[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 71 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E935]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E935]]


   TRIBUTE TO RETIRING ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT DR. TOM F. LUTHY, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. IKE SKELTON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 8, 2000

  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that a long and 
exceptional career in education is nearing an end. Dr. Tom F. Luthy, 
Jr., of Lebanon, Missouri, is retiring after more than 40 years of 
service to Lebanon Public Schools.
  Tom began his teaching career as an 18-year-old college student in 
1958 at the Blackfoot School. After that, he taught grades five through 
eight for two years at the two-room Bolles School before teaching for 
two years at the Lebanon High School. After a year of teaching at the 
newly built Glendale High School in Springfield, Tom returned to 
Lebanon as the school's firstever department chair in charge of the 
social studies program. He continued to teach history for 15 more years 
at the high school.
  When the high school moved to its present location in 1976, Tom 
stayed as the assistant principal of Lebanon Junior High. Two years 
later, he became the principal and spent the next 17 years guiding the 
lives of the young people who attended his school. After that, he 
became the Lebanon R-111 Schools assistant superintendent for personnel 
and instruction. As an assistant superintendent for the past eight 
years, Tom has hired more teachers than are currently on the entire 
district staff. He also guided the district through its highly 
successful review under the Missouri School Improvement Plan in 1998.
  Tom has had a great impact on education in the Lebanon area. Early in 
his career, he created the American Heritage program at the high 
school. He also was involved in the formation of the C-5 school and was 
instrumental in naming that school after Joel E. Barber, who was 
president of the school board at the Blackfoot School where he began 
his career. After retirement, Tom will still impact education by 
continuing his work with the statewide Goals 2000 project, which is 
developing a new physical education model for Missouri.
  Mr. Speaker, Tom Luthy's passion for excellence in education has made 
a difference in the lives of students and teachers. I know all Members 
of Congress will join me in paying tribute to his outstanding service 
to the Lebanon education community.

                          ____________________