[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19] [House] [Pages 25253-25255] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING LAURINBURG NORMAL INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 660) recognizing the distinguished history of the Laurinburg Normal Industrial Institute, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 660 Whereas the Laurinburg Normal Industrial Institute (referred to as the ``Laurinburg Institute'') was founded on September 15, 1904, in Laurinburg, North Carolina, by Emmanuel McDuffie and his wife Tinny Etheridge McDuffie at the request of Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute and William Edwards of the Snow Hill Institute; Whereas the Laurinburg Institute is the oldest of only four historically African-American boarding schools still remaining in the United States; Whereas the Laurinburg Institute was founded to help provide suitable education and training in the common pursuits of life for African-Americans in the area of Laurinburg, North Carolina; Whereas, on September 15, 1906, Emmanuel McDuffie, J.H. Davis, and Robert Leach incorporated the Laurinburg Institute at Laurinburg, North Carolina, for the instruction of African-American teachers and youth in various academic branches of study and in the best methods of theoretical and practical industry applicable to agriculture and the mechanical arts; Whereas in 1956, the Laurinburg Institute began to build a new campus, integrated its faculty and student body, expanded its foreign student program, which consisted of students from Russia, Africa, South America, Brazil, Portugal, the Caribbean, and other countries, and further solidified its nationally and internationally recognized athletic and music programs; Whereas since 1904, the Laurinburg Institute has graduated students of color, and since 1954 many graduates have finished college or other post-secondary training; Whereas the Laurinburg Institute's distinguished alumni include Sir John Swann, the former Premiere of Bermuda and one of the first blacks to be a head of state in the Western Hemisphere, Joy Johnson, one of the first African-Americans elected to the North Carolina General Assembly after the Reconstruction era, John Birks ``Dizzy'' Gillespie, an internationally renowned jazz trumpeter, [[Page 25254]] and Charles ``Charlie'' Scott, the first African-American scholarship athlete at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who later became a National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star where he played for such teams as the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Phoenix Suns, winning an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics and a gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics; Whereas in 2005, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Senate Joint Resolution 1178 which honored the lives of Frank and Sammie McDuffie, who were the second generation of McDuffie's to serve as administrators of the Institute, and the work of the Laurinburg Institute in producing educators, humanitarians, athletes, and civil rights and leaders; Whereas in 2009, the Laurinburg Institute's President and Chief Executive Officer is Frank ``Bishop'' McDuffie, Jr., and his daughter, Frances McDuffie, serves as the Institute's Vice President and President; and Whereas Frank ``Bishop'' McDuffie and Fraces McDuffie are the third generation of McDuffie administrators of the Laurinburg Institute: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) recognizes the distinguished history of the Laurinburg Normal Industrial Institute; (2) acknowledges the Laurinburg Institute's remarkable contribution to the education of African-Americans and other people in the State of North Carolina and the Nation; and (3) commends the enterprise and dedication of the McDuffie family in creating and sustaining the Laurinburg Institute. The Speaker pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California. General Leave Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 660 into the Record. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California? There was no objection. Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 660, which recognizes the historical significance of the Laurinburg Institute, one of the Nation's oldest African American boarding high schools in the United States. In the early 1900s, there were few educational opportunities for black students. The Laurinburg Institute, along with other African American boarding schools, answered the needs of many African Americans desiring an education. The Laurinburg Institute was founded on September 15, 1904, in Laurinburg, North Carolina, by Emmanuel McDuffie and his wife, Tinny Etheridge McDuffie, at the urging of Booker T. Washington and William Edwards. Since then, the McDuffie family has remained committed to the school's mission, devoting their lives to its service for more than three generations. The school has developed and created exceptional music and athletic programs. Over the years, Laurinburg Institute has graduated renowned musicians and professional athletes, most notably NBA All-Star Charles Scott. Other prominent alumni include musician Dizzy Gillespie and professional basketball player Sam Jones. Today, this school offers a unique atmosphere for all students to succeed. The McDuffie family, through generations of hard work and dedication, has implemented a curriculum for their students to succeed. The institute has an enrollment capacity of 135 students and has a student body comprised of young men and women from across the country and the globe. Once again, I support this resolution and thank Congressman Kissell for bringing this bill forward. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 660, recognizing the distinguished history of the Laurinburg Normal Industrial Institute founded in 1904 by Emmanuel McDuffie and his wife, Tinny. Laurinburg Institute is the oldest of only four historically African American boarding schools still in existence in the United States. It was founded to help provide suitable education and training in the common pursuits of life for African Americans in the Laurinburg, North Carolina, area. At the turn of the century, Laurinburg Institute instructed African American teachers and youth in various academic branches of study and in the best methods of theoretical and practical industrial applications for agriculture and the mechanical arts. In 1956, the Laurinburg Institute built a new campus, integrated its faculty and student body, and expanded its foreign student program, which consisted of students from Russia, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. It also further solidified its nationally and internationally recognized athletic and music programs. The Laurinburg Institute has graduated over 50,000 students. Today, we recognize the distinguished history of the Laurinburg Institute and acknowledge its remarkable contribution to the education of African Americans. I commend the dedication of the McDuffie family in creating and sustaining the legacy of Emmanuel and Tinny McDuffie. Congratulations to its third-generation administrators, president and CEO, Frank McDuffie, and his daughter, Frances McDuffie, who serves as vice president and chief operating officer, as well as the faculty, staffs and students of Laurinburg Institute. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize for 10 minutes the gentleman from North Carolina, the sponsor of this legislation, Mr. Kissell. Mr. KISSELL. I would like to thank my colleague from California for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, as we look at the Laurinburg Institute, or its official name, Laurinburg Normal Industrial Institute, there is a story to be told here that goes beyond some of the information that we have already received. If you can imagine back prior to September 15, 1904, when the Laurinburg Institute was officially founded, if you could imagine the conversations that took place when Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee Institute came to the McDuffies, Emmanuel and Tinny Etheridge, and said, I have got an opportunity for you. They weren't talking about how they could become millionaires or how they could invest moneys. No, it was something much more important than that. They were talking about education. They were talking about educating African American youth at a time before Brown v. Board of Education, a time when we did not talk about equality of education. In some cases we didn't talk about education of African American youth at all. This was a time in the early 1900s only 40 years after the Civil War. We know our Nation was going through some tough times, and these people were talking about education. There must be something that runs strong in the McDuffie family in terms of their genetics, because not only is this one of only four such schools that have survived till today; it is still run by the same family that started it. Four generations later of McDuffies, they are still running the same school. They are still concerned about education. We know that the opportunity of education is to influence young people for generation upon generation because that influence never stops. Teachers know, and one of the great rewards of teaching is that they know that who they affect may not be the person who is in their classroom; it may be someone two or three generations down that is affected directly by someone that they had taught and inspired. This is what the McDuffie family has offered to us, Mr. Speaker: 50,000 graduates. Think of all of the families and all of the people that were affected by these 50,000 that would not have been if [[Page 25255]] Booker T. Washington had not convinced the McDuffies that the best investment they could make is in education. Now, we have heard a couple of the graduates mentioned. I would like to add a couple more names to that list. Sir John Swan was a premier of Bermuda, one of the first people of color that was a head of state in the Western Hemisphere. We mentioned Charlie Scott, who was the first African American ever to be awarded an athletic scholarship to the University of North Carolina. Now, as a Wake Forest graduate, I also have to mention another basketball player, Charlie Davis, who was the first African American Player of the Year in ACC history in basketball in 1971. Once again, we are talking about thousands of people that came through this institute, thousands of people that were affected. Once again, the great joy of education is that its influence never ends. I congratulate the McDuffie family. I congratulate the faculty and alumni and students of this great institution because they have survived, and they have made a difference in the lives of not only the people of Scotland County, which I am fortunate enough to represent as part of North Carolina's Eighth District, but they have also influenced the State of North Carolina and this great Nation of ours. Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, just to dovetail, I do remember, I believe Charlie Scott played in the old ABA for the Virginia Squires. I have seen him play many times, a great athlete and a great human being. As my colleague Mr. Kissell from North Carolina clearly stated, an education doesn't just affect one person. It affects a family, it affects a community, it affects a nation. So this family that has had this commitment to education for over a century is to be commended. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am honored. I certainly want to thank Mr. Kissell for really giving us a more expanded view of the Laurinburg Institute. I appreciate his passion and interest in it. I want to encourage my colleagues to support this resolution, House Resolution 660, recognizing the historical importance of the Laurinburg Institute. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 660, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. ____________________