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