H*4680 Concurrent Resolution, By C.V. Marchbanks, B.D. Cain, C.D. Chamblee, 
Rice, Robinson, Sandifer and Trotter
 A Concurrent Resolution to congratulate Mrs. Tula Louise Odom Edwards, wife of
 Robert Cook Edwards, former President of Clemson University, on the occasion
 of the celebration of her eightieth birthday and to express the appreciation
 of the General Assembly for her service to the State and to Clemson
 University.

   02/27/96  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ-2
   02/27/96  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-10

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE MRS. TULA LOUISE ODOM EDWARDS, WIFE OF ROBERT COOK EDWARDS, FORMER PRESIDENT OF CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, ON THE OCCASION OF THE CELEBRATION OF HER EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY AND TO EXPRESS THE APPRECIATION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR HER SERVICE TO THE STATE AND TO CLEMSON UNIVERSITY.

Whereas, Tula Louise Odom Edwards has been a role model for public service through her involvement in community organizations, as an active church member, and as a devoted wife of almost sixty-one years and mother of two children, grandmother of seven, and great-grandmother of six; and

Whereas, the Red Springs, North Carolina native has spent much of her adult life in communities of the State of South Carolina; and

Whereas, Mrs. Edwards is best known for the twenty-three years she devoted to Clemson College (later Clemson University) where her husband, Robert Cook Edwards, served as Vice President for Development and then President; and

Whereas, twenty-one of those years were spent as First Lady of Clemson University, a period when Mrs. Edwards served as a gracious hostess to benefactors, politicians, and movie stars in the President's Home that she helped design and decorate, as a positive influence on students, and as one of the school's most fervent and devoted advocates (a role she continues to this day); and

Whereas, as First Lady, Mrs. Edwards helped maintain and foster the traditional "family spirit" of the Clemson campus during the turbulent 1960's and 1970's through her relationship with students that was based on love, a sense of humor, and mutual respect; and

Whereas, Clemson students showed their appreciation for Mrs. Edwards' indulgence of their fraternity initiation pranks, her support for student organizations, and her willingness to open her backyard or her home to them for everything from touch football games to student receptions by naming her "Mother of the Year" in 1978; and

Whereas, the Edwards' era was a challenging period for the school as the President successfully implemented a major reorganization that changed the school from an all-male military academy to a coeducational, civilian institution; managed a peaceful desegregation; led the school to university status; and started it down the path of becoming a major research institution; and

Whereas, Robert Cook Edwards has often credited the influence and support of his wife, Louise, as a major factor in the success of his administration; and

Whereas, Clemson University is now one of the state's and region's premier educational institutions in large measure because of the leadership and support of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards; and

Whereas, Mrs. Tula Louise Odom Edwards is celebrating her eightieth birthday on March 28, 1996. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, congratulate Mrs. Tula Louise Odom Edwards, wife of Robert Cook Edwards, former President of Clemson University, on the occasion of the celebration of her eightieth birthday and to express appreciation for her service to the State and to Clemson University.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Mrs. Tula Louise Odom Edwards.