Gerald Davis Wilkins
Gerald passed away in 1988, long before this hall of fame was organized. He is the 6th person to be inducted posthumously. The following is an example of how Gerald Wilkins’ induction in the Hall of Fame epitomizes the values, principles, and integrity that this honor embodies and why the Gerald Wilkins Award, the sole professional achievement award presented by the City Management Association of Oklahoma, is so significant in Oklahoma city management.
This is a letter that Gerald wrote to the one-week-old son of Chuck Smith, after mentoring Smith to his first management job in Blackwell and becoming forever an influence in his life.
December 10, 1975:
“Dear Geoffrey: Since I am a friend of your Dad and Mother I thought I ought to write you and give you some information about them and about this wonderful country of which you are now a citizen.
You, of course, do not have the time or inclination to read this letter now but later when you have grown up you can look it over and make some judgments about your parents and compare the condition of our country with the then present situation.
First, you are a very fortunate young man to have a fine Father and Mother. They really are ok although they are somewhat dumb and clumsy about taking care of you. They mean well but they do stupid things like sticking you with safety pins and holding you upside down and shaking you to make you “burp”. They also just do not understand things you are talking about so they just fail to give you the prompt service you deserve. Even though you cry and plead with them they just don’t get the message. However, you will notice after a year or so they start to learn. About the time you get to be a teenager you can get almost anything you want which shows they are slow learners but they finally come around.
As you know your Dad is a city manager and a pretty good one at that, although sometimes you wonder who is managing who. Your Mother doesn’t follow the common expression of the day “beautiful but dumb”---on the contrary she’s pretty smart and beautiful, too. Actually she really is the boss because she manages to manage the manager. (How true it is!)
Now, our country—the good old U S of A. Some believe the conditions in this country are quite deplorable and that we are doomed to failure as a nation. The problems that most people talk about are: crime on the increase, the energy shortage, dissatisfaction on the environment and inflation. You may ask, what is inflation? I’m glad that you asked that because I have an answer. Inflation is the inflating of the nation’s economy balloon in an attempt to burst it and break-up our nation by hot air politicians and “aginers”. Actually, they will not get the job done because this balloon is made up of tough, flexible, durable rubber, not made in Japan, but in the good old US of A---US, (you and me) who have faith, honor, kindness, love, loyalty, determination and all that kind of good stuff.
Yes, America has problems and some pessimistic people but in spite of it all you are born in the best country of the world. You, your Dad and Mother and all of us are privileged to live here where we have the freedom---freedom to choose our religion, our friends, our job, our own way of life and, yes, even the flavor of ice cream we like the best.
As you know you were born about three weeks before Christmas—the day we celebrate the anniversary of another very special person “Jesus” who brought Peace and Good Will to men. Peace and Good Will sometimes seems forgotten but it will survive as promised and we can do our part by helping the cause along.
Well, I’ve said all the above to get to the point of this letter which is to give you a “Hearty Welcome” to this here place---your place where you will have the opportunity and privilege of up-holding the things that are good and eliminating the things that are bad. So knowing that later things will be in your capable hands, I’m not worrying now.
Oh, yes, if you ever have any trouble with your Mother and Father do give them a break. I know they are sort of funny (I didn’t say queer) and unpredictable but by the time you can read this you will find as I have, they are pretty special folks.
Best regards and a Merry Christmas from your adopted Uncle Jerry-- Gerald D. Wilkins”
Gerald served from 1950 to 1974 as City Manager of Enid (12 years), Ardmore (10 years), and Seminole (2 years). Prior to coming to Oklahoma, he served as a General Housing Manager for the Federal Housing Management Project during World War II in Wichita, KS; followed by stints as City Manager in Kansas for both Liberal and Newton.
He served 14 years with the Oklahoma Office of Community Affairs and Planning (now the state Department of Commerce) as a Municipal Government Adviser, until his death at age 80 on February 24, 1988.. Here he developed the nationally recognized Oklahoma Circuit Rider City Manager Program that helped to introduce this form of municipal government in several small cities. While at the state agency he fostered in 1986 Oklahoma’s Certified Public Manager Program, which survives today as a section of the American Association of Public Administration.
In 1952 he became the fourth President of the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma City Manager’s Association that had been organized in 1949. Six years later he served a term as President of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Municipal League. He was the first from Oklahoma elected to serve on the Board of Directors of ICMA, now the International City/County Management Association.