THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY ROEBUCK, CLYMER, BROWN, ADOLPH, BARRAR, BEYER, BISHOP, BOBACK, BOYD, BRENNAN, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, COHEN, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DELOZIER, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAJOR, MANN, McCALL, MELIO, MILLARD, MUNDY, MURT, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PAYNE, PRESTON, QUINN, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROHRER, ROSS, SAMUELSON, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SONNEY, STURLA, TALLMAN, VULAKOVICH, WATSON, WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, FEBRUARY 10, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, FEBRUARY 10, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Commemorating the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Free

School Act of 1834, establishing public education and school

board governance in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Public education is the foundation of a strong

democracy; and

WHEREAS, The Free School Act of 1834 established the

foundations for today's modern public education system in

Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Such notable Pennsylvanians, including Governor

George Wolf and State Representative Thaddeus Stevens, fought

vigorously for free schools that would provide all children an

opportunity for betterment through education; and

WHEREAS, The efforts of such visionaries in the 1830s saw

that it was the Commonwealth's responsibility to provide

adequate financial support so that all children could attend

schools, regardless of the income of their parents; and

WHEREAS, These visionaries also realized that it was

important to delegate power to locally elected public officials

to select school professionals, oversee operations of schools

and to levy and collect taxes to supplement State subsidies; and

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania School Boards Association, as the

organization representing these locally elected officials, is

leading the recognition and celebration of this important

milestone in history; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commend the

volunteer service of school board members in providing essential

local leadership for the public school system; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate April

2009 as the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Free School

Act of 1834, which became law in April of that year; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare that the

commitment to educating all Pennsylvania children demonstrated

by government officials 175 years ago is at least as strong

today as it was 175 years ago and is a vital key to future

growth in this Commonwealth.