SLS 19RS-3395 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 258
BY SENATORS CARTER AND PETERSON
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Virginia Johnson on her 100
th
birthday.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend Virginia Johnson on the occasion of her 100th birthday.
3 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that the citizens and the Senate of the Legislature
4 of Louisiana have learned that Virginia Johnson, a lifelong resident of the Carrollton area
5 of New Orleans, Louisiana will turn one hundred years old on June 14, 2019; and
6 WHEREAS, Virginia Johnson, the daughter of Pearl Hayes Johnson and James
7 Joseph Johnson, is the oldest child and only girl in the family; and
8 WHEREAS, she started elementary at James Weldon Johnson, but was so far ahead
9 of her class she transferred to McDonogh #24, and was only ten years old in the sixth grade,
10 she then went to Hoffman for junior high, and attended McDonogh #35 during high school
11 on Julia and Rampart Streets; and
12 WHEREAS, against her mother's wishes, Virginia Johnson joined the United States
13 Army in 1943 and served her state and her country for twenty-eight months; and
14 WHEREAS, she was sent to Des Moines, Iowa, where they were measured for
15 uniforms, had classes, and learned the rules and regulations, and it was determined if they
16 were strong enough to serve; what is now referred to as basic training; and
17 WHEREAS, she was a typist in the United States Army and stationed at
18 headquarters; she was Private First Class Johnson but was shortly promoted to a corporal,
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SLS 19RS-3395 ORIGINAL
1 who directed parade units; because she was the shortest one in the group, she had to help
2 keep the line straight, when they rounded a corner, she would keep them in step; this is why
3 the people of Des Moines always wanted them to be in the parades -- they kept a straight
4 line, so when they would have a parade Virginia was called out with that unit; and
5 WHEREAS, after her military service, Virginia Johnson attended and graduated from
6 Xavier University in 1950, with a bachelor of science degree; and
7 WHEREAS, she was a teacher at Carver High School for thirty-one years, teaching
8 general science, physics, and chemistry; she loved chemistry and got all of the students at
9 the school to take her chemistry classes; and
10 WHEREAS, while waiting for the Carver school to be built and for her assignment
11 there to begin, she worked at her church, St. Joan of Arc, helping to raise money to build the
12 new school with a group of elderly ladies; at that time she was the youngest one in the group,
13 walking all over the state of Louisiana getting donations; the school was completed in 1958
14 and was almost fully paid for; and
15 WHEREAS, she also worked at Charity Hospital as a dietician; she stated that she
16 worked right along with the other dieticians, "I had a floor I was responsible for and they had
17 theirs, and my work there opened the way for many other Xavier students".; and
18 WHEREAS, after her retirement, Johnson continued to work to support her church
19 parish, she taught religious education and was the cantor at the 4:00 pm Mass; and
20 WHEREAS, a group of women approached her who wanted to start a choir, and she
21 graciously welcomed them, although she wanted to continue to sing the Catholic hymns, the
22 group had other ideas and wanted a gospel group, so they "gospelized" the traditional
23 hymns"; although Johnson no longer sings with the choir, she is still active in the Ladies
24 Sodality group and enjoys the Sunday gospel Mass; and
25 WHEREAS, the strength of our communities in Louisiana and the overall vitality of
26 American society depend in great measure upon smart, brave, strong, and determined
27 trailblazers like Virginia Johnson; and
28 WHEREAS, it is most appropriate that a sincere and heartfelt measure of
29 commendation be extended to this remarkable and extraordinary woman and that her success
30 and years should be acknowledged, honored, and celebrated.
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SLS 19RS-3395 ORIGINAL
1 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
2 does hereby commend Virginia Johnson on the occasion of her 100th birthday celebration.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
4 Virginia Johnson.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Tammy Crain Waldrop.
DIGEST
SR 258 Original 2019 Regular Session Carter
Commends Virginia Johnson on her 100th birthday.
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