[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 78 (Thursday, June 13, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO DR. WILLIAM O. CASON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 12, 2002

  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear 
friend and fellow South Carolinian, Dr. William O. Cason. On June 30, 
2002, ``Bill,'' as he is commonly referred, will retire from Sumter 
County School District 17, where he served as Superintendent for three 
challenging but rewarding years. After 34 years in public education, it 
is a retirement well deserved and he will be sorely missed.
  Dr. Cason began his educational career in Georgia public schools in 
1968 as a math and history teacher at Clinch County High School. He 
also served as an assistant football and basketball coach, an assistant 
principal and guidance counselor, and as principal for high schools, 
where he served for over fourteen years. Prior to coming to Sumter 
School District 17, he was the Superintendent of Schools in the 
Colleton County School District in Walterboro, South Carolina from 
1993-1999.
  When Dr. Cason accepted the position of Superintendent of Sumter 
School District 17, he came to a district in the throes of scandal and 
quickly turned the school system to solid fiscal and educational 
footing. During his tenure, he made several needed changes to the 
personnel division of the school district which included: increasing 
the number of insurance options available to employees, supporting the 
development of a comprehensive salary schedule to ensure equity for 
non-teaching positions, instituted signing bonuses to attract quality 
teachers, added personal leave days for employees who were not eligible 
for annual leave.
  Dr. Cason received a bachelor's degree in secondary education, a 
master's degree in history, a master's degree in education 
administration supervision all from Valdosta State College, and a 
doctorate degree in education administration supervision from Georgia 
State University. He is a member of numerous national, state and local 
organizations, and will be retiring to a family of five wonderful 
children and a loving wife.
  Samuel Johnson said, ``What we hope to do with ease, we must learn to 
do with diligence.'' Dr. Cason is an exemplar of what Johnson referred. 
He was diligent in his strides to make Sumter School District 17 all 
that it can be. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me 
today in honoring Dr. Bill Cason. The contributions he made to his 
community and to the educational system will leave lasting impressions 
on the lives he touched. I wish him continue success and Godspeed!

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