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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Students and alumni of Phillis Wheatley High School |
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in Houston are joining together to commemorate the 80th anniversary |
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of the establishment of this notable school during a three-day |
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celebration from November 8 through November 11, 2007; and |
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WHEREAS, Established in the old McGowan Elementary School |
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building in Houston's Fifth Ward on January 31, 1927, the school was |
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named in honor of poet Phillis Wheatley, the first African American |
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woman to publish a volume of poetry in America, and it was |
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originally led by principal E. O. Smith, who carefully selected the |
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school's initial faculty members; and |
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WHEREAS, Located on Lyons Avenue until 1950, Phillis Wheatley |
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Senior High School was moved to its present site on Market Street |
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and rededicated in September of that year with principal John E. |
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Codwell at the helm; the school has subsequently benefited from the |
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visionary leadership of principals William Moore, A. C. Herald, |
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Jr., Charles Herbert, Forest Henry, Jr., Eddie Orum, Harold |
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Crawford, Horace Williams, and Bruce Goffney and current principal |
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Wiley Johnson; and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, many of the school's graduates |
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have had a positive and profound impact in their various fields of |
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endeavor, and the celebration of this landmark anniversary provides |
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an ideal opportunity to pay tribute to the school's graduates and to |
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the dedicated educators who inspired them to achieve their full |
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potential; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 80th anniversary of Phillis |
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Wheatley High School and extend best wishes to all those in |
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attendance at the 2007 anniversary celebration; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the school as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |