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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 529
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WHEREAS, November 12, 2006, was the centennial of the |
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employment of William C. Stallings as the first educator in the |
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nation to serve a single county in the role of cooperative |
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extension agent; the county in which he was hired was |
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Smith County, Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The creation of the position of county |
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cooperative extension agent came about from the farming |
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demonstrations conducted in 1903 by Dr. Seaman A. Knapp, |
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United States Department of Agriculture special agent for the |
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promotion of agriculture in the South, and by Walter C. Porter on |
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the Porter Farm in Kaufman County, Texas; through their expertise |
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and communication skills, the men were highly effective in |
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teaching fellow citizens how to improve their farming |
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techniques, and thus, their quality of life; and |
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WHEREAS, Their achievements and similar successes of that |
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era led to the Federal Smith-Lever Act of 1914, which authorized |
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the establishment of a national Cooperative Extension System |
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funded through a partnership between federal, state, and local |
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governments; and |
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WHEREAS, The system includes the Texas Cooperative |
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Extension and the Cooperative Extension Program of Prairie View |
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A&M University, both part of The Texas A&M University System; the |
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outreach educators and trained volunteers of these organizations |
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work together to serve all 254 counties in the State of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The educators include county extension agents and |
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extension specialists who develop unbiased educational and |
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technology-transfer programs in response to various issues in |
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the areas of agriculture and natural resources, 4-H and Youth |
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Development, family and consumer sciences, and community |
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resources and economic development; and |
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WHEREAS, The programs they develop are founded on the |
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scientific research of higher education institutions and |
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agencies and provide knowledge and practical lessons for |
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self-improvement and community problem-solving; and |
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WHEREAS, The extension agency programs are as important |
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and effective now as in their early beginnings, as extension |
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educators and those who support them have remained committed to |
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their purpose, which is the delivery of quality, relevant |
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educational programs to enhance the quality of life and meet the |
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needs of the people of the State of Texas; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, |
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80th Legislature, hereby commend the personnel of the Texas |
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Cooperative Extension and the Prairie View A&M University |
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Cooperative Extension Program for their substantial |
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contributions to the advancement and well-being of this state; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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their honor and as an expression of high regard from the |
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Texas Senate. |
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Eltife, Hegar |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on March 21, 2007. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |