[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 11, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING DR. JAMES TERRY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JEB HENSARLING

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2005

  Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
exceptional achievements of Dr. James Terry, Superintendent of the 
Mesquite Independent School District. On January 10th of this year, Dr. 
Terry announced his intention to retire at the end of the school year 
bringing a close to his long and distinguished career as an educator. 
For the past 42 years, his students have been at the heart of each of 
his decisions. Dr. Terry has been a strong role model and exceptional 
educator for the children of east Texas as both a teacher and 
administrator. The students, parents, and teachers of the Mesquite 
Independent School District will greatly miss his leadership and 
educational vision.
  Although his career has steered him through both Beaumont and Dallas, 
Dr. Terry and his wife Frances Louise Gilbert quickly settled in their 
eventual home of Mesquite, Texas. His first assignment in Mesquite was 
as a math teacher, but before long he moved into a variety of 
administrative positions before assuming the responsibility of 
Superintendent in July of 2001. Along the way, he amassed a trophy case 
of awards including the 1999 Administrator of the Year Award from the 
Texas Professional Educators and also earned the Golden Deeds for 
Education Award in 2004.
  Dr. Terry, who received his undergraduate, masters, and a doctorate 
degree from East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas, has always 
believed that proper education required a hands-on approach. Upon 
assuming the role of superintendent, he immediately set out to visit 
each of the 42 schools in his district to share his plans and vision 
for the upcoming school year. Since that time, he has always made it a 
priority to spend some time at each of the schools and with the more 
than 34,000 students for which he is responsible.
  On top of his numerous accomplishments in the classroom and in the 
superintendent's office, Dr. Terry has also demonstrated his commitment 
to public education through his membership and leadership roles in 
several educational organizations. Over the course of his career, he 
has served on the President's Education Advisory Council for the Texas 
A&M University System and in the Regents' Initiative for Excellence in 
Education through Texas A&M--Commerce. In addition, he was a member of 
the Executive Council of the East Texas School Study and has served as 
president of the North Central Texas Association of Supervision and 
Curriculum Development.
  As the Congressman for the Fifth District of Texas, I am pleased 
today to recognize my friend, Dr. James Terry for his many years of 
public service and for the outstanding contributions he has made to 
make his community and his country a better place. Dr. Terry, on behalf 
of all of the constituents of the Fifth District, especially those in 
Mesquite, I would like to extend our most sincere thanks and praise for 
a job well done.

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