| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
| |
|
|
WHEREAS, Former students and staff of the G. B. Bennett |
|
|
School in Buffalo are gathering together on June 17, 2017, for their |
|
|
biennial reunion and banquet; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The G. B. Bennett School traces its roots back to |
|
|
July 3, 1939, when the Buffalo Independent School District Board of |
|
|
Trustees decided to apply to the Works Progress Administration for |
|
|
funds to build a public school for local African American students; |
|
|
construction began on a site secured from the Negro Baptist |
|
|
Association, and the facility, named in honor of the Reverend G. B. |
|
|
Bennett, pastor of New St. Holland Baptist Church, opened its doors |
|
|
in 1942; following the integration of Buffalo ISD, the school was |
|
|
permanently closed in 1969, after 27 years of operation; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The 2017 G. B. Bennett School alumni banquet offers |
|
|
former Bulldogs a welcome opportunity to reflect on the knowledge |
|
|
and skills they acquired as students, as well as on their fond |
|
|
memories of Bennett's many extracurricular activities and events, |
|
|
which included basketball games, May Day festivities, socials held |
|
|
in the auditorium, and plays staged at the beginning and end of each |
|
|
school year; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Receiving special recognition at this year's |
|
|
reunion are the school's five surviving faculty members and staff: |
|
|
fifth- and sixth-grade teacher Ralph Cormier; fourth- through |
|
|
sixth-grade teacher Margaret Heggins; music teacher Bobbye |
|
|
Bullock; homemaking and language arts teacher Birdene Perry; and |
|
|
teacher's aide Lillie West; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, During the nearly three decades that it was open, |
|
|
the G. B. Bennett School gave numerous area youth a strong academic |
|
|
foundation on which to build, and in so doing, it had a positive and |
|
|
lasting impact on the Buffalo community; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby commemorate the 2017 G. B. Bennett School |
|
|
reunion and extend to all those in attendance sincere best wishes |
|
|
for a meaningful and memorable event. |
| |
|
|
Ashby |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 36 was adopted by the House on |
|
|
February 23, 2017, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |