By:  Cain                                              S.R. No. 902
    1-1                           SENATE RESOLUTION
    1-2        WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride in
    1-3  recognizing Kathleen Hill Becknell, who is being honored on
    1-4  Rains County Founders Day on May 6, 1995; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, An outstanding citizen who has deep roots in
    1-6  Rains County, Kathleen "Kat" Becknell is editor and owner of
    1-7  the Rains County Leader, a weekly publication that serves
    1-8  five counties and has a circulation of 3,250; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Born in Emory in 1907, Kathleen graduated from
   1-10  high school in 1926 and soon began to be active in county affairs;
   1-11  she quickly proved to be a leader in her community, and during the
   1-12  1930s she was Rains County chairperson for the Red Cross and served
   1-13  as chairperson for the War Bond drive during World War II; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, She is a charter member of the Point Ladies Civic
   1-15  Club and the Rains Garden Club and served as president of the
   1-16  Texas Women's Press District 12 in the 1960s; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, The first newspaper published in Rains County
   1-18  was The Argus, later called The Record; before 1900, the paper
   1-19  was sold to A. S. Hornbeck and was renamed the Rains County Leader;
   1-20  it was sold to Tom W. Hill, Sr., in 1909 and has remained in the
   1-21  Hill family ever since; and
   1-22        WHEREAS, In 1962, Kathleen, daughter of Tom W. Hill, Sr.,
   1-23  became editor and publisher; the paper is the only one published
    2-1  in Rains County and has been established as the county's oldest
    2-2  continuing business institution; and
    2-3        WHEREAS, A witness to life in Rains County in the early
    2-4  1900s, Kat Becknell enjoys reminiscing and recalls spending time
    2-5  on Saturday afternoons at the local post office and driving with
    2-6  her family in their 1920s Ford touring car that had curtains
    2-7  instead of glass in the windows; and
    2-8        WHEREAS, Kathleen Hill Becknell is an exemplary lady who is
    2-9  beloved and respected by the people of Rains County; an individual
   2-10  with an engaging personality who enjoys sharing the history of the
   2-11  area with others, Kat is a greatly treasured Rains County citizen;
   2-12  now, therefore, be it
   2-13        RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
   2-14  74th Legislature, hereby commend Kathleen Hill Becknell on her
   2-15  many accomplishments and express appreciation to her for her many
   2-16  contributions to the residents of Rains County; and, be it further
   2-17        RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for her
   2-18  as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
   2-19                               ______________________________________
   2-20                                       President of the Senate
   2-21                                    I hereby certify that the above
   2-22                               Resolution was adopted by the Senate
   2-23                               on May 3, 1995.
   2-24                               ______________________________________
   2-25                                       Secretary of the Senate
    3-1                               ______________________________________
    3-2                                        Member, Texas Senate