[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 91 (Thursday, June 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7649-S7650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO PHILLIP I. EARL

 Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Phillip I. Earl, the Curator of History for the Nevada Historical 
Society in Reno. Phillip Earl will be retiring from the Nevada 
Historical Society on June 30, 1999 after 30 years of service to the 
State of Nevada.
  Allow me to introduce Phillip Earl. He grew up in Boulder City, 
Nevada and graduated from high school there in 1955. After high school, 
Phillip Earl started working in construction and later in 1957, he 
joined the U.S. Army and served in Europe until 1960.
  After his service to his country, Phillip Earl began attending 
classes at Nevada Southern university in Las Vegas. He transferred to 
Reno for his senior year and graduated with a degree in history/
political science and education. Phillip Earl was a graduate assistant 
for two years following his graduation. During that time he taught 
school in Reno and was married.
  In 1973 Phillip Earl began his career at the Nevada Historical 
Society. During his tenure, he has worked under six governors, two 
acting directors, and three directors. He has worked with four 
assistant directors. Phillip Earl has also worked with many photo 
curators, accountants, registrars, and volunteers. Phillip Earl has 
survived them all. He has provided his expertise and passion for 
history with editors, copy writers, authors, curriculum specialists, 
teachers, exhibit designers and many others whose jobs reflect on 
history in one way or another.
  He started at the Nevada Historical Society as a Museum Attendant and 
worked his way up to Curator of Exhibits and later Curator of History, 
his present role at the Historical Society.
  Phillip Earl has many achievements since serving as Curator of 
History. He is best known in Nevada for his popular history column, 
``This Was Nevada,'' which went out to some 26 newspapers around the 
state. When the column's first edition came out in May of 1975, there 
were six people on the column's staff. But the column eventually fell 
into the very capable hands of Phillip Earl who became it's only 
author. In 1986, the Historical Society published the first volume of 
articles from the column and a second volume is under production and 
scheduled to be released this summer. This second volume of Phillip 
Earl's column will probably be a very popular item, because his column, 
``This Was Nevada'' retires with Phillip Earl later this month making 
his retirement even more special for Nevada and the history he has been 
able to capture for over 20 years.
  Phillip Earl also writes scholarly essays for the Nevada Historical 
Society Quarterly and the Humboldt Historian, the journal of the North 
Central Nevada Historical Society.
  He has explored many historical topics in depth over his career. Some 
of these are the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, early 
aviation,

[[Page S7650]]

automobiling, shortline railroads, outlaw and lawmen history, the movie 
industry, race relations, boxing, ethnic history, women's history, the 
Lincoln Highway, county seat fights, county boundary controversies, the 
Great Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918 to 1919, and even Searchlight, 
Nevada. And there is much more, too numerous to list.
  Phillip Earl's love for Nevada and the rich history that the State is 
on display every week during the school year. Since 1976 Phillip Earl 
has been teaching Nevada History at Truckee Meadows Community College 
in Reno. He helps bring Nevada's past to life for hundreds of college 
students who may never have had exposure to the Silver State's rich 
history before.
  Capturing the history of the Great State of Nevada will always be the 
legacy of Phillip I. Earl. He has preserved Nevada's history for all 
future generations to reflect upon, to learn from, and to enjoy. As one 
who has a great deal of respect for Nevada's proud history, it is this 
Senator's privilege to pay tribute to Phillip I. Earl, a great 
historian, Nevadan, and American.

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