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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, St. Mary's Catholic School in West is celebrating |
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its 115th academic year in 2015, and this is a fitting opportunity |
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to commemorate this venerable institution's contributions to the |
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community; and |
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WHEREAS, St. Mary's Church of the Assumption was organized in |
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West in 1892; members of the congregation wanted to provide a |
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Catholic education for their children, so Father F. G. Sebik |
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arranged with Reverend Mother Florence of the Sisters of Divine |
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Providence in Castroville to have several nuns come to West and open |
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a school; and |
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WHEREAS, In October 1899, Sister Mary M. Pelagia and three |
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other nuns began teaching children of the parish in a small building |
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that included three classrooms as well as living quarters for the |
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sisters; many of the students lived too far away to walk to school |
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every day, so St. Mary's began to accept boarding students, and |
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enrollment grew so quickly that by 1909, the school was forced to |
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turn boarders away; and |
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WHEREAS, A brick schoolhouse, with six classrooms and an |
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auditorium, was constructed in 1917, and by 1928, seven nuns were |
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teaching at St. Mary's; over the years, the facility continued to |
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grow and develop as the enrollment and the staff increased, and new |
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extracurricular programs provided increasingly diverse activities |
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for the students; the school was accredited by the Texas Catholic |
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Conference in 1967; and |
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WHEREAS, Although the last Sister of Divine Providence left |
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the school in 1984, St. Mary's Catholic School remains a vital part |
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of the community; today, it serves more than 140 students from |
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prekindergarten through the eighth grade, helping them to reach |
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their highest potential spiritually, academically, physically, and |
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socially; and |
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WHEREAS, The ongoing commitment and mutual support of the |
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school's teachers, parents, and students ensure that the historic |
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tradition of Catholic education continues to thrive in West; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 115th academic year of |
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St. Mary's Catholic School and extend to the school's staff and |
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students sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for St. Mary's Catholic School as an expression of high |
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regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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Kacal |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2393 was adopted by the House on May |
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6, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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