By:  Barrientos                                      S.C.R. No. 167
                             SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Texas is especially
    1-2  proud to honor the O. Henry Museum in Austin for providing cultural
    1-3  and educational programs for the citizens of Texas; and
    1-4        WHEREAS, The O. Henry World Championship Pun-Off, in its 18th
    1-5  year, is the museum's oldest event and is held on the first Sunday
    1-6  of May; the event attracts some 2,000 spectators and participants
    1-7  from all parts of the United States; it was featured on ABC's World
    1-8  News Tonight program in 1993 and is often broadcast on national and
    1-9  international radio; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, The museum is housed in the Victorian home of
   1-11  William Sidney Porter, a turn of the century writer of short
   1-12  stories that have become American classics; known by his pen name,
   1-13  O. Henry, Porter lived in Austin from 1885 to 1895 and worked as a
   1-14  draftsman at the Old General Land Office; he married an Austin
   1-15  girl, Athol Estes, and the young couple lived in the small cottage
   1-16  with their children; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, Listed on the National Register of Historic Places,
   1-18  the house escaped demolition in 1934 and was moved to Brush Square
   1-19  where it opened as the O. Henry Museum; operated under the City of
   1-20  Austin Parks and Recreation Department, the museum houses nearly
   1-21  800 artifacts of which one-third are directly related to O. Henry;
   1-22  and
   1-23        WHEREAS, While living in the house, William Porter published
    2-1  a weekly newspaper, the Rolling Stone, which featured short stories
    2-2  depicting life in Austin during the late 1800s; an original
    2-3  publication of the newspaper, first edition O. Henry books, family
    2-4  photographs, original documents, textiles, and other family
    2-5  memorabilia are among the museum's collections; and
    2-6        WHEREAS, O. Henry Museum sponsors Opportunity For Youth
    2-7  Writing Clubs for inner-city youth to stimulate creativity in
    2-8  writing for aspiring young students; over 2,000 such youth have
    2-9  benefitted from these workshops which offer the talents of many
   2-10  accomplished authors; participants learn different literary styles
   2-11  including poetry, biography, scriptwriting, and playwriting as well
   2-12  as cartoon drawing; and
   2-13        WHEREAS, In recognition of its outstanding achievement and
   2-14  its commitment to excellence and hard work in providing the O.
   2-15  Henry Opportunity For Youth Writing Clubs, the O. Henry Museum
   2-16  received a Texas Historical Commission Museum Award; the museum was
   2-17  also recognized with the National Dorothy Mullen Arts and
   2-18  Humanities Award from the National Recreation and Park Association
   2-19  and has received three graphic art awards for excellence in
   2-20  publication design:  the Sheila Y. Fox Award from the Texas Arts
   2-21  Council and two Mitchell A. Wilder Awards from the Texas
   2-22  Association of Museums; now, therefore, be it
   2-23        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   2-24  hereby congratulate the O. Henry Museum on its 18th Annual World
   2-25  Championship Pun-Off and commend it for its Youth Writing Clubs for
    3-1  Austin's inner-city youth; and, be it further
    3-2        RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for the
    3-3  museum as an expression of the appreciation and high regard of the
    3-4  Texas Senate.