Bill 3737

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3737
Ratification Number:       476
Act Number:                542
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Portrait of Dr. Wil Lou Gray

(A542, R476, H3737)

A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMMISSIONING OF A PORTRAIT OF DR. WIL LOU GRAY, THE HANGING OF THE PORTRAIT IN THE STATE HOUSE, AND TO PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATION.

Whereas, Dr. Wil Lou Gray, a pioneer in adult education in South Carolina and founder of an opportunity school that bears her name, died recently at the age of one hundred; and

Whereas, Dr. Gray's distinguished career fighting illiteracy and ignorance spanned more than half a century, and for nearly thirty years she directed the state's adult education efforts; and

Whereas, in 1946, her idea of an opportunity school to help adults get a high school diploma became a reality with the purchase of a former Army air base in Lexington County, and the site is now the state-supported Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School; and

Whereas, Dr. Gray's last years were filled with many honors: named Woman of the Year by the South Carolina Conference on Status of Women; received the American Legion citizenship award and a merit award from the National Association of Public School Adult Educators; and in 1974 she was inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame and later cited by the National Retired Teachers Association and American Association of Retired Persons for her "continuing outstanding service to others"; and

Whereas, she was the first woman to receive the honor of the Paul Harris Fellow Award presented by the Rotary Club of Columbia in 1980; and

Whereas, Dr. Gray's alma mater, Columbia College, and several other schools have awarded her honorary degrees and the University of South Carolina awarded her the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award; and

Whereas, she was a member of Washington Street United Methodist Church; and

Whereas, the remarkable career of this charming lady merits the praise and recognition of all citizens of this State. Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Portrait to be painted

SECTION 1. The South Carolina Arts Commission shall commission a portrait of Dr. Wil Lou Gray to be painted by an artist selected by the Commission. The portrait is to be hung in the State House at Columbia.

There is appropriated to the South Carolina Arts Commission the sum of five thousand dollars or so much of that amount as is necessary to be used by the Commission to defray the cost of the portrait.

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.