By: Sibley S.C.R. No. 132
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Texas is honored to
1-2 pay tribute today to one of the state's most esteemed citizens,
1-3 Judge Abner McCall, who will be celebrating his 80th birthday on
1-4 June 8, 1995; and
1-5 WHEREAS, This distinguished gentleman was born on June 8,
1-6 1915, in Perrin in Jack County; when he was quite young, his father
1-7 died, and his mother was left to care for a family of four small
1-8 children; and
1-9 WHEREAS, When his mother's health worsened, he and his
1-10 brothers and sister were sent to the Fort Worth Masonic Home and
1-11 School; early realizing the importance of education, he graduated
1-12 from there in 1933 as valedictorian of his class; and
1-13 WHEREAS, This outstanding student received a Masonic
1-14 scholarship to attend Baylor University, intending to become a
1-15 lawyer; and
1-16 WHEREAS, Abner McCall worked his way through college mowing
1-17 lawns, working in the business office, and selling tickets to
1-18 school activities; after graduating at the head of his law school
1-19 class in 1938, he scored higher on the bar exam than any previous
1-20 examinee; and
1-21 WHEREAS, An impressed Baylor President Neff offered him a job
1-22 teaching in the law school which he accepted; he had previously
1-23 worked in Longview where he met his first wife, Frances Bortle;
2-1 they were married in 1940 and together they made a home and raised
2-2 four energetic and intelligent children: Anne, Bette Gail, Richard
2-3 Vernon, and Kathleen; Frances predeceased him in 1969, and in 1970
2-4 he wed Mary W. Russell of Waco; and
2-5 WHEREAS, In 1943, he joined the Federal Bureau of
2-6 Investigation as a special agent working to apprehend deserters,
2-7 draft dodgers, and escaped prisoners of war; and
2-8 WHEREAS, In 1948, Abner McCall was appointed Dean of Baylor
2-9 Law School, the youngest dean in the history of the law school; in
2-10 1956, Governor Allan Shivers named Dean McCall to fill an interim
2-11 position on the Texas Supreme Court; and
2-12 WHEREAS, When his term was finished, he returned to his
2-13 beloved Baylor as he said he would; and
2-14 WHEREAS, A man of rare ability and unquestioned integrity, he
2-15 served as the Dean of Baylor Law School from 1948 through 1959; he
2-16 was promoted to Executive Vice-President in 1959, and in 1961 he
2-17 became President of Baylor University; Judge McCall served as
2-18 Chancellor from 1981 until 1985; and
2-19 WHEREAS, Under his leadership, Baylor University increased
2-20 its academic stature, national reputation, and capital assets; the
2-21 size of its campus increased from about 40 acres to about 300 acres
2-22 and student enrollment rose to around 10,000; he also hired Jack
2-23 Patterson in 1970 as Athletic Director, and he hired Grant Teaff,
2-24 the outstanding Baylor football coach; in 1963 he began Baylor's
2-25 development program in order to increase the university's endowment
3-1 which has increased to over $130 million; and
3-2 WHEREAS, Throughout his meritorious career, his service to
3-3 education has taken many different forms; he served on the Board of
3-4 Trustees of the Waco Independent School District and on the
3-5 Steering Committee of the Waco Adopt A School; he helped organize
3-6 and was second president of the Independent Colleges and
3-7 Universities of Texas, Incorporated; he served as a Trustee of the
3-8 Masonic Home Independent School District, and he has received so
3-9 many honors and awards that a list of them would fill several
3-10 pages; and
3-11 WHEREAS, A man of strong religious convictions, Judge McCall
3-12 has worked devotedly on behalf of the Southern Baptist Convention,
3-13 which he served as vice president and in support of the Baptist
3-14 General Convention of Texas, which he served as President; he has
3-15 been an active member of First Baptist Church in Waco, where he has
3-16 also served as Deacon and taught a Bible Study class; and
3-17 WHEREAS, An excellent example of what one man can achieve,
3-18 Judge McCall has been accorded the highest of honors among his
3-19 peers; he has been appointed to the Texas Judicial Council by
3-20 several different Texas governors; he was appointed to serve as
3-21 Texas Commissioner on the Education Commission for the States; and
3-22 WHEREAS, His unequaled record of personal and professional
3-23 contributions to his church, university, city, and state have made
3-24 this notable gentleman a treasured asset; now, therefore, be it
3-25 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
4-1 hereby commend the life and the career of Judge Abner McCall and
4-2 wish him a happy 80th birthday; and, be it further
4-3 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for him
4-4 as an expression of the highest esteem of the Texas Legislature.