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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Wiley College debate team of Marshall won the |
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2014 Pi Kappa Delta Comprehensive National Tournament in March, and |
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this achievement indeed merits special recognition; and |
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WHEREAS, Composed of 23 first- and second-year students, the |
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team competed with the best debaters from 80 colleges and |
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universities at the largest Pi Kappa Delta tournament ever held; |
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after the winning totals were calculated, Wiley College emerged on |
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top with 60 awards; this was an impressive finish to a season that |
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included 373 tournament wins and several exhibition debates; and |
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WHEREAS, The Wiley College debate team has grown out of a rich |
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and storied past; the historically black college was founded in |
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1873 and is one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River; the |
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original debate team, which formed when Coach Melvin B. Tolson came |
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to the college in 1924, was not allowed to join Pi Kappa Delta, the |
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national forensics fraternity; nonetheless, they continued to |
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compete and in 1935 won a debate against the University of Southern |
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California, that year's Pi Kappa Delta national champions; and |
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WHEREAS, After Coach Tolson left the college in 1947, the |
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debate team disbanded; 60 years later, interest was revived when |
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Denzel Washington directed and acted in The Great Debaters, which |
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brought the drama of the 1935 debate team to the silver screen; |
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Mr. Washington later donated $1 million to Wiley College, and the |
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school's debate team was reestablished and named the Melvin B. |
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Tolson/Denzel Washington Forensics Society; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the guidance of Coach Chris Medina, the 2014 |
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team truly earned the title of "The Great Debaters" over the course |
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of their notable season, which also included winning the tournament |
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at the Junior Varsity National Championships; they dedicated their |
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Pi Kappa Delta victory to Coach Tolson's teams from 1924 to 1947; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The talented young men and women of the Wiley |
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College 2014 debate team have demonstrated outstanding skill and |
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dedication, and they are a source of great pride to their families |
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and school; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Wiley College debate team on |
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winning the 2014 Pi Kappa Delta Comprehensive National Tournament |
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and extend to the members and Coach Medina sincere best wishes for |
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the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Paddie |
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Anderson of Dallas |
Hernandez |
Phillips |
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Anderson of McLennan |
Herrero |
Pickett |
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Bonnen of Brazoria |
Johnson |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
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Bonnen of Galveston |
Kacal |
Rodriguez of Travis |
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Burkett |
Keffer |
Romero, Jr. |
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Burrows |
King of Hemphill |
Sanford |
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Button |
King of Parker |
Schaefer |
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Canales |
King of Taylor |
Schofield |
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Capriglione |
King of Uvalde |
Schubert |
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Craddick |
Landgraf |
Simpson |
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Cyrier |
Laubenberg |
Smithee |
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Davis of Dallas |
Lozano |
Stephenson |
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Davis of Harris |
Lucio III |
Stickland |
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Deshotel |
Márquez |
Thompson of Brazoria |
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Dukes |
Martinez |
Thompson of Harris |
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Dutton |
Martinez Fischer |
Tinderholt |
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Elkins |
McClendon |
Turner of Collin |
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Faircloth |
Metcalf |
Turner of Harris |
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Fallon |
Meyer |
Turner of Tarrant |
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Farney |
Miller of Comal |
Villalba |
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Farrar |
Miller of Fort Bend |
Vo |
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Flynn |
Morrison |
White of Bell |
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Frank |
Muñoz, Jr. |
White of Tyler |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1609 was adopted by the House on April |
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23, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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