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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. |