[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24967]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 A TRIBUTE TO MRS. BLANCHE SPARROW RIVERS IN CELEBRATION OF HER 100TH 
                                BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 4, 2005

  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of 
my most senior constituents, Mrs. Blanche Sparrow Rivers, who will be 
celebrating her 100th birthday on November 15, 2005.
  Mrs. Rivers, is the third of five children born to Henry Clay and 
Hattie Brown Sparrow. Since the New Bern school system only offered 2 
years of high school, Mrs. Rivers' father sent her to Durham, North 
Carolina, to the National Religious Training School where she 
matriculated to Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1927, 
Mrs. Rivers received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Shaw 
University. She went on to teach English in the New Bern public school 
system for 24 years until her retirement in 1951. Mr. Speaker, I am 
certain that Mrs. Rivers can take credit for shaping many young minds 
and is responsible for directing the paths of many of my constituents 
who have grown into productive upstanding citizens.
  In June 1932, Blanche Sparrow married Mr. Bishop Singleton Rivers, 
and in July 1935, Barbara Lucille Rivers was born. Mrs. Rivers is a 
charter member of the Theta Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha 
Sorority. She is also a faithful member of the St. Peter's African 
Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, which her father helped build. She 
continues to serve as a Captain for the Annual Fundraising Team.
  Mrs. Rivers has five grandchildren, Michael, Lisa, Leander, Gary, and 
Marc, and five great-grandchildren, Morgan, Kristen, Marissa, Kaci and 
Kori--listed in order of the most senior. She is a beloved member of 
the community and church. Mrs. Rivers still resides in New Bern with 
her daughter, Barbara.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my Congressional Colleagues and the more 
than 660,000 constituents whom I represent, I extend my very best 
wishes to Mrs. Blanche Sparrow Rivers as she celebrates this tremendous 
milestone. I ask my Colleagues to rise and join me in wishing Mrs. 
Blanche Sparrow Rivers a Happy 100th Birthday.

                          ____________________