[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 80 (Thursday, May 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PAYING TRIBUTE TO MRS. MARY BAILEY WHITTINGTON ``WHITT'' DAVENPORT

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                        HON. MAURICE D. HINCHEY-

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 15, 2008

  Mr. HINCHEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor posthumously Mrs. 
Mary Bailey Whittington ``Whitt'' Davenport for her invaluable 
contributions in the areas of education, the arts and historic 
preservation in Ulster County, New York. For more than 70 years, Whitt 
Davenport was the epitome of generosity and benevolence. Her pioneering 
spirit is directly responsible for the creation of a consolidated 
school system in the Rondout Valley and the construction of Marbletown 
Elementary School. One of her most notable efforts was advocating for 
the establishment of Ulster County Community College, where her husband 
went on to serve as its first president.
  Whitt Davenport was born in Greenwood, Mississippi on June 3, 1911 to 
William and Anna Whittington. Her father, a lawyer and cotton planter, 
also had the distinct honor of being a member of the U.S. House of 
Representatives for 28 years. Whitt met Kenneth Davenport during her 
tenure as a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie. They married 
shortly after her graduation in September 1933.
  Once the Davenports took up residence in their historic home in Stone 
Ridge, Mrs. Davenport quickly become an active member of her newly 
adopted community. As a native Southerner, she retained her distinctive 
accent and brought a sense of Southern charm to all of her endeavors. 
Over the years, she opened her home for the many parties needed to 
support her philanthropic efforts and was often honored for her 
volunteerism.
  Whitt Davenport was well known for her interest in books and 
volunteered at the Stone Ridge Library, going on to serve as both a 
librarian and president of the library board. Her commitment to the 
arts remains unparalleled, and she has even been called ``Queen of the 
Arts.'' She served on the Board of the Ulster Performing Arts Center, 
Music in the Mountains, and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. After the 
death of her husband in 1982, she, along with her family, established 
the Kenneth Davenport National Competition for Orchestral Works.
  Her drive and determination helped save the landmark Luke Kiersted 
House in Kingston's Stockade District from the threat of Urban Renewal 
demolition and she planned the restoration of the gardens at the Senate 
House Historic site. Mrs. Davenport gave her time to many other 
organizations, lending them her sense of purpose, strength, and wisdom.
  Madam Speaker, I had the pleasure of knowing Whitt Davenport over the 
course of many years. Her work on behalf of her community was inspiring 
and commendable. In fact, Whitt Davenport was a force to be reckoned 
with. It is with sorrow that we mark her passing and with pride and 
gratitude that we remember her grand accomplishments.

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