R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The recent retirement of Al Harris from his position

 1-2     as principal of Moore Middle School has brought to a close a

 1-3     distinguished career in education, and he is indeed deserving of

 1-4     special recognition at this time; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, The Texas Association of Secondary School

 1-6     Principals' 1991 Principal of the Year and the corecipient of the

 1-7     Masons' 1995 Texas Educator of the Year award, Mr. Harris joined

 1-8     the faculty of Moore Middle School as a science teacher and coach

 1-9     in 1970; before his tenure at Moore, Mr. Harris worked in a similar

1-10     capacity at Wood County's Mineola High School; and

1-11           WHEREAS, This respected educator served as head football

1-12     coach and assistant coach for the basketball, baseball, and track

1-13     teams, and he had the good fortune of coaching future football

1-14     Hall-of-Famer Earl Campbell; he also distinguished himself as a

1-15     model teacher whom students appreciated and respected; and

1-16           WHEREAS, In 1980, Mr. Harris moved into the position of

1-17     principal at Moore, and he soon introduced a new approach that saw

1-18     immediate results in the school's overall scholastic achievement;

1-19     Moore's faculty, staff, and students were duly recognized after the

1-20     1989-1990 school year for having the most improved test scores in

1-21     Texas, and in 1993, Moore Middle School received the governor's

1-22     outstanding school award; and

1-23           WHEREAS, Mr. Harris based his administrative philosophy on

1-24     high expectations for teachers and students and the maintaining of

 2-1     discipline among the students; he also instituted curricular and

 2-2     extracurricular programs that focused on the skills necessary to

 2-3     excel on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills exam; and

 2-4           WHEREAS, Mr. Harris has retired to Hawkins, where he plans to

 2-5     raise cattle on his ranch, and although his well-deserved

 2-6     retirement from Moore Middle School represents a great loss to the

 2-7     Tyler Independent School District, his legacy will no doubt carry

 2-8     on, and his many good works and notable achievements will not soon

 2-9     be forgotten; now, therefore, be it

2-10           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-11     Legislature hereby honor Al Harris on his retirement as principal

2-12     of Moore Middle School and extend to him sincere best wishes for

2-13     continued success and happiness in the future; and, be it further

2-14           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-15     prepared for Mr. Harris as an expression of high regard by the

2-16     Texas House of Representatives.

                                                                       Kamel

                                             _______________________________

                                                   Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.R. No. 523 was adopted by the House on April

         18, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House