By: Seliger S.C.R. No. 2

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Governor T. M. Campbell signed a bill on March 31, 1909, for the establishment of a normal college west of the 100th meridian; and

WHEREAS, Canyon was selected as the location for the new normal college on September 3, 1909, and a 40-acre tract was trimmed from the T-Anchor Ranch on November 4, 1909, as the site for the college; and

WHEREAS, Ground was broken on February 17, 1910, for the college's first building, and West Texas State Normal College opened on September 20, 1910, with an enrollment of 232 students; and

WHEREAS, On March 25, 1914, Old Main, the college's main facility, burned to the ground, and President R. B. Cousins declared, "If West Texas is nothing more than brick and mortar, it ought to die"; and

WHEREAS, On March 26, 1914, classes at West Texas Normal College were conducted in church buildings, the courthouse, and vacant businesses across the city of Canyon; and

WHEREAS, West Texas Normal College has been known as West Texas State Teachers College (1923-1949), West Texas State College (1949-1963), West Texas State University (1963-1990), and West Texas A&M University (1990 to present); and

WHEREAS, West Texas A&M University students have brought recognition to the university and the State of Texas with eight consecutive team triumphs at the National Reining Horse Association National Championship, Students in Free Enterprise advancing to the national level of competition for 13 consecutive years, and students in broadcasting winning the regional crown for the 11th consecutive year at the National Broadcasting Society Region 4 Convention and the 11th consecutive Model Chapter of the Year award at the National NBS Student Electronic Media Competition; and

WHEREAS, The school's symphonic band has appeared 12 times at the Texas Music Educators Association annual convention, making it the only university band in the state of Texas to make a record number of appearances at the annual event; and

WHEREAS, West Texas A&M University's student athletes have competed successfully in National Collegiate Athletic Association sports, in which the Lady Buff volleyball team has won three national championships, the football team is 4-0 in bowl games and has won four Lone Star Conference championships, and the Buff and Lady Buff basketball teams are on track to defend their 2007 Lone Star Conference titles; and

WHEREAS, West Texas A&M University has been instrumental in the region's economic, social, and cultural development over the past 100 years, with 50 percent of the working professionals living in the Texas Panhandle having earned their degrees from West Texas A&M University; and

WHEREAS, West Texas A&M University has provided educational opportunities for more than 100,000 individuals over the past 100 years and has more than 35,000 alumni working and living in the state of Texas; and

WHEREAS, West Texas A&M University has a full roster of graduates who have taken leadership roles here in the state of Texas and across the country including State Representative John Smithee, First Lady of Texas Anita Perry, former AT&T Wireless chief executive officer Stan Sigman, Mercury Morris of the Miami Dolphins, former player and head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers Maurice Cheeks and Microsoft general manager for premier and alliance support Joe Austin; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby commemorate the centennial of the establishment of West Texas A&M University and commend the school's administrators, faculty, staff, and students on their valuable contributions to the State of Texas; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared in honor of this special occasion.