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