[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 62 (Monday, May 3, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S4609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO DR. PATRICIA CLEMENTS

 Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, today I rise to offer a tribute to 
Dr. Patricia L. Clements for her years of work on behalf of historical 
preservation in Florida.
  As we prepare for a new millennium, with its promise of inventions 
and technical advances beyond our comprehension, we are reminded of the 
importance of preserving and understanding our past.
  Toward that end, Dr. Clements has helped lead the historical 
preservation effort in Florida, particularly in preserving and 
intrepreting women's history.
  Women helped build and lead Florida, and their roles have been 
preserved in myriad ways by Dr. Clements and her colleagues.
  She has been a pioneer in producing audio biographies of prominent 
Florida women. Dr. Clements is the founder of the Inaugural Gown 
Collection, housed at the Museum of Florida History, including textiles 
dating to 1901, nearly a century ago.
  Meanwhile, she has collected more than 100 artifacts for the First 
Families exhibit at the Museum of Florida History. Strong public 
interest prompted the museum to extend the exhibit by three months.
  Florida has many ways of recognizing the contributions of outstanding 
women, one of which is through the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. Dr. 
Clements is the audiobiographer of women inducted into this elite 
group, and is a member of the Florida Women's Hall of Fame selection 
committee.
  Mr. President, we live in a fast-paced world, and can expect mobility 
and the pace of the flow of information to increase in the next 
century. As we embrace the future, we salute those who preserve the 
past and help us to understand our heritage.

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