By:  Sibley                                           S.C.R. No. 85

         97S1400/1                           

                            SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, Among the great men of Texas who have left their

 1-2     indelible mark on the state is the late Abner McCall, former

 1-3     President and Chancellor of Baylor University; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, Born on June 8, 1915, in Jack County, Abner

 1-5     experienced sorrow while quite young when his father died, leaving

 1-6     his mother to care for four small children; and

 1-7           WHEREAS, Left almost literally an orphan when their mother's

 1-8     health declined, Abner and his brothers and sister went to the Fort

 1-9     Worth Masonic Home and School; understanding the value of an

1-10     education, Abner graduated from the school as valedictorian in

1-11     1933; and

1-12           WHEREAS, A superb student, he received a Masonic scholarship

1-13     to attend Baylor University, where he intended to become an

1-14     attorney; and

1-15           WHEREAS, Working his way through college and law school,

1-16     Abner McCall graduated at the top of his law school class; his

1-17     score on the bar exam was higher than that of any other examinee;

1-18     and

1-19           WHEREAS, In 1940, he married Frances Bortle, and they made a

1-20     warm and loving home for their four children:  Anne, Bette Gail,

1-21     Richard Vernon, and Kathleen; and

1-22           WHEREAS, In 1969, Frances predeceased him, and in 1970, he

1-23     married Mary W. Russell of Waco; and

 2-1           WHEREAS, Appointed Dean of Baylor Law School in 1948, Abner

 2-2     McCall was the youngest dean in the history of the law school; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, Dean McCall was appointed by Governor Allan Shivers

 2-4     to fill an interim position on the Texas Supreme Court in 1956; the

 2-5     dean returned to the law school when the term was over; and

 2-6           WHEREAS, An upright and moral man of great probity, he served

 2-7     as Dean of Baylor Law School from 1948 through 1959; promoted to

 2-8     Executive Vice President in 1959, he was named President of Baylor

 2-9     University in 1961; and

2-10           WHEREAS, Blossoming under his leadership, Baylor University

2-11     increased its academic stature, capital assets, and national

2-12     reputation; the student enrollment increased to around 10,000, and

2-13     the size of the campus increased from about 40 acres to about 300

2-14     acres; and

2-15           WHEREAS, In 1970, President McCall hired Jack Patterson as

2-16     Athletic Director, and Grant Teaff was hired to become an

2-17     outstanding coach for Baylor; and

2-18           WHEREAS, President McCall began Baylor's development program

2-19     to enlarge the university's endowment, which has increased to over

2-20     $130 million; he served as Chancellor from 1981 until 1985; and

2-21           WHEREAS, Throughout his illustrious career, his service to

2-22     education has taken many different forms; he served on the Board of

2-23     Trustees for the Waco Independent School District and was on the

2-24     steering committee of the Waco Adopt A School; he served as Trustee

2-25     of the Masonic Home Independent School District; a list of his

 3-1     honors and awards would fill several pages; and

 3-2           WHEREAS, A man with strong religious convictions, Chancellor

 3-3     McCall worked devotedly on behalf of the Southern Baptist

 3-4     Convention and was an active member of First Baptist Church in

 3-5     Waco, where he taught a Bible Study class and was a deacon; and

 3-6           WHEREAS, Accorded the highest honors among his peers, he was

 3-7     appointed to the Texas Judicial Council by several different Texas

 3-8     governors, and his unequaled record of professional and personal

 3-9     contributions to his church, university, and state made him an

3-10     exemplary citizen of Texas; and

3-11           WHEREAS, Texans will remember Abner McCall for his leadership

3-12     and achievements, and it is fitting that a state building be named

3-13     in his honor; now, therefore, be it

3-14           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

3-15     hereby direct that the Raleigh Building in Waco be named the Abner

3-16     McCall Building in honor of one of the state's most beloved leaders

3-17     and citizens; and, be it further

3-18           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

3-19     copy of this resolution to the executive director of the General

3-20     Services Commission.