H.R. No. 1609
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Wiley College debate team of Marshall won the
2014 Pi Kappa Delta Comprehensive National Tournament in March, and
this achievement indeed merits special recognition; and
WHEREAS, Composed of 23 first- and second-year students, the
team competed with the best debaters from 80 colleges and
universities at the largest Pi Kappa Delta tournament ever held;
after the winning totals were calculated, Wiley College emerged on
top with 60 awards; this was an impressive finish to a season that
included 373 tournament wins and several exhibition debates; and
WHEREAS, The Wiley College debate team has grown out of a rich
and storied past; the historically black college was founded in
1873 and is one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River; the
original debate team, which formed when Coach Melvin B. Tolson came
to the college in 1924, was not allowed to join Pi Kappa Delta, the
national forensics fraternity; nonetheless, they continued to
compete and in 1935 won a debate against the University of Southern
California, that year's Pi Kappa Delta national champions; and
WHEREAS, After Coach Tolson left the college in 1947, the
debate team disbanded; 60 years later, interest was revived when
Denzel Washington directed and acted in The Great Debaters, which
brought the drama of the 1935 debate team to the silver screen;
Mr. Washington later donated $1 million to Wiley College, and the
school's debate team was reestablished and named the Melvin B.
Tolson/Denzel Washington Forensics Society; and
WHEREAS, Under the guidance of Coach Chris Medina, the 2014
team truly earned the title of "The Great Debaters" over the course
of their notable season, which also included winning the tournament
at the Junior Varsity National Championships; they dedicated their
Pi Kappa Delta victory to Coach Tolson's teams from 1924 to 1947;
and
WHEREAS, The talented young men and women of the Wiley
College 2014 debate team have demonstrated outstanding skill and
dedication, and they are a source of great pride to their families
and school; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate the Wiley College debate team on
winning the 2014 Pi Kappa Delta Comprehensive National Tournament
and extend to the members and Coach Medina sincere best wishes for
the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.
Paddie
Straus González Paddie Straus González Paddie
Straus González Paddie
Allen Guerra Parker Allen Guerra Parker
Allen Guerra Parker
Alonzo Guillen Paul Alonzo Guillen Paul
Alonzo Guillen Paul
Alvarado Gutierrez Peña Alvarado Gutierrez Peña
Alvarado Gutierrez Peña
Anchia Harless Phelan Anchia Harless Phelan
Anchia Harless Phelan
Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phillips Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phillips
Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phillips
Anderson of McLennan Herrero Pickett Anderson of McLennan Herrero Pickett
Anderson of McLennan Herrero Pickett
Ashby Howard Price Ashby Howard Price
Ashby Howard Price
Aycock Huberty Raney Aycock Huberty Raney
Aycock Huberty Raney
Bell Hughes Raymond Bell Hughes Raymond
Bell Hughes Raymond
Bernal Hunter Reynolds Bernal Hunter Reynolds
Bernal Hunter Reynolds
Blanco Isaac Riddle Blanco Isaac Riddle
Blanco Isaac Riddle
Bohac Israel Rinaldi Bohac Israel Rinaldi
Bohac Israel Rinaldi
Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rodriguez of Bexar
Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rodriguez of Bexar
Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Travis
Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Travis
Burkett Keffer Romero, Jr. Burkett Keffer Romero, Jr.
Burkett Keffer Romero, Jr.
Burns Keough Rose Burns Keough Rose
Burns Keough Rose
Burrows King of Hemphill Sanford Burrows King of Hemphill Sanford
Burrows King of Hemphill Sanford
Button King of Parker Schaefer Button King of Parker Schaefer
Button King of Parker Schaefer
Canales King of Taylor Schofield Canales King of Taylor Schofield
Canales King of Taylor Schofield
Capriglione King of Uvalde Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Schubert
Capriglione King of Uvalde Schubert
Clardy Klick Shaheen Clardy Klick Shaheen
Clardy Klick Shaheen
Coleman Koop Sheets Coleman Koop Sheets
Coleman Koop Sheets
Collier Krause Sheffield Collier Krause Sheffield
Collier Krause Sheffield
Cook Kuempel Simmons Cook Kuempel Simmons
Cook Kuempel Simmons
Craddick Landgraf Simpson Craddick Landgraf Simpson
Craddick Landgraf Simpson
Crownover Larson Smith Crownover Larson Smith
Crownover Larson Smith
Cyrier Laubenberg Smithee Cyrier Laubenberg Smithee
Cyrier Laubenberg Smithee
Dale Leach Spitzer Dale Leach Spitzer
Dale Leach Spitzer
Darby Longoria Springer Darby Longoria Springer
Darby Longoria Springer
Davis of Dallas Lozano Stephenson Davis of Dallas Lozano Stephenson
Davis of Dallas Lozano Stephenson
Davis of Harris Lucio III Stickland Davis of Harris Lucio III Stickland
Davis of Harris Lucio III Stickland
Deshotel Márquez Thompson of Brazoria Deshotel Márquez Thompson of Brazoria
Deshotel Márquez Thompson of Brazoria
Dukes Martinez Thompson of Harris Dukes Martinez Thompson of Harris
Dukes Martinez Thompson of Harris
Dutton Martinez Fischer Tinderholt Dutton Martinez Fischer Tinderholt
Dutton Martinez Fischer Tinderholt
Elkins McClendon Turner of Collin Elkins McClendon Turner of Collin
Elkins McClendon Turner of Collin
Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Harris Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Harris
Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Harris
Fallon Meyer Turner of Tarrant Fallon Meyer Turner of Tarrant
Fallon Meyer Turner of Tarrant
Farias Miles VanDeaver Farias Miles VanDeaver
Farias Miles VanDeaver
Farney Miller of Comal Villalba Farney Miller of Comal Villalba
Farney Miller of Comal Villalba
Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Vo Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Fletcher Moody Walle Fletcher Moody Walle
Fletcher Moody Walle
Flynn Morrison White of Bell Flynn Morrison White of Bell
Flynn Morrison White of Bell
Frank Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Frank Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
Frank Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
Frullo Murphy Workman Frullo Murphy Workman
Frullo Murphy Workman
Galindo Murr Wray Galindo Murr Wray
Galindo Murr Wray
Geren Naishtat Wu Geren Naishtat Wu
Geren Naishtat Wu
Giddings Nevárez Zedler Giddings Nevárez Zedler
Giddings Nevárez Zedler
Goldman Oliveira Zerwas Goldman Oliveira Zerwas
Goldman Oliveira Zerwas
Gonzales Otto Gonzales Otto
Gonzales Otto
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1609 was adopted by the House on April
23, 2015, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus González Paddie
Allen Guerra Parker
Alonzo Guillen Paul
Alvarado Gutierrez Peña
Anchia Harless Phelan
Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phillips
Anderson of McLennan Herrero Pickett
Ashby Howard Price
Aycock Huberty Raney
Bell Hughes Raymond
Bernal Hunter Reynolds
Blanco Isaac Riddle
Bohac Israel Rinaldi
Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rodriguez of Bexar
Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Travis
Burkett Keffer Romero, Jr.
Burns Keough Rose
Burrows King of Hemphill Sanford
Button King of Parker Schaefer
Canales King of Taylor Schofield
Capriglione King of Uvalde Schubert
Clardy Klick Shaheen
Coleman Koop Sheets
Collier Krause Sheffield
Cook Kuempel Simmons
Craddick Landgraf Simpson
Crownover Larson Smith
Cyrier Laubenberg Smithee
Dale Leach Spitzer
Darby Longoria Springer
Davis of Dallas Lozano Stephenson
Davis of Harris Lucio III Stickland
Deshotel Márquez Thompson of Brazoria
Dukes Martinez Thompson of Harris
Dutton Martinez Fischer Tinderholt
Elkins McClendon Turner of Collin
Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Harris
Fallon Meyer Turner of Tarrant
Farias Miles VanDeaver
Farney Miller of Comal Villalba
Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Vo
Fletcher Moody Walle
Flynn Morrison White of Bell
Frank Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
Frullo Murphy Workman
Galindo Murr Wray
Geren Naishtat Wu
Giddings Nevárez Zedler
Goldman Oliveira Zerwas
Gonzales Otto