By Krusee                                              H.R. No. 725
         76R7999 JBR-F                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is pleased to
 1-2     join with the Taylor High School Ex-Students Association to honor
 1-3     Miss Ruth Mantor, one of the most memorable teachers in the history
 1-4     of Taylor High School; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, A teacher of English and journalism at Taylor High
 1-6     School until her retirement in 1971, Miss Mantor was the beloved
 1-7     instructor of several generations of students who attended the high
 1-8     school; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, A member of a pioneering family that moved to Taylor
1-10     in 1900, Miss Mantor was born in the family home in 1907; her
1-11     parents were both well educated, and her father was an attorney
1-12     with a local law practice; she grew up in a family made lively by
1-13     the presence of six children; and
1-14           WHEREAS, When Ruth Mantor was 16, she graduated from Taylor
1-15     High School; she attended The University of Texas and earned her
1-16     bachelor of science degree in education in 1927, her master's
1-17     degree in education in 1938, and her master of arts degree in 1948;
1-18     and
1-19           WHEREAS, Miss Mantor began her teaching career in Texarkana,
1-20     but in 1936 she moved back home, where she taught, except for a
1-21     time in the 1940s, until she retired in 1971; and
1-22           WHEREAS, Upon her retirement, this distinguished lady had
1-23     spent 38 years in teaching, with 32 of those years in Taylor; she
1-24     had been chairman of the English department, and she continually
 2-1     amazed her colleagues with her extensive knowledge and her
 2-2     dedication; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Many honors have been conferred on Miss Mantor
 2-4     throughout the years; in the 1968-1969 school year she was named
 2-5     Teacher of the Year, and under her expert guidance the school
 2-6     paper, the "Cotton Boll," frequently won awards; in 1986, the
 2-7     Taylor Middle School National Junior Honor Society proclaimed Ruth
 2-8     Mantor Day to raise funds for the Ruth Mantor Scholarship, which is
 2-9     given annually to a senior from Taylor High School who wants to
2-10     teach; and
2-11           WHEREAS, Named Taylor's Citizen of the Year in May 1994, Miss
2-12     Mantor was inducted into the Taylor High School Ex-Students
2-13     Association Hall of Fame in October 1994 for her lifetime
2-14     achievements; and
2-15           WHEREAS, While teaching, she was a member of the Texas State
2-16     Teachers Association, the Texas Classroom Teachers Association, and
2-17     the National Education Association; and
2-18           WHEREAS, Well known as an exacting taskmaster, Miss Mantor
2-19     pressed her students to do their very best and would accept no less
2-20     from them; she taught them discipline and self-respect; and
2-21           WHEREAS, Still active in her community, Miss Mantor
2-22     researched and wrote "Our Town:  Taylor"; a lifetime member of the
2-23     Johns Community Hospital Auxiliary, she has been a driving force on
2-24     the Taylor Library Board, has been active in the Williamson County
2-25     Historical Commission and the Taylor Heritage Society, and was
2-26     instrumental in organizing the Keep Taylor Beautiful Committee;
2-27     truly such a woman is a wonderful resource; now, therefore, be it
 3-1           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
 3-2     Legislature hereby declare Miss Ruth Mantor a Living Texas Treasure
 3-3     and honor her for her countless contributions to the people of
 3-4     Taylor and of Texas; and, be it further
 3-5           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 3-6     prepared for Miss Mantor as an expression of high regard from the
 3-7     Texas House of Representatives.