By Telford                                           H.C.R. No. 121
         77R5853 MW-D                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, The family and friends of William C. "Billy"
 1-2     Wooldridge of Longview were deeply saddened by the passing of this
 1-3     esteemed individual on November 30, 2000, at the age of 84; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Born on October 2, 1916, Mr. Wooldridge attended
 1-5     public schools in Lamar County and Paris Junior College, where he
 1-6     received an associate's degree in 1936; he then studied at East
 1-7     Texas State University (ETSU) and earned both bachelor's and
 1-8     master's degrees; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, Answering his country's call to duty, he served as a
1-10     lieutenant in the United States armed services counterintelligence
1-11     during World War II; and
1-12           WHEREAS, Mr. Wooldridge  had a distinguished career in public
1-13     education; he was a teacher and principal at Chicota High School,
1-14     county school superintendent of Lamar County, and superintendent of
1-15     schools in DeKalb; in 1973, he became superintendent of schools in
1-16     Hallsville, where he served until his retirement in 1988; and
1-17           WHEREAS, Proclaimed by Senator Ed Howard to be the "Dean of
1-18     East Texas Superintendents," Mr. Wooldridge worked with Senator A.
1-19     M. Aiken of Paris  to devise the Texas School Act, which laid the
1-20     foundation for the public school system in Texas today; and
1-21           WHEREAS, He also served as a member of a number of worthy
1-22     organizations, including the Harrison County Central Appraisal
1-23     District, the UIL Music Executive Committee, and the Texas State
1-24     Teacher's Association (TSTA); in addition, he was active with Lions
 2-1     International, DeKalb United Methodist Church, and Hallsville
 2-2     United Methodist Church; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Mr. Wooldridge was president of the Ex-Students
 2-4     Association at ETSU, was on the board of directors of Lake
 2-5     Texarkana Water Supply, was director of the DeKalb Chapter of the
 2-6     American Businesswomen's Association, and served on the TSTA State
 2-7     Executive Committee and the DeKalb Industrial Foundation; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, His efforts and contributions were duly recognized
 2-9     with many accolades, including the 1987-1988 President's Award from
2-10     the Hallsville Chamber of Commerce, the Curriculum Leadership Award
2-11     for 1988, and the East Texas School Study Council Distinguished
2-12     Service Award in 1999; he also garnered the Regional Superintendent
2-13     of the Year Award of the Texas Association of School Boards in
2-14     1986, the TSTA District 8 Award of Honor in 1978, the community
2-15     service award from the John H. Moore American Legion Post in 1968,
2-16     and the Human Relations Award from TSTA District 8; and
2-17           WHEREAS, An educator of great stature whose influence deeply
2-18     affected so many young people in the Lone Star State,
2-19     Mr. Wooldridge was also a devoted civic leader and a loving husband
2-20     and father, and his spirit will undoubtedly live on in the hearts
2-21     of the many people he so deeply touched; now, therefore, be it
2-22           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-23     hereby pay tribute to the life of William C. "Billy" Wooldridge and
2-24     extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family:  to his wife,
2-25     Stella Irene Parsons Wooldridge; to his daughter, Patricia Carmack
2-26     and her husband, Robert; to his daughter, Vicki Summers and her
2-27     husband, Don; to his son, William Charles "Charley" Wooldridge and
 3-1     his wife, Kristin; to his grandchildren, David Summers, Melanie
 3-2     Wooldridge, and Rob Wooldridge; and to all his other family and
 3-3     friends; and, be it further
 3-4           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 3-5     prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
 3-6     Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory
 3-7     of William C. Wooldridge.