The Mount Vernon Masonic Lodge is proud to introduce to you the Mirabeau Lamar Award selection for 2002.
The Mirabeau Lamar Award is given during public education week to recognize individuals for their contribution to excellence in education. This award is given by the Masonic lodge in appreciation of the contribution of life long service to MVISD, dedication to the children, and being a role model for the community.
This years award winner was Jeanne Lawrence, fifth grade teacher at Mount Vernon
ISD.
Ms. Lawrence is always leaving a positive impression upon her students by first listening to what they have to say and then by offering whatever assistance she can to them Jeanne is known by those that know her as being caring and attentive to others needs. She is attends the First Baptist Church and is known by all there as a role model.
We are proud to have Jeanne Lawrence represent the community of Mount Vernon, Texas.
MIRABEAU
B. LAMAR
Father of Education in Texas
Accomplished in horsemanship, fencing, painting, and poetry,
Mirabeau Lamar came to Texas and became one of its greatest political leaders.
His inspired vision, of what Texas
could become, lay the foundation for
future greatness during some of its darkest years.
Born in Georgia
on August 16, 1798, Lamar was educated at the academies at Milledgeville and
Eatonton. He served as secretary to the Governor of Georgia from 1823 to 1826,
and was elected state senator in 1829. Defeated in the elections of 1832 and 1834,
he followed James Fannin to Texas to collect historical information. He became
involved in the independence movement and, deciding to settle in Texas.
In Texas, he was commissioned a colonel and commanded the
cavalry at the Battle of San Jacinto. He was soon appointed Secretary of War.
In September 1836 he was elected Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, and
followed after Sam Houston, as the Second President of the Republic of
Texas.
At Lamar's suggestion, the new capital city of Austin was built
and occupied in 1839. His proposal to set
aside public lands to finance public education earned him the title
"Father of Education."
MASTERS NOTE:
Masonry was begun in England in the days when the mighty
Cathedrals were built. The craftsman who designed those magnificient buildings
and those who built them organized themselves into lodges. Each lodge elected a
Master to head the group and other officers to lead it. Those ancient lodges
were the beginnings of Masonry.
The object of Masonry is to make good men better. It is not
a secret organization as some people belive, although we do have a few signs of
recognition and other parts of our lodge activities which we do not make
public. They help us bind together in our common purpose of improving ourselves
and in helping make our communities better places to live.
The Masonic Fraternity is known for its charity work. Every
day Masonic organizations contribute over two million dollars to charity.
The Masonic fraternity has long supported public schools. In
the early days most lodges were two-story buildings. The lodge would meet on
the second floor and encouraged the local churches and public schools to meet
on the ground floor. Many lodges started public schools themselves in their
lodge buildings and paid the teachers's salaries.