84R22829 RMA-D
By: Blanco H.R. No. 2389
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Radford School in El Paso is celebrating the 105th
anniversary of its opening in 2015; and
WHEREAS, Considered the oldest private school in the city,
Radford School was founded in 1910 as the El Paso School for Girls
by local businessmen and ranchers; in 1927, Dr. Lucinda de Leftwich
Templin, a native of Missouri, took the helm as principal; after
discovering that the school faced a substantial debt, she persuaded
her friends George A. and Julia Brown Radford to save it from
bankruptcy; the Radfords paid off the mortgage, saw to the
incorporation of the school, and remained generous benefactors over
the ensuing years; renamed the Radford School for Girls in the early
1930s, the institution assumed its present name in 1976, when it
became coed; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Templin had a profound influence on the
direction of the school throughout her 41-year tenure; often
remarking that there is "no easy road to education and no substitute
for character," she focused on providing students with a
well-rounded learning experience that included public speaking and
physical education in addition to challenging college preparatory
classes; and
WHEREAS, Today, Radford School serves a diverse student body
in grades pre-K through 12; while continuing to promote academic
achievement, the school also affords its students the opportunity
to balance their studies with a range of extracurricular
activities, including athletics and community service; in
addition, the school year is punctuated by a host of special events,
such as Spirit Week, the May Fete, the Fall Festival, and the winter
Operetta; and
WHEREAS, Alumni of Radford School have attained success in
myriad fields; among their number is Sandra Day O'Connor, who in
1981 became the first woman to be appointed to the United States
Supreme Court; and
WHEREAS, For more than a century, Radford School has promoted
its students' intellectual and social development, helping them to
build a foundation for a bright and fulfilling future; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 105th anniversary of Radford
School and extend to all those associated with the school sincere
best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the school as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.