[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO WALTER BETAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BUD SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 11, 1997

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to 
pay tribute to Mr. Walter Betar, a long time servant of the Altoona 
Area School District within my congressional district. Mr. Betar will 
be retiring from the Altoona Area High School where he has dutifully 
served as principal for 25 years of his 41-year career with the 
district. Please join me in wishing him the best of luck as he begins 
to pursue new challenges in his retirement.
  Mr. Betar graduated from the Altoona Area High School in 1950. Upon 
graduation he was accepted at the Pennsylvania State University where 
he went on to earn his B.A. in the General Arts and Sciences. He then 
attended the Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he earned a 
Masters of Education in guidance and Counseling. In 1958, during his 
own academic pursuits, he began his distinguished career in education 
as a Social Studies instructor at the Altoona Area High School. Mr. 
Betar would soon move on to administrative positions within his field, 
first serving as a guidance counselor and then serving as the Director 
of Federal Programs. During this time he continued to lead by example 
by continuing his own education, attending Shippensburg State College 
and the University of Pittsburgh. In 1972 Mr. Betar became Principal of 
the Altoona Area High School, the very school he had graduated from 22 
years earlier.
  His 41 years of service with the Altoona Area School District is 
truly testament to his dedication to the field of education and our 
community. His lifelong commitment to generations of students is not 
only commendable but more importantly it has played a valuable part in 
shaping generations of our youth. Students rely heavily on their 
educators as role models in their development and we have been very 
lucky to have such an outstanding example and leader in Mr. Betar.
  Mr. Speaker, I will close by once again asking you to help me pay 
tribute to Mr. Walter Betar on his retirement. His life has been one of 
service and dedication to others and I am honored to have him as one of 
my constituents. I would like to thank Walt for his commitment to 
others and for making our community a better place to live. I wish him 
the very best in all that he pursues.

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