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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 946
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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recognize the Van Independent School District on the occasion of |
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the official Texas Historical Marker dedication ceremony in |
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honor of Swindall School, Van Common School, and Van High School; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Historical Commission honors those |
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places and institutions that have had historical significance to |
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the community and state; the Van Independent School District is |
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now celebrating 131 years of continuous service in the field of |
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education; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1880, the area now known as Van consisted of |
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scattered farm houses and a general store; recognizing the need |
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for a school, George W. Swindall donated one acre for the |
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establishment of a community school, which then came to bear his |
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name, as did the community; the Van school district was |
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officially established in 1903 and contained two schools, |
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Swindall School and Spring Hill School; and |
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WHEREAS, At the end of the 1915-1916 school year, Swindall |
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and Spring Hill Schools were closed in order to establish a |
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larger school that would be built between the two; in 1916, the |
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two schools were consolidated to form Van Common School; the |
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school opened with 95 students and four teachers; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1929, the discovery of the Van Oil Field led to |
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changes in the community, and the need for the expansion of area |
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schools was clear; in the summer of 1930, a gymnasium was built |
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and was used as a temporary high school, and after approval of a |
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bond, a brick elementary school and a brick high school were |
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ready for use at the start of the 1931-1932 school year; in 1935, |
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Van High School was the first school in the county to have |
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electric lights installed on its football field; later, during |
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World War II, the school had a lookout station to document |
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airplane flights over Van and offered a variety of classes to |
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women and the oil workers in the community; another major |
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building program for the schools was carried out during the war |
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and completed in 1947; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd |
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Legislature, hereby extend congratulations to all who are a part |
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of the Van Independent School District on the occasion of the |
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official Texas Historical Marker dedication in honor of Swindall |
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School, Van Common School, and Van High School; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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honor of this ceremony and the Van Independent School District. |
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Deuell |
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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 May 10, 2011. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |