| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The 75th anniversary of the founding of Phillis |
|
|
Wheatley High School in San Antonio is being celebrated on February |
|
|
27, 2009, and this noteworthy milestone provides a welcome |
|
|
opportunity to pay tribute to the history of this landmark |
|
|
educational institution; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Phillis Wheatley High School was originally |
|
|
established in 1933 on the east side of San Antonio, and it was at |
|
|
that time the only area high school for African American students; |
|
|
the building closed its doors in 1970; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Numerous people protested the loss of the iconic |
|
|
school, and as a result, the campus previously known as |
|
|
Brackenridge High School was renamed Phillis Wheatley High School |
|
|
when that institution was rebuilt in the 1970s; meanwhile, the |
|
|
original Phillis Wheatley school building reopened as Emerson |
|
|
Middle School; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Interest in the historic home of the school |
|
|
increased after the Phillis Wheatley Alumni Association was formed |
|
|
in 1983 and began holding all-school reunions every two years; in |
|
|
1986, the Phillis Wheatley association joined forces with the |
|
|
Brackenridge Alumni Association to petition the board of the San |
|
|
Antonio Independent School District to restore the original names |
|
|
of the historic school buildings; ultimately, this plan was |
|
|
approved by the board, staff, and students, and Emerson Middle |
|
|
School, the original site of Phillis Wheatley High School, became |
|
|
Phillis Wheatley Middle School; in addition, the Brackenridge title |
|
|
was reapplied to the high school that had originally held that name; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Designated as an official landmark by the San |
|
|
Antonio Historical Society, the original Phillis Wheatley school |
|
|
building on Gabriel Street is a true piece of Texas history that |
|
|
continues its mission of preparing young people for the future, and |
|
|
the rich and significant heritage of this esteemed institution is |
|
|
indeed deserving of recognition; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby honor the 75th anniversary of the founding of |
|
|
Phillis Wheatley High School and extend best wishes to its alumni |
|
|
and to the current students and staff of the middle school; and, be |
|
|
it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for the school as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
|
House of Representatives. |