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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 637
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In Memory |
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of |
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William Charles Akins |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the |
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citizens of Austin in mourning the loss of William Charles Akins, |
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a beloved member of the community, who died March 29, 2017, at the |
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age of 84; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of East Austin, Charles Akins was born on |
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November 9, 1932; he attended Blackshear Elementary School and |
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Kealing Junior High School, and he was a graduate of the original |
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L. C. Anderson High School on Pennsylvania Street; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Akins studied history and English at |
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Huston-Tillotson College and earned a bachelor's degree in 1954; |
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he later earned a master's degree from Prairie View A&M |
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University, and in 1982, Huston-Tillotson University awarded him |
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an honorary doctorate of humane letters; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Akins began his career as an educator in |
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Marlin, Texas, and he returned to Austin in 1959 to begin |
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teaching at L. C. Anderson High School on Thompson Street, where |
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he was named Teacher of the Year in 1962; when the Austin |
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Independent School District began the process of integrating |
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schools, he transferred to Johnston High School, where he served |
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as the first crossover teacher in the district; he served as |
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assistant principal at Anderson High School and at Lanier High |
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School, and he continued to play an instrumental role in the |
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district's desegregation initiatives; he spent his last nine |
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years of in-school service as principal of the new L. C. Anderson |
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High School on Mesa Drive, and he was promoted to the position of |
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assistant superintendant and later associate superintendent of |
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community relations for the district in 1994; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Akins retired after 44 years in education, and |
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he stayed connected to his field as a board member for the Region |
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13 Education Service Center and other educational organizations; |
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in 2000, the Austin Independent School District honored his |
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impressive career and legacy in the city with the opening of W. |
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Charles Akins High School; and |
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WHEREAS, Charles Akins was a distinguished civic leader |
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who received numerous awards over the years for his contributions |
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to his profession and his community; in addition to being a |
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pioneer in education, he also created inroads into media when he |
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became the first African American television sportscaster in |
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Austin at KLRU; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of deep spiritual devotion, he served the |
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Wesley United Methodist Church in numerous capacities, including |
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as a delegate to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences for |
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the United Methodist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Charles Akins was a devoted husband, father, and |
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grandfather and a treasured citizen of the Lone Star State, and |
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he leaves behind memories that will long be cherished by all who |
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were privileged to share in his life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of William Charles Akins; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Charles Akins. |
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Watson |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on April 18, 2017, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |