[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H6685-H6686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO MERE BETHAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. Faleomavaega] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of a 
distinguished Pacific educator and judge the late Seuvaai ``Mere'' 
Tuiasosopo Betham, former director of education of American Samoa and 
an associate judge on the High Court of American Samoa, who passed away 
recently. A dedicated public servant, educator and administrator with 
more than 43 years of public service, Judge Betham was our first 
American Samoan woman judge on the High Court, a true pioneer who was 
also the first woman of Samoan American ancestry to be appointed as 
Director of Education. It is these and other firsts for which she will 
always be remembered by the Samoan people.
  Judge Betham was someone who cared very much about each and every 
person she encountered in her personal and professional life. She was 
someone for whom I had tremendous respect. She was always courteous and 
helpful to me, firm and helpful to her students and fair and just with 
those who appeared before her in court. She always extended the hand of 
friendship. Although our careers never crossed paths, we nevertheless 
shared many similar concerns, and chief among these concerns was the 
issue of education in the American Samoa.
  I learned from her how to make every person you encounter feel 
important, how to make every person feel that he or she, too, had 
something important to contribute to the process. She was the kind of 
individual who could put a hostile student or any other person at ease 
by making that person feel important and included in the process. 
Perhaps this is why she was so successful as a public servant.
  Mr. Speaker, Judge Betham exemplified all of the traits of a true 
Samoan leader. She was decisive yet compassionate, firm and yet not 
inflexible, and she was a woman of wisdom. Most important of all, she 
was a humble person who remained close to the people. She served even 
after she was appointed to high government posts.
  Mrs. Betham was born in 1932 in American Samoa. She received her 
elementary school education in the islands, graduated from the high 
school in 1950, where she was the only female to graduate with her 
first class. Shortly after high school, she left American Samoa to 
attend college in California. She enrolled at the Pomona College in 
Claremont and later transferred to Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA, 
where she went on to receive her bachelor's degree in the field of 
economics in 1954.

  After graduating from college, Judge Betham returned to the islands 
to begin her career as a secondary school-teacher. She taught at a high 
school from 1954 until 1961, the year she was appointed assistant 
principal. Later on in 1968, she was appointed principal of the only 
high school then in the territory. Two years after becoming principal, 
Judge Betham was transferred to the Department of Education in which 
years later she became the first woman to earn the rank of the director 
of education. Judge Betham held this position for more than 11 years. 
In 1985 she retired from the department of education and Samoa's 
education system underwent major changes in teaching practices, 
philosophies during her tenure and bringing television as a tool or a 
means of assisting the educational system in the territory.
  Even after she retired from the Department of Education, Judge Betham 
continued to be active in the field of education. As an educator, Mr. 
Speaker, Judge Betham touched many lives and she found such joy and 
pleasure in following the successes of her former students. As a judge, 
she touched equally as many lives as she found much satisfaction and 
comfort in making sure the result reached by the court was just and 
fair.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my condolences to 
Judge Betham's husband, James Rusty Betham and her children. I am sure 
that the proud legacy which she left will live on in their hearts and 
in the hearts of all the people of American Samoa.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of a 
distinguished Pacific educator and judge, the late Seuvaai ``Mere'' 
Tuiasosopo Betham, former director of education of American Samoa and 
an associate judge on the High Court of American Samoa, who passed away 
recently. A dedicated public servant, educator, and administrator with 
more than 43 years of public service, Judge Betham was our first 
American Samoan female judge on the High Court, a true pioneer who was 
also the first woman of Samoan American ancestry to be appointed 
Director of Education. It is these and other ``firsts'' for which she 
will always be remembered by the Samoan people.
  Judge Betham was someone who cared very much about each and every 
person she encountered in her personal and professional life, and she 
was someone for whom I had tremendous respect. She was always courteous 
and helpful to me, firm and helpful to her students, and fair and just 
with those who appeared before her in court. She always extended the 
hand of friendship. Although our careers never crossed paths, we 
nevertheless shared many similar concerns, and chief among these 
concerns was the issue of education in American Samoa.
  I learned from her how to make every person you encounter feel 
important, and how to make every person feel that he or she, too, had 
something important to contribute to the process. She was the kind of 
individual who could put a hostile student or any other person at ease 
by making that person feel important and included in the process. 
Perhaps this is why she was so successful as a public servant.
  Mr. Speaker, Judge Betham exemplified all of the traits of a true 
Samoan leader. She was decisive yet compassionate, firm yet not 
inflexible, and she was a woman of wisdom. Most important of all, she 
was a humble person who remained close to the people she served even 
after she was appointed to high government posts.
  Seuvaai Mere Tuiasosopo Betham was born on April 3, 1932, in Pago 
Pago, American Samoa. She received her elementary school education in 
Tutuila and graduated from the High School of American Samoa in 1950, 
where she was the only female to graduate with that class. Shortly 
after high school, she left American Samoa to attend college in 
California. She enrolled at Pomona College in Claremont, CA. She later 
transferred to Geneva College in Beaverfalls, PA where she went on to 
receive her Bachelor's Degree in the field of economics in 1954.
  After graduating from Geneva College, Judge Betham returned to 
American Samoa to begin her career as a secondary school teacher. She 
taught at Samoana High School from 1954 until 1961, the year in which 
she was appointed assistant principal. Even after she was appointed 
assistant principal, Judge Betham continued to teach because she wanted 
to remain close to her students. Seven years later, in 1968, she was 
appointed principal of Samoana High School.
  Two years after becoming principal, in 1970, Judge Betham was 
transferred to the Department of Education's central office as an 
education program administrator, where a year later, in 1971, she was 
again promoted by the DOE to the post of deputy director. Just four 
short years after being promoted to the post of deputy director, in 
1974, Judge Betham was again tapped by the DOE for another promotion, 
this time to the post of Director of Education. This appointment made 
her the first Samoan woman to earn this rank and the second Samoan 
American to undertake this tremendous challenge.
  Judge Betham held this post for more than 11 years. In 1985, she 
retired from the Department of Education. Samoa's educational system 
underwent major changes in teaching

[[Page H6686]]

practices and philosophies during her tenure, and local educators today 
credit Judge Betham for having revolutionized ``teaching'' in American 
Samoa.
  Even after she retired from the Department of Education, Judge Betham 
continued to be active in the field of education. A short time after 
retiring from the DOE, she was appointed director of Catholic Schools. 
She served as director for several years until she was again called on 
by the government to serve as an associate judge on the High Court of 
American Samoa. Judge Betham was sworn in on April 17, 1991, a day 
which is very significant and special to the people of American Samoa. 
April 17 marks the date on which the United States first raised its 
flag over the Islands of American Samoa. The people of American Samoa 
celebrate the anniversary of this relationship every year on April 17, 
and it is the biggest holiday of the year.
  As an educator, Mr. Speaker, Judge Betham touched many lives and she 
found much joy and pleasure in following the successes of her former 
students. As a judge, she touched equally as many lives and she found 
much satisfaction and comfort in making sure that the result reached by 
the court was just and fair.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my condolences to 
Judge Betham's husband, James ``Rusty'' Betham, and her children. I am 
sure that the proud legacy which she left them will live on in their 
hearts and in the hearts of all the people of American Samoa.

                          ____________________