| |
|
|
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 131
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
|
|
recognize the Witte Museum of San Antonio on the grand occasion |
|
|
of its 85th anniversary; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WHEREAS, In the early 20th century, San Antonio lacked a |
|
|
public museum, and it was due to a small group of individuals that |
|
|
the city was finally blessed with what would become known as The |
|
|
Witte; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Inspired by a high school teacher named Ellen |
|
|
Schulz and several prominent clubwomen, including Lena |
|
|
McAllister and Ethel Tunstall Drought, who envisioned a public |
|
|
museum for all San Antonians, the community contributed $6,200 to |
|
|
purchase H. P. Attwater's large and renowned natural history |
|
|
collection and install it at Main Avenue High School in 1923; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, As the Attwater Collection grew in popularity and |
|
|
size, Ellen Schulz visited Mayor John Tobin to enlist the city's |
|
|
support for a larger, formal museum; in 1925, the city approved |
|
|
$25,000 for construction of a building for the museum, and ground |
|
|
was broken in San Pedro Park; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Two days after ground was broken, local |
|
|
businessman Alfred G. Witte died, and it was discovered that he |
|
|
had bequeathed $65,000 to the City of San Antonio for the |
|
|
construction of a museum of art, science, and natural history to |
|
|
be located in Brackenridge Park and named for his parents; due to |
|
|
his generous gift to the city, construction was halted at San |
|
|
Pedro Park within a few weeks and shifted to Brackenridge Park |
|
|
with an enlarged design; less than one year later, at a grand |
|
|
community celebration on October 8, 1926, the Witte Memorial |
|
|
Museum opened its doors to the public; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd |
|
|
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby extend congratulations |
|
|
and best wishes to all associated with the Witte Museum on the |
|
|
occasion of its 85th anniversary; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
|
|
honor of this special occasion. |
|
|
Van de Putte |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
|
President of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I hereby certify that the |
|
|
|
above Resolution was adopted by |
|
|
|
the Senate on June 28, 2011. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
________________________________ |
|
|
|
Member, Texas Senate |