Jay Taylor
Sports Forum; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Taylor has authored two books including The United States and the
Spanish Civil War published in 1956 and reprinted in 1971 and The Reluctant Rebel: The
Secret Diary of Robert Patrick stemming from the translation of a diary written by this
private in the Confederate Army; and SCR NO. 38 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, Dr. Taylor served on several state and national boards and commissions,
a nationally recognized expert in the field of labor arbitration, chairman of the Labor-
Management Commission of Inquiry, National Academy of Arbitrators, labor panels of the
American Arbitration Association, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; and
WHEREAS, he was a member of the Ruston Rotary International and served on the
boards of the Ruston Chamber of Commerce and Ruston Civic Club; and
WHEREAS, in 1971, the University of California Alumni Association cited Dr.
Taylor for outstanding achievement and honored him at the school's homecoming and, in
1985, he was similarly recognized by his alma mater, Tulane, as an outstanding alumnus of
the graduate school; and
WHEREAS, upon his death on May 15, 2011, at the age of eighty seven, Dr. Taylor
was succeeded as the Louisiana Tech president by his vice president, Daniel Reneau, who
described Dr. Taylor as a great leader, builder, a great president and senior statesman; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Taylor is survived by his wife, Lou, son Terry and his wife
Bernardine of Batavia, Ohio; grandson, Andrew Taylor and his wife Dr. Cathy Taylor of
Gainesville, Florida; granddaughter, Jennifer Williams and her husband Greg of West Palm
Beach, Florida, as well as four great grandchildren, Carlee and Ellie Taylor and Tommy and
Rebecca Williams; and
WHEREAS, this extraordinary man clearly demonstrated during his life a dedication
to family, education, community, state, and his country; and
WHEREAS, the numerous accomplishments of Dr. Taylor in public and private life
reflected his courage, compassion and commitment to the others; and
WHEREAS, upon his death, the state has lost a unique individual who left an
indelible mark upon his community, Louisiana Tech and the lives of those who knew him;
and
WHEREAS, as we seek to offer the family of Dr. Taylor whatever comfort we can,
we want them to know that their fellow citizens are aware of their loss, and desire to
commend Dr. Foster Jay Taylor, on his commitment to Louisiana, and extend Louisiana's
most sincere condolences; and
WHEREAS, the success of the state of Louisiana, the strength of our communities, SCR NO. 38 ENROLLED
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and the overall vitality of American society depend in great measure on people like Dr.
Foster Jay Taylor.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
honor the life of Dr. Foster Jay Taylor, pays tribute to his remarkable legacy, and offers its
sincere condolences to his family on behalf of the citizens of the state of Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
widow, Lou K. Taylor.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES