R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, History remembers because there has been someone
 1-2     with a sure ear and quick hand to write it down; history, in its
 1-3     purest, most objective form has the court reporter to thank for the
 1-4     complete, uninterpreted record; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, In ancient times the recorder began this noble
 1-6     profession as a scribe, writing down the events of ancient Greece,
 1-7     Judea, Persia, and the Roman Empire; the first shorthand reporter
 1-8     on record has been identified as Marcus Tullius Tiro in 63 B.C.;
 1-9     Tiro became Cicero's secretary and used a metal stylus and
1-10     wax-covered tablets to record the speeches of Cato; and
1-11           WHEREAS, Many notable events have been witnessed and recorded
1-12     by shorthand reporters, such as the debates of the First Congress
1-13     of the United States, the Nuremburg Trials, the proceedings of the
1-14     Warren Commission, the Watergate hearings, the Lindbergh kidnaping
1-15     trials, and the death of Abraham Lincoln; and
1-16           WHEREAS, Charles Dickens, himself a parliamentary court
1-17     reporter, had his character David Copperfield observe that
1-18     shorthand "was about equal to the mastery of six languages"; and
1-19           WHEREAS, From stylus to computer, the history of court
1-20     reporting mirrors the history of civilization; much of what we know
1-21     of history is owed to the reporters of the time; now, therefore, be
1-22     it
1-23           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
1-24     Legislature hereby recognize February 5, 2001, as Court Reporter
 2-1     Day at the State Capitol and encourage all Texans to celebrate the
 2-2     contributions of the 3,097 certified court reporters in Texas.
                                                                      Brimer
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 205 was adopted by the House on
         February 5, 2001, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House