1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 572 1-3 WHEREAS, Mary McLeod Bethune Day Nursery, Incorporated, is 1-4 celebrating its 55th anniversary on April 26, 1997, and the 1-5 Texas Senate takes pleasure in extending congratulations on this 1-6 momentous occasion; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Founded in the City of Corpus Christi in 1942 by 1-8 a group of concerned citizens, the nursery has provided excellent 1-9 day care for children throughout its history; and 1-10 WHEREAS, The need for such a facility was recognized by 1-11 Mrs. Bernice Leonard and the Reverend B. E. Joshua, who met late 1-12 in 1941 to discuss establishing a day care with other interested 1-13 parents; the group became aware that more than 200 children in 1-14 the city were being cared for by older brothers and sisters who 1-15 were unable to attend school because their parents were working 1-16 away from the home; and 1-17 WHEREAS, A small frame house was purchased and cleaned by 1-18 volunteers, and the center was named for Mary McLeod Bethune, a 1-19 black educator who founded Bethune-Cookman College, a girls' 1-20 school in Florida; a well-known leader among educators, 1-21 Mrs. Bethune worked as a coordinator for Negro Youth of America, 1-22 helped form the National Council of Negro Women, and became an 1-23 advisor to three presidents; and 2-1 WHEREAS, Mary McLeod Bethune Day Nursery was incorporated 2-2 on February 9, 1942, and an 18-member board of directors was 2-3 established; with donations of money, food, and milk from churches, 2-4 clubs, and concerned citizens, volunteers began helping to care for 2-5 the children; on a regular basis, free physical examinations for the 2-6 children were given; and 2-7 WHEREAS, As enrollment increased, the need for additional 2-8 funds became necessary, and in January, 1943, Bethune Day Nursery 2-9 became one of the first participating agencies of the Community 2-10 Chest; the Texas Department of Welfare granted additional funding 2-11 in 1953 for the 64 children ranging in age from two to six years; 2-12 and 2-13 WHEREAS, With the assistance of the Uptown Kiwanis Club, a 2-14 second house was purchased next door to the center to care for more 2-15 children; an extension was opened in 1970 when the Corpus Christi 2-16 Housing Authority contributed a retired army barracks, doubling the 2-17 number of children who could be enrolled; and 2-18 WHEREAS, A successful Capitol Fund Drive in 1981 made possible 2-19 a new facility to replace the original school; a second drive in 2-20 1988 provided funds to replace the old World War II army barracks; 2-21 and 2-22 WHEREAS, The generosity of individuals, foundations, 2-23 corporations, clubs, organizations, and the City of Corpus Christi 2-24 Community Development Block Grant funds made possible a new building 2-25 to house 92 infants and toddlers in 1991; and 3-1 WHEREAS, The citizens of Corpus Christi are to be commended 3-2 for providing the working parents of their city with such an 3-3 outstanding nursery; the facility has made it possible for more 3-4 families to continue their education and to obtain jobs in order 3-5 to improve their standard of living; now, therefore, be 3-6 it 3-7 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-8 75th Legislature, hereby express its appreciation to the 3-9 Mary McLeod Bethune Day Nursery, Incorporated, and extend best 3-10 wishes for a most enjoyable 55th anniversary celebration; and, 3-11 be it further 3-12 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as a 3-13 memento of this special occasion. 3-14 Truan 3-15 Armbrister Galloway Ogden 3-16 Barrientos Harris Patterson 3-17 Bivins Haywood Ratliff 3-18 Brown Lindsay Shapiro 3-19 Cain Lucio Shapleigh 3-20 Carona Luna Sibley 3-21 Duncan Madla Wentworth 3-22 Ellis Moncrief West 3-23 Fraser Nelson Whitmire 3-24 Gallegos Nixon Zaffirini 3-25 Bullock, President of the Senate 3-26 ______________________________________ 3-27 President of the Senate 3-28 I hereby certify that the above 3-29 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-30 on April 24, 1997. 3-31 ______________________________________ 3-32 Secretary of the Senate 3-33 ______________________________________ 3-34 Dean of the Senate