By: Ellis S.R. No. 163
1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION
1-2 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
1-3 salute the Honorable Wilhelmina Delco who has recently retired
1-4 from the Texas House of Representatives after a superlative career
1-5 of public service that encompassed 10 terms; and
1-6 WHEREAS, She graduated from Wendell Phillips High School in
1-7 Chicago where she was Student Body President and was a member of
1-8 the National Honor Society; she earned her bachelor of arts degree
1-9 from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee; and
1-10 WHEREAS, Possessed with an abiding commitment to education,
1-11 she became a member of the Austin Independent School District Board
1-12 of Trustees in 1968; she was Secretary of the Board from 1972 to
1-13 1974; in addition, she was on the founding Board of Trustees for
1-14 Austin Community College and served as Secretary of that board from
1-15 1973 to 1974; and
1-16 WHEREAS, She began her outstanding legislative career in
1-17 November, 1974, when she became the first African-American official
1-18 elected at-large from Travis County; and
1-19 WHEREAS, During her legislative tenure, Mrs. Delco served
1-20 on many committees and has become a recognized expert in the field
1-21 of higher education; a member of the Interim Committee to Study
1-22 Alternatives for Public School Finance, she served as the Vice-Chair
1-23 for the Joint Committee on Higher Education and as the Chair of the
2-1 Subcommittee on Curriculum Reform and the Subcommittee on Special
2-2 School Populations; and
2-3 WHEREAS, An outstanding role model for young people, she
2-4 was appointed Chair of the House Higher Education Committee in 1979,
2-5 and she served in that capacity until her appointment as Speaker
2-6 Pro Tempore in 1991; she was the first woman and the second person
2-7 of African-American heritage to serve in this post in the
2-8 Texas House of Representatives; and
2-9 WHEREAS, For her devotion to education, her vision, and her
2-10 achievements, Representative Delco has received honorary doctoral
2-11 degrees from eight different institutions of higher education; and
2-12 WHEREAS, A resident of Austin, Texas, she is a member of
2-13 Holy Cross Catholic Church and is married to Dr. Exalton Delco;
2-14 they are the proud parents of four children and loving grandparents
2-15 of eight grandchildren; and
2-16 WHEREAS, Representative Delco has served her community
2-17 through her work with the Austin American-Statesman Scholarship
2-18 Committee for the United Negro College Fund and as the Chair of
2-19 Education for the Huston-Tillotson College Board of Directors; and
2-20 WHEREAS, Invariably willing to give of her time and
2-21 talents to numerous worthy organizations, Representative Delco has
2-22 repeatedly been honored with awards during her lifetime of public
2-23 service; she was named to receive the 1990 Distinguished State
2-24 Leadership in Higher Education Award of the American Association
2-25 of State Colleges and Universities, the Austin's Most Distinguished
3-1 Political Female Achievement Award by the Austin Metropolitan
3-2 Business Resource Center, and the Award for Most Outstanding
3-3 Legislator for a Lifetime of Dedication to All Children bestowed
3-4 by the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers; and
3-5 WHEREAS, In all her activities, Representative Delco has
3-6 always given 100 percent of her care, intelligence, warmth, and
3-7 abilities; Texas is indeed fortunate to count this justly honored
3-8 gentlewoman among its citizens; now, therefore, be it
3-9 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
3-10 74th Legislature, hereby commend and applaud the career of service
3-11 of Representative Wilhelmina Delco to the citizens of Texas and
3-12 extend to her best wishes in her new career on the national level;
3-13 and, be it further
3-14 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for her
3-15 as an expression of the high esteem of the Texas Senate.
3-16 ______________________________________
3-17 President of the Senate
3-18 I hereby certify that the above
3-19 Resolution was adopted by the Senate
3-20 on February 7, 1995.
3-21 ______________________________________
3-22 Secretary of the Senate
3-23 ______________________________________
3-24 Member, Texas Senate