By Swinford H.R. No. 609 74R10677 KMP-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, April 20, 1995, will mark the 75th anniversary of 1-2 the Panhandle Professional Writers, the oldest writing group of its 1-3 kind in the country, and to the members and admirers of this 1-4 outstanding organization this promises to be a joyous and truly 1-5 memorable occasion; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Initially known as the Panhandle Pen Women, this 1-7 exceptional association was founded April 20, 1920, by Laura V. 1-8 Hamner and five other women interested in forming a study club that 1-9 would enable writers to hone their craft and to receive 1-10 constructive feedback from their peers; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The driving force behind this unique group, Miss 1-12 Hamner was a greatly respected teacher, poet, author, and historian 1-13 who dedicated more than 50 years of her life to inspiring and 1-14 nurturing Panhandle women in their quest to become better writers 1-15 and to sell their work; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Renowned for the seriousness with which its members 1-17 approached their work, the Panhandle Pen Women required its members 1-18 to write at least 30,000 words each year and associate members to 1-19 write at least 15,000 words each year; this dedication and 1-20 discipline paid off handsomely, and few authors joined the group 1-21 without eventually selling some of their writings; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Today known as Panhandle Professional Writers, this 1-23 fine association has served as a model over the decades for many 1-24 other writing groups throughout the State of Texas, such as the 2-1 "Blue Pencil" society; organizations in Borger, Miami, Pampa, 2-2 Shamrock, and other communities have also been patterned after the 2-3 association; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Panhandle Professional Writers and other authors' 2-5 groups gather each August at the Frontiers in Writing conference to 2-6 hear outstanding novelists, poets, essayists, editors, and agents 2-7 discuss the creative process and the state of the publishing 2-8 industry; an opportunity for prominent regional writers to gather 2-9 with their peers from around the country, this exceptional 2-10 conference also includes speeches and panel discussions featuring 2-11 writers and editors of national renown; and 2-12 WHEREAS, More than 500 area scribes have joined the Panhandle 2-13 Professional Writers since its creation 75 years ago, and many of 2-14 these artists have become well known in the writing profession, 2-15 including Jodi "Thomas" Koumalats, a nationally known historical 2-16 romance writer, Pauline Robertson, an eminent poet and writer of 2-17 Panhandle histories, and Doris Meredith, a mystery writer and 2-18 historical novelist; other esteemed writers include Redbook award 2-19 winner Loula Grace Erdman and founder Laura Hamner, whose novel 2-20 about Charles Goodnight, The No Gun Man of Texas, is widely 2-21 recognized as a classic and has been adopted as a school textbook; 2-22 and 2-23 WHEREAS, Although members of the Panhandle Professional 2-24 Writers are no longer expected to meet writing quotas, they are 2-25 still expected to put words to paper, either by pen or by word 2-26 processor; those who have sold two or more articles or poems are 2-27 eligible for full membership, while beginning writers who actively 3-1 practice their craft are allowed to join as associate members; and 3-2 WHEREAS, The distinguished artists who belong to Panhandle 3-3 Professional Writers look to each other for support and 3-4 encouragement, as well as for writing tips and marketing knowledge; 3-5 during the past 75 years, this exemplary group has made many 3-6 invaluable contributions toward the development of Lone Star 3-7 literature, and it is indeed fitting at this time that it be 3-8 recognized as a cultural institution of great import; now, 3-9 therefore, be it 3-10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 3-11 Legislature hereby congratulate the Panhandle Professional Writers 3-12 organization on the occasion of its 75th anniversary and extend to 3-13 its members warmest best wishes for happiness and success in their 3-14 future endeavors; and, be it further 3-15 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-16 prepared for the Panhandle Professional Writers as an expression of 3-17 highest regard by the Texas House of Representatives.