[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 58 (Monday, April 14, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING EMILE LASALLE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 14, 2008

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Emile 
LaSalle upon his recognition at the 2008 Future Farmers of America Blue 
and Gold Gala. Mr. LaSalle will he honored by the California FFA 
Foundation on Saturday, April 19, 2008 at PR Farms in Clovis, 
California.
  Mr. LaSalle was born in 1918 in Bellflower, California to French 
immigrant parents. He grew up working on his family's farm and dairy 
after school and on the weekends. He spoke only French when he began 
school. This did not hold him back; he graduated from Excelsior High 
School at seventeen years old. In high school he participated on the 
track and tennis teams. During his junior year, he joined Future 
Farmers of America and successfully competed in livestock judging and 
public speaking.
  Mr. LaSalle was awarded a one hundred dollar scholarship for college 
and decided to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He worked his way 
through college milking cows. It was in the dairy barn where he met 
Helen McPhee, the daughter of Cal Poly President Julian McPhee. Mr. 
LaSalle completed his education at Utah State and in 1942 married 
Helen. Shortly after finishing school, he began his first agriculture 
teaching assignment at Manteca High School.
  In 1944, Mr. LaSalle enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served until 1946. 
In 1948 he and his family moved to Hanford, California and entered into 
the dairy business. In 1953 he accepted a position at Hanford High 
School teaching agriculture. After teaching for 13 years, Mr. LaSalle 
assumed the position of South Coast Regional Supervisor for the 
California State Department of Education.
  1976 brought retirement. This did not slow Mr. LaSalle down. Rather 
he began farming alfalfa in the Creston area. He became active on the 
Atascadero School Board and followed other political endeavors. At 79 
years old he purchased an 80 acre farm in Stratford and has expanded 
his farm to 800 acres. Nearing his 90th birthday he continues to grow 
alfalfa and oat hay. He also still often visits the Cal Poly campus, 
visiting and discussing agriculture with the students. Mr. LaSalle is 
the father of six, grandfather of seventeen and great-grandfather of 
eight.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Emile LaSalle 
for sharing his passion for agriculture and dedication to agriculture 
education and the Future Farmers of America. I invite my colleagues to 
join me in wishing Emile LaSalle many years of continued success.

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