1-1                                     1
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 517
 1-3                                  In Memory
 1-4                                     of
 1-5                               Sonya Bemporad
 1-6           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the citizens
 1-7     of Dallas, Texas, in mourning the loss of Sonya Bemporad, leading
 1-8     child welfare advocate, who died recently at the age of 64; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, A Philadelphia native, Sonya earned her bachelor's
1-10     degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1959 and earned a
1-11     master's degree in child development with an emphasis in
1-12     psychology from Sarah Lawrence College; later a member of the
1-13     psychology faculty at Sarah Lawrence, she was head of the child
1-14     development laboratory; and
1-15           WHEREAS, Mrs. Bemporad moved to Dallas when her husband, Jack,
1-16     was selected to replace Rabbi Levi Olan at Temple Emanu-El in 1972;
1-17     she became executive director of Rhoads Terrace Institute of Early
1-18     Childhood Education, which later merged with the Child Care Group;
1-19     and
1-20           WHEREAS, Chief theoretician with the Child Care Group since
1-21     1976, Sonya Bemporad was the institution's senior vice president
1-22     at the time of her death; in the late 1970s, she designed the
1-23     group's well-known Relationship-Centered Child Care approach
1-24     that encourages a small family-like environment and interaction
 2-1     with one constant caregiver; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, Mrs. Bemporad believed that in order to give
 2-3     children a chance at success, they had to have truly fine care
 2-4     in their early years which was as much like mothering as
 2-5     possible; her beliefs and actions revolutionized child care; and
 2-6           WHEREAS, The Child Care Group was named among the top
 2-7     child-care providers in the country due to its highly successful
 2-8     child-care model in 1992 and 1998; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, Last year, the group founded the Sonya Bemporad Chair
2-10     for Relationship-Centered Child Care; and
2-11           WHEREAS, Mrs. Bemporad's plan called for children to be cared
2-12     for in mixed-age groups and for teachers to care for the same
2-13     children from infancy to age three or from age three to age five;
2-14     and
2-15           WHEREAS, Sonya Bemporad had served as a consultant for the
2-16     last 25 years to several child care associations, including the
2-17     Dallas County Child Welfare Agency and the Dallas County Mental
2-18     Health and Mental Retardation Agency; and
2-19           WHEREAS, A member of the American Association of Psychiatric
2-20     Services for Children, Sonya Bemporad was also a member of the
2-21     City of Dallas Health and Human Services Commission, and she was
2-22     the author of many articles on child welfare; and
2-23           WHEREAS, An exemplary and distinguished lady, she was
2-24     respected for her many accomplishments and was a leader in her
2-25     community; and
2-26           WHEREAS, Sonya Bemporad was a devoted wife, mother, and
 3-1     grandmother, and she leaves memories which will be treasured
 3-2     always by her family and many friends; now, therefore, be it
 3-3           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
 3-4     76th Legislature, hereby express sincere condolences to the
 3-5     family of Sonya Bemporad:  her sons, Henry Bemporad and
 3-6     Raphael Bemporad; her mother, Pauline Kaufmann; her sisters,
 3-7     Donna Feuer and Marie Feuer; her brother, Jeffrey Feuer; and
 3-8     her one grandchild; and, be it further
 3-9           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the
3-10     members of her family as an expression of deepest sympathy from
3-11     the Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it
3-12     do so in memory of Sonya Bemporad.
3-13                                                                   Ellis
3-14                                  ______________________________________
3-15                                         President of the Senate
3-16                                       I hereby certify that the above
3-17                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
3-18                                  on March 29, 1999, by a rising vote.
3-19                                  ______________________________________
3-20                                         Secretary of the Senate
3-21                                  ______________________________________
3-22                                           Member, Texas Senate