H*3425 Concurrent Resolution, By Gamble, Wilkins, Koon, Riser, Stuart, Knotts, 
Bauer, Phillips, McCraw, Allen, Allison, Altman, Askins, Bailey, Bales, 
Barfield, Barrett, Battle, Beck, Bowers, Breeland, Campsen, Canty, Carnell, 
Cato, Chellis, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Cooper, Cotty, D. Smith, Dantzler, 
Davenport, Delleney, Easterday, Edge, Emory, F. Smith, Fleming, G. Brown, 
Gilham, Gourdine, Govan, H. Brown, Hamilton, Harrell, Harris, Harrison, Harvin, 
Haskins, Hawkins, Hayes, Hinson, Howard, Inabinett, J. Brown, J. Hines, 
J. Smith, Jennings, Keegan, Kelley, Kennedy, Kirsh, Klauber, Lanford, Law, 
Leach, Lee, Limehouse, Littlejohn, Lloyd, Loftis, Lourie, Lucas, M. Hines, 
M. McLeod, Mack, Maddox, Martin, Mason, McGee, McKay, McMahand, Meacham, Miller, 
Moody-Lawrence, J.H. Neal, Neilson, Ott, Parks, Pinckney, Quinn, R. Smith, 
Rhoad, Rice, Robinson, Rodgers, Rutherford, Sandifer, Scott, Seithel, Sharpe, 
Sheheen, Simrill, Stille, T. Brown, Taylor, Townsend, Tripp, Trotter, Vaughn, 
W. McLeod, Walker, Webb, Whatley, Whipper, Wilder, Wilkes, Witherspoon, Woodrum and 
Young-Brickell
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO COMMEND THE HONORABLE MOLLY MITCHELL "MOLLY"
 SPEARMAN OF SALUDA COUNTY FOR HER YEARS OF EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THE
 CONSTITUENTS OF HOUSE DISTRICT 39, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND THE
 CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TO EXTEND BEST WISHES TO OUR MOST
 ESTEEMED FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE IN HER UPCOMING POSITION AS DEPUTY
 SUPERINTENDENT FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

   02/02/99  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ-9
   02/03/99  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-18

TO COMMEND THE HONORABLE MOLLY MITCHELL "MOLLY" SPEARMAN OF SALUDA COUNTY FOR HER YEARS OF EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THE CONSTITUENTS OF HOUSE DISTRICT 39, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TO EXTEND BEST WISHES TO OUR MOST ESTEEMED FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE IN HER UPCOMING POSITION AS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Whereas, the Honorable Molly Mitchell "Molly" Spearman is a native and long-time resident of Saluda County who has represented District 39 with enthusiasm, good cheer, hard work, and dedication for over six years from 1993 until now; and

Whereas, she is well educated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976 from Lander University and a Master of Arts degree in 1981 from George Washington University; and

Whereas, she has done post graduate work in education administration at the University of South Carolina and, in her professional career, Molly has been a public school teacher and an assistant principal; and

Whereas, she was chosen Teacher of the Year in 1986 when she taught at Chapin Elementary School in Lexington County and currently is assistant principal at Hollywood Elementary School in Saluda County; and

Whereas, Molly's vocation and her avocations complement each other nicely because she has been involved in music, education, and youth leadership programs all of her life; and

Whereas, Molly developed her leadership skills at an early age when she was elected student government president of Lander University in her senior year; and

Whereas, these strong leadership qualities evidenced themselves by her work in the House beginning with her first years as a representative; and

Whereas, Molly first served on the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee, where she was the committee's elected secretary, and in 1997 she was assigned to the Ways and Means Committee, where she has served continuously in subcommittees concerned with health and human services and as the chairman of the legislative subcommittee on personnel and benefits; and

Whereas, Molly also served ably on the Joint Committee on Cultural Affairs; and

Whereas, the Lexington County Delegation will sorely miss Molly's hard work and important contributions to their meetings, and her suitemates in the Blatt Building will miss her pleasant company there; and

Whereas, one of Molly's enduring passions has been supporting veterans' issues and working with veterans' service organizations; she has served in many capacities in the American Legion Auxiliary; for example, she has served as the national legislative chairman for the auxiliary, the national education chairman, and she has been the president of the South Carolina American Legion Auxiliary; and

Whereas, the South Carolina American Legion recognized her hard work with the honor of naming her its 1996 Legislator of the Year; and

Whereas, during Molly's first two years in the House of Representatives two bills important to veterans were enacted into law through her sponsorship and diligent work; and

Whereas, in 1998 Molly was the prime sponsor of the South Carolina School Safety Act of 1998; and

Whereas, Molly's love of education and leadership training programs for our state's and our nation's youth is evident from her unceasing and enthusiastic work on behalf of the Girls' State and Girls' Nation programs; she has been the Chairman and Director of Palmetto Girls' State in 1989, 1990, and 1992; in 1994 she was Girls' Nation Director and national Girls' State chairman; and

Whereas, Molly is known by her colleagues for the passion she exhibits for the things she believes in and her hard work at pushing for what she wants yet doing this with a willingness to work with all sides and in the spirit of compromise; and

Whereas, she is universally known, respected, and admired for her high principles and conscientiousness and as a person with ability, intelligence, a well-developed sense of humor, and always a smile on her face; and

Whereas, Molly Spearman is devoted to her family; her husband, Bill, is a civil engineer and their two children, Mitchell, who is eighteen and finishing high school this year, and Beth, who is thirteen; and

Whereas, even with her busy schedule Molly continues as the church organist for the Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church; and

Whereas, we take great pleasure in this opportunity to express our deepest appreciation to Molly for her years of dedicated and excellent public service as an elected representative, and we know our loss will be the Department of Education's gain, and we are very grateful that we have had the honor and pleasure of being a part of the legislative process with her; and

Whereas, while Molly Spearman resigns on February 2, 1999 from her elected office in the House of Representatives, we are pleased that she chooses to remain in public service working on public education's continued improvement as an integral member of the Department of Education's executive office in the position of Deputy Superintendent for Governmental Affairs. 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, highly commend the Honorable Molly Mitchell "Molly" Spearman of Saluda County for her years of excellent service to the constituents of House District 39, the House of Representatives, and the citizens of the State of South Carolina, and extend best wishes to our most esteemed friend and colleague in her upcoming position as Deputy Superintendent for Governmental Affairs for the Department of Education.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the Honorable Molly Spearman.