Session of 1998
                   
HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 6002
         
By Joint Committee on Arts and Cultural Resources
         
12-17
            9             A RESOLUTION congratulating and commending John A. Freeman for
10             past success in History Day competition and wishing him good fortune
11             in future endeavors.
12            
13           WHEREAS, John A. Freeman, the son of Glenn and Mary Freeman,
14       was awarded first place for junior individual performance in the National
15       History Day Competition for seventh grade students in the 1996-97
16       school year; and
17           WHEREAS, John's award winning entry was ``Robinson and Rickey:
18       Breaking the Color Barrier'' which was inspired by John's viewing of a
19       television interview of Rachel Robinson, the widow of baseball legend,
20       Jackie Robinson. When John heard Rachel Robinson mention that 1997
21       would mark the 50th anniversary of Jackie's entrance into major league
22       baseball, John decided to develop the topic for his History Day project;
23       and
24           WHEREAS, John was not a novice in the History Day competition.
25       In the 1995-96 school year, as a sixth grader, John's entry in the com-
26       petition was ``The Silent Gesture Heard Around the World: Taking a
27       Stand at the `68 Olympics'' for which he placed second in the nation for
28       junior individual performance; and
29           WHEREAS, John is a native Topekan who is 14 years old and a stu-
30       dent at Topeka Collegiate. An avid sports fan and competitor, John's
31       favorite sport is soccer, in which he participates both in a league and on
32       a school team. John also plays baseball and basketball; and
33           WHEREAS, Topeka Collegiate requires its sixth and seventh grade
34       students to prepare an entry for the History Day competition even though
35       they are not required to enter the competition. With his affinity for sports,
36       selecting History Day topics that involved sports figures was a natural
37       choice for John. In preparation of both History Day entries, John inter-
38       viewed the key people involved, Rachel Robinson and the two players
39       involved in the 1968 Olympics controversy; and
40           WHEREAS, John also participates in Topeka Collegiate Singers and
41       is involved in the Topeka Civic Theater. He parlayed his interest in the-
42       ater into preparation of a dramatic presentation as a reporter at the 1968
43       Olympics and as Branch Rickey, Jackie Robinson's manager; and

HR 6002

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  1           WHEREAS, Despite his busy schedule, John enthusiastically presents
  2       his dramatic performance of ``Rickey and Robinson'' to various audiences,
  3       including the Joint Committee on Arts and Cultural Resources: Now,
  4       therefore,
  5           Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Kan-
  6       sas: That we congratulate and commend John A. Freeman for his past
  7       success in History Day competitions and wish him good fortune in his
  8       future endeavors; and
  9           Be it further resolved: That the Chief Clerk of the House of Repre-
10       sentatives be directed to send enrolled copies of this resolution to John
11       A. Freeman and to his parents, Glenn and Mary Freeman, all at 1523
12       S.W. High, Topeka, Kansas 66604, and to Topeka Collegiate at 2200 S.W.
13       Eveningside Drive, Topeka, Kansas 66614.
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