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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Since 1971, the Smithville Public Library has served |
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as a tremendous resource for the city's residents, allowing them |
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invaluable access to literature, the arts, and a wealth of |
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information on a wide range of subjects; and |
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WHEREAS, The establishment of the library was due in large |
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measure to the generosity and dedication of Clifton C. Carter and |
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his wife, Mary Jane Carter; the couple's love of Smithville, Mr. |
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Carter's hometown, inspired them to help found the library in order |
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to benefit the city's young people; and |
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WHEREAS, Clifton Crawford Carter was born in Smithville in |
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1918 and played football for Smithville High School, beginning his |
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lifelong enthusiasm for the Tiger athletic teams; he went on to play |
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at The University of Texas and also attended Schreiner University; |
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during World War II, he served his nation as a member of the armed |
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forces, seeing duty in the European Theater of Operations; and |
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WHEREAS, The former Mary Jane Garrett was born in 1919 in |
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Kerrville and now lives in Arlington, Virginia; in 1942, she |
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married Mr. Carter, and the couple raised five children, Kathleen, |
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Lyndon, Bill, Cindy, and Laurie; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Carter ran a soft drink business in Bryan for a |
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time and then became Lyndon B. Johnson's administrative assistant |
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in 1958; he went on to serve as a liaison to the Democratic National |
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Committee after LBJ became president; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Carter passed away in 1971, the same year that |
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the Smithville Public Library first opened its doors, but the |
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institution he and his wife helped establish has remained to become |
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a vital part of the community; and |
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WHEREAS, With the ever-growing importance of information to |
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our society, public libraries are more critical than ever; thanks |
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to the exceptional work of Clifton and Mary Jane Carter, Smithville |
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has an outstanding library that will continue to enrich the lives of |
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area citizens long into the future; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Mary Jane Carter and pay tribute to the |
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memory of Clifton C. Carter for the essential support that the |
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couple provided in the founding of the Smithville Public Library; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Carter as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |