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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Dr. William Charles Akins, an esteemed educator and |
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| 6 | 7 | | a central figure in the integration of Austin schools, passed away |
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| 7 | 8 | | on March 29, 2017, at the age of 84; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of East Austin, Charles Akins |
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| 9 | 10 | | was born on November 9, 1932, to Elmer and Mattie Lee Akins; after |
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| 10 | 11 | | graduating from the original L. C. Anderson High School in 1950, he |
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| 11 | 12 | | received a bachelor's degree from Huston-Tillotson College in 1954; |
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| 12 | 13 | | he later obtained a master's degree from Prairie View A&M |
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| 13 | 14 | | University and an administrative certification from Southwest |
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| 14 | 15 | | Texas State University; in 1982, he was awarded an honorary |
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| 15 | 16 | | doctorate of humane letters from Huston-Tillotson; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Charles Akins began his career in 1956 at Booker T. |
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| 17 | 18 | | Washington High School in Marlin, teaching history, civics, and |
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| 18 | 19 | | economics; he went on to join the faculty of his alma mater, L. C. |
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| 19 | 20 | | Anderson, in 1959, and just three years later, he was named Teacher |
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| 20 | 21 | | of the Year; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, In 1964, the effort to integrate the Austin |
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| 22 | 23 | | Independent School District began in earnest, and Dr. Akins was |
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| 23 | 24 | | selected as the first African American teacher in the newly |
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| 24 | 25 | | desegregated Johnston High School, where he taught social studies, |
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| 25 | 26 | | sponsored the Boys Service Club, and earned promotion to Dean of |
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| 26 | 27 | | Boys; he returned to L. C. Anderson to serve as assistant principal |
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| 27 | 28 | | in 1969, but when the school was closed following a court |
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| 28 | 29 | | desegregation order, he transferred to Lanier High; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Akins became the first principal of the new |
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| 30 | 31 | | L. C. Anderson High School, which opened its doors in 1973; |
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| 31 | 32 | | presiding over a diverse student body, he viewed the success of his |
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| 32 | 33 | | tenure as vital to the cause of integration, and he worked hard to |
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| 33 | 34 | | ensure fairness and harmony whenever challenges arose; he served |
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| 34 | 35 | | nine years in that role and led the school to excellence in |
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| 35 | 36 | | academics, performing arts, and other areas before accepting a |
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| 36 | 37 | | promotion to assistant superintendent and later to associate |
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| 37 | 38 | | superintendent for community relations; and |
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| 38 | 39 | | WHEREAS, Acknowledging Dr. Akins's significant |
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| 39 | 40 | | contributions in the field of education, the Austin ISD board voted |
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| 40 | 41 | | in 1998 to rename the district's newest high school in his honor, |
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| 41 | 42 | | and W. Charles Akins High opened in 2000, the same year that |
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| 42 | 43 | | Dr. Akins concluded his 44 years of service to Texas |
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| 43 | 44 | | schoolchildren; in his retirement, he remained active in the local |
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| 44 | 45 | | school system, giving generously of his time and expertise to the |
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| 45 | 46 | | boards of the Region 13 Education Service Center, the UIL |
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| 46 | 47 | | Foundation, and other organizations; his civic involvement also |
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| 47 | 48 | | included serving as president of the Capital City Lions Club and as |
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| 48 | 49 | | chapter president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and holding |
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| 49 | 50 | | membership on several local bond issue committees; and |
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| 50 | 51 | | WHEREAS, Devoted to his family, Dr. Akins enjoyed a rewarding |
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| 51 | 52 | | marriage with his wife, Estella, whom he had met as a student at |
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| 52 | 53 | | Huston-Tillotson, and he was further blessed with two daughters, |
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| 53 | 54 | | Dianne and Joyce, and two grandchildren, Justin and Rena; he loved |
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| 54 | 55 | | taking his family on cross-country trips to visit relatives in |
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| 55 | 56 | | California as well as on vacations to historical sites; sustained |
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| 56 | 57 | | by a deep faith, he was a valued congregant of Wesley United |
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| 57 | 58 | | Methodist Church and served as a delegate to the General and |
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| 58 | 59 | | Jurisdictional Conferences for the United Methodist Church; and |
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| 59 | 60 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Charles Akins was a man of quiet strength and |
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| 60 | 61 | | exceptional character, traits that made him a beacon of inspiration |
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| 61 | 62 | | during a pivotal time in the history of Austin, and he leaves behind |
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| 62 | 63 | | a legacy that will resonate long into the future; now, therefore, be |
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| 63 | 64 | | it |
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| 64 | 65 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 65 | 66 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. William Charles |
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| 66 | 67 | | Akins and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; |
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| 67 | 68 | | and, be it further |
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| 68 | 69 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 69 | 70 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 70 | 71 | | Representatives adjourns on this day, it do so in memory of |
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| 71 | 72 | | Dr. Charles Akins. |
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