By:  Shapiro                                    S.R. No. 1028
    1-1                           SENATE RESOLUTION
    1-2        WHEREAS, On April 2, 1917, the small Texas town of
    1-3  Marble Falls made history by electing Ophelia "Birdie" Harwood
    1-4  mayor, thereby making her the first female to hold this office
    1-5  within the state; and
    1-6        WHEREAS, Coming more than three years before the
    1-7  19th Amendment to the United States Constitution guaranteed
    1-8  women the right to vote, Mrs. Harwood's election was truly an
    1-9  amazing accomplishment, as neither she nor any other women of
   1-10  the community could cast a vote in her favor, and the men who did
   1-11  so were choosing not to vote for a male candidate who also was on
   1-12  the ballot; and
   1-13        WHEREAS, Following the mayor's election, the weekly
   1-14  Marble Falls Messenger remarked in its April 5 issue that
   1-15  "Marble Falls is probably the only town in Texas with a lady mayor,"
   1-16  an observation that has never been refuted; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, Mrs. Harwood continued to break barriers throughout
   1-18  her lifetime, earning an appointment to the post of judge of the
   1-19  municipal court of Marble Falls by an all-male city commission in
   1-20  1936 and distinguishing herself as an outstanding public servant
   1-21  for more than two decades; and
   1-22        WHEREAS, This remarkable women was the wife of George Harwood,
   1-23  who was himself a highly respected local civic leader who served as
    2-1  the area's country physician; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, Though several states allowed women to vote
    2-3  before ratification of the 19th Amendment, and several towns in
    2-4  those states elected female mayors before Mrs. Harwood was elected,
    2-5  she clearly remains the first and only woman in the nation to have
    2-6  been elected mayor by an all-male electorate; and
    2-7        WHEREAS, The Chamber of Commerce of Marble Falls/Lake LBJ
    2-8  has set aside July 24, 1993, as a day of celebration to pay tribute
    2-9  to Mrs. Harwood for her unprecedented achievement in being the
   2-10  first female to be elected mayor of a Texas town, as well as the
   2-11  first female in all states to be elected mayor solely by men; the
   2-12  event will also acknowledge George Harwood for his contributions
   2-13  and the township of Marble Falls for having taken this significant
   2-14  progressive step; now, therefore, be it
   2-15        RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
   2-16  73rd Legislature, hereby commemorate this historic occasion and
   2-17  honor the memory of Ophelia "Birdie" and George Harwood for their
   2-18  exceptional achievements; and, be it further
   2-19        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
   2-20  prepared for the descendants of these fine Texans and the people
   2-21  of Marble Falls as an expression of high regard by the Texas Senate.
   2-22                                 _____________________________________
   2-23                                        President of the Senate
   2-24                                      I hereby certify that the
   2-25                                 above Resolution was adopted by
    3-1                                 the Senate on May 22, 1993.
    3-2                                 _____________________________________
    3-3                                        Secretary of the Senate
    3-4                                 _____________________________________
    3-5                                         Member, Texas Senate