[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 127 (Monday, November 13, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2004]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO DR. VICTOR RODRIGUEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 13, 2006

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to honor Dr. Victor Rodriguez, a 
native of Edna, Texas in my congressional district. Dr. Rodriguez's 
achievements in, and dedication to, education are an inspiration to us 
all. As detailed in his autobiography, The Bell Ringer, Dr. Rodriguez 
developed endurance and perseverance at an early age when his third 
grade teacher assigned him the task of ringing the bell for the St. 
Agnes Catholic Church.
  For nine years, Victor Rodriguez woke up at 4 a.m. and jogged two 
miles to the church to ring the bell before the 5 a.m. mass. While this 
was obviously a difficult responsibility for a child, Dr. Rodriguez 
later said that he ``came to accept ringing that bell as an honor . . . 
whenever I was tired and didn't feel like getting out of bed, I 
remembered my mom's encouragement. She used to say that if you do 
something, do it to the very best of your ability.''
  The importance of hard work, endurance, and dedication that Victor 
Rodriguez learned as a bell ringer stayed with him throughout his life. 
Dr. Rodriguez was a star athlete who set many records and won numerous 
trophies at Edna High School, Victoria College, and North Texas State 
University. After earning his Ph.d, Dr. Rodriguez began a successful 
career as a teacher and as a coach of several championship track teams. 
In his work as a teacher and coach, Dr. Rodriguez inspired his students 
to strive to achieve their goals and dreams.
  During Dr. Rodriguez's 12 years as superintendent of the San Antonio 
School District, the dropout rate was reduced from 50 percent to less 
than 10 percent. Applying the lessons in perseverance he learned as a 
young bell ringer, then superintendent-elect Dr. Rodriguez promised San 
Antonio School District's kindergarten class that he would stay as 
superintendent as long as they were in school. Of course, Dr. Rodriguez 
kept that promise, not retiring until 1994 when the kindergartners of 
1981 were seniors in high school.
  During his tenure as superintendent, Dr. Rodriguez won numerous 
awards and honors, including an achiever award from the Alamo Area 
Council of the Boy Scouts of America, representative from Texas in the 
1989 National Superintendent of the Year Award Program sponsored by the 
American Association of School Administrators and the Service-Master 
Company, induction into the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame; and 
honoree in Ford Motor Company's Hispanic Salute recognizing San Antonio 
Hispanics for outstanding contributions to education and literacy. 
Executive Educator magazine twice named Dr. Rodriguez one of the 
Hundred Top School Executives in the nation. Just last month, Dr. 
Rodriguez was honored by his alma mater by being named a 2006 inductee 
into the University of North Texas's Athletic Hall of Fame.
  Dr. Rodriguez's application of the lessons he learned, as a young 
church bell ringer should serve an example to all of us. It is a 
pleasure to offer my congratulations and thanks to Dr. Victor Rodriguez 
for all of his efforts to help Texas schoolchildren.

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