R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The 1998-1999 academic year marks the 75th 1-2 anniversary of Lamar University, and this noteworthy occasion is 1-3 truly deserving of special recognition; and 1-4 WHEREAS, This venerable institution was founded in 1923 as 1-5 South Park Junior College and was later renamed Lamar College in 1-6 1932 in honor of Mirabeau B. Lamar, the second president of the 1-7 Republic of Texas and the "Father of Education" in the Lone Star 1-8 State; in 1942, the school relocated to its present-day location in 1-9 Beaumont, where nine years later it became the first junior college 1-10 in Texas to evolve into a four-year state-supported college; since 1-11 that time, it has continued to grow and thrive, and in 1971 the 1-12 school officially became Lamar University; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Today, the university is a dynamic educational, 1-14 scientific, engineering, business, and cultural resource center, 1-15 and through its three-fold mission of teaching, research, and 1-16 service, it serves as a comprehensive learning environment; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Lamar University is organized into the colleges of 1-18 Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Development, 1-19 Engineering, Fine Arts and Communication, and Graduate Studies; in 1-20 1990 the Lamar University Institute of Technology was established, 1-21 and in 1995 the Lamar University System further expanded by merging 1-22 with the Texas State University System, joining with several sister 1-23 institutions to better meet the diverse needs of its student 1-24 population; and 2-1 WHEREAS, For 75 years, Lamar University has been a scholastic 2-2 treasure, consistently providing its students with an exemplary 2-3 education, and it is most appropriate that we recognize it at this 2-4 time; now, therefore, be it 2-5 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas 2-6 Legislature hereby honor Lamar University on the significant 2-7 occasion of its 75th anniversary and extend to the school's 2-8 students, staff, faculty, and administrators sincere best wishes 2-9 for continued success; and, be it further 2-10 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-11 prepared for prominent display at Lamar University as an expression 2-12 of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Deshotel Ritter _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 509 was adopted by the House on March 24, 1999, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House