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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Students, faculty, and members of the |
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administration of Prairie View A&M University are visiting the |
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State Capitol on February 25, 2013, and this occasion provides a |
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fitting opportunity to pay tribute to the rich history and |
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continuing achievements of this notable institution; and |
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WHEREAS, Prairie View A&M University dates back to 1876, when |
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the 15th Texas Legislature established a school known as the "Alta |
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Vista Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas for Colored |
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Youth" during Reconstruction; the first students enrolled in 1878, |
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and a normal school for training teachers was created by the |
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legislature the following year; the normal school and the |
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agricultural and mechanical college were combined by the 20th |
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Legislature in 1887; and |
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WHEREAS, The institution expanded its curriculum to four |
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years in 1900 and began offering intercollegiate athletics in 1904; |
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the school won its first football game, against Wiley College, in |
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1907; a cooperative extension program was added in 1914 and the Army |
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Reserve Officer Training Corps followed in 1917; during the 1920s, |
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the school introduced the first baccalaureate degrees and a school |
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of nursing, took part in the organization of the Southwest Athletic |
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Conference, and also started hosting a branch of the University |
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Interscholastic League known as the Prairie View Interscholastic |
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League, which existed until the late 1960s; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1939, a graduate school was initiated at Prairie |
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View; the school began a program for commissioning U.S. Army |
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officers in 1944 and naval reserve officers in 1970; five |
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commissioned officers from the school's army training corps have |
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gone on to become three-star generals, and three officers from its |
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navy training corps have gone on to become admirals; and |
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WHEREAS, Voters approved a state constitutional amendment in |
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1984 that recognized Prairie View A&M as a university of the first |
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class and restructured the state's Permanent University Fund to |
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include Prairie View as a beneficiary; in addition, the legislature |
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established the Texas Institute for the Preservation of History and |
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Culture at Prairie View in 1999; the school launched its first |
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doctoral program, in juvenile justice, and has since added others |
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in electrical engineering, juvenile forensic psychology, and |
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education leadership; and |
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WHEREAS, Now under the leadership of president Dr. George C. |
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Wright, the university has an enrollment of over 8,000 students, |
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including more than 2,000 graduate students; and |
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WHEREAS, On March 11, 2013, Prairie View A&M will observe the |
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137th anniversary of its founding; it has been providing its |
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students with a solid foundation for achievement for more than a |
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century, and in so doing, it has contributed immeasurably to the |
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fascinating history and ongoing prosperity of the Lone Star State; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Prairie View A&M University on the |
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occasion of its 137th anniversary and extend to the delegation |
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visiting today sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable |
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trip to the State Capitol; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the university as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |