South Carolina General Assembly
122nd Session, 2017-2018

Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

H. 4996

STATUS INFORMATION

House Resolution
Sponsors: Rep. Alexander
Document Path: l:\council\bills\rt\17327zw18.docx

Introduced in the House on February 22, 2018
Adopted by the House on February 22, 2018

Summary: Dr. Bennie Alfonso

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/22/2018  House   Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 59)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/22/2018

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A HOUSE RESOLUTION

TO HONOR AND COMMEND DR. BENNIE ALFONSO ANDERSON FOR HIS LIFETIME COMMITMENT TO THE EDUCATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S YOUTH AND TO WISH HIM MUCH HAPPINESS IN HIS FUTURE.

Whereas, Bennie Alfonso Anderson, better known as Professor Anderson, was born the sixth of ten children in Statesburg in Sumter County on March 4, 1920, to Holly Bush Anderson and Lucenia Richardson Anderson; and

Whereas, a 1939 graduate of Lincoln High School in Sumter, Professor Anderson went on to work at Nelson Funeral Home to pay for his tuition to Morris College. As a freshman, he was drafted into the United States Army on February 18, 1942, and assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He spent over two years fighting in the European Theater, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant and the honor of the EAME Campaign Medal, five Bronze Stars, and the Good Conduct Medal. During his time in the Army, he also served as a supplier to the Tuskegee Airmen in Morocco and Algeria. After spending a total of three years and eight months in the Army, Professor Anderson was honorably discharged on October 2, 1945; and

Whereas, he was married in November 1945, to his college sweetheart and the love of his life, Roenelle Meredian Green. They were blessed with a beloved daughter Bernice Meridian Anderson; and

Whereas, after returning from World War II, he resumed his education at Morris College, graduating in 1947. He was then offered a job as the principal and teacher of Bay Branch Colored School in Timmonsville, South Carolina. In 1950, he was offered the position of principal at the Savannah Grove Colored School; and

Whereas, he became the principal of present-day Savannah Grove Elementary in 1954, and in 1963, he was offered and accepted the responsibility of serving as principal to two schools when he was named the principal of Mars Bluff Elementary School. Even while serving as principal, he acted as gym teacher, band director, the first aid provider, disciplinarian, taxi driver, consoler, and janitor; and

Whereas, while serving as principal, he sought to continue furthering his education. During the summers of 1950 through 1953, he attended North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. From 1954 through 1956, he spent his summers attending Columbia University in New York City, obtaining a master's degree of arts. He furthered his post-graduate study in the summers of 1957 and 1958, receiving the Elementary Teaching Certification in 1958. In 1982, Morris College bestowed upon Professor Anderson an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters; and

Whereas, 1970 saw Professor Anderson offered the position of Director of Federal Funding for Florence School District One, making him the first African-American administrator for the district and paving the way for others to follow. Later, he was the first African American to be offered the position of Director of Education in Columbia. However, his love for Timmonsville led him to decline the offer and retire from Florence School District One on June 30, 1982; and

Whereas, furthermore, he was the first African-American school board member elected to Florence School District 4, where he served for seventeen years, three as chairman. He was also the president of the Morris College Timmonsville Alumni chapter for over twenty years and president of the Morris College National Alumni Association from 1993 to 1995. Today he resides in Timmonsville, enjoying his time with his grandchildren; and

Whereas, the members of the House of Representatives are grateful for the long tenure Professor Anderson has dedicated to the children of the Florence area and wish him happiness throughout his life. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That it is fitting and proper for them to pause in their deliberations to honor and commend Dr. Bennie Alfonso Anderson for his lifetime commitment to the education of South Carolina's youth and wish him much happiness in his future.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Bennie Alfonso Anderson.

----XX----


This web page was last updated on February 23, 2018 at 2:29 PM