S*0781 Resolution, By Jackson
 A SENATE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE MRS. ERNESTINE JORDAN STEWART, A NATIVE OF
 CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, NOW RESIDING IN COLUMBIA, ON THE OCCASION OF HER
 ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY ON AUGUST 27, 2001.

   08/22/01  Senate Introduced and adopted SJ-6

TO CONGRATULATE MRS. ERNESTINE JORDAN STEWART, A NATIVE OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, NOW RESIDING IN COLUMBIA, ON THE OCCASION OF HER ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY ON AUGUST 27, 2001.

Whereas, Mrs. Ernestine Jordan Stewart was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 27, 1901, to Hood and Mamie Jordan. She is the oldest of nine children; and

Whereas, she received her early childhood education in the elementary schools in Charlotte. Because there were no public high schools for people of color in Charlotte, her father sent her to high school at the Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina; and

Whereas, upon completion of her high school education, Ernestine Jordan returned to Charlotte, where she began her public school teaching career at the very youthful age of sixteen in Mecklenburg County; and

Whereas, she taught in Charlotte for several years where she met her husband to-be, Charles B. Stewart, a student at Johnson C. Smith University. In 1928, she married Charles Stewart and both moved to Carthage, North Carolina, where they both taught school in the public school system; and

Whereas, in 1930, her husband, Charles Stewart was appointed to a principalship in Bessemer City, North Carolina, where she taught with him for ten years in a school later named for him. It was in Bessemer City where Mrs. Stewart began to raise her family, giving birth to four children, Ernestine, Charles Jr., Carolyn, and Reginald. She is now blessed with ten grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren; and

Whereas, in August 1940, she again followed her husband, Charles, who was appointed principal of Adkin High School in Kinston, North Carolina. Mrs. Stewart worked as a teacher in Kinston's public schools teaching second and third grades at Lincoln City Elementary School and Sampson Elementary School both of which are now closed; and

Whereas, she continued her education at Johnson C. Smith University, Hampton Institute, and was awarded her bachelor degree in 1944 from Johnson C. Smith University. Mrs. Stewart continued her education through extension courses from Fayetteville State Teachers College and Shaw University. She spent four summers at Columbia University in New York and was awarded her Master's Degree in Education in 1954 from that institution. In 1960, she was the first African-American appointed as a supervisor in the elementary schools of Kinston; and

Whereas, from her early childhood, Mrs. Stewart has been a devout Christian. She joined the Gethsemane Methodist Church of Charlotte as a child. Upon moving to Kinston, she followed her husband, a Baptist, and joined the First Baptist Church were for many years she taught adult Sunday school. Mrs. Stewart also attended services at many of the local churches especially the Methodist churches of the city; and

Whereas, her deep and abiding faith has sustained her well over the years, and she speaks freely of her convictions and beliefs. She has been a much sought after speaker at churches, religious, and spiritual meetings. Her day begins with prayer, and she continues her day with meditation and reading a voluminous amount of spiritual and inspirational materials; and

Whereas, today Mrs. Stewart enjoys her weekly exercise class, reading, and listening to spiritual music. For the past year, Mrs. Stewart has been living with her daughter, Carolyn, in Columbia where she has many friends, attends church every Sunday, and twice weekly participates in an aerobics class affiliated with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine; and

Whereas, the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, would like to extend their heartiest best wishes and congratulations to this truly outstanding lady upon the occasion of her one hundredth birthday. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the Senate congratulate Mrs. Ernestine Jordan Stewart a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, now residing in Columbia, on the occasion of her one hundredth birthday on August 27, 2001, and extend to her best wishes for many more to come.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Mrs. Ernestine Jordan Stewart..