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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the
3 State of Illinois wish to congratulate National-Louis
4 University on the occasion of its 120th anniversary in 2006;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, National-Louis was founded in 1886 by Elizabeth
7 Harrison, an early pioneer of early childhood education who
8 brought the concept of kindergarten to the midwest and started
9 N.L.U. as a "school for mothers" to educate Chicago's growing
10 population of immigrant families about the impact early
11 child-rearing has on later education and self esteem; and
 
12     WHEREAS, The school grew quickly, from six students
13 initially to more than 700 three years later; eventually the
14 school for mothers grew into a college for kindergarten
15 teachers and then for elementary and high school teachers and
16 would be known as the National College of Education; and
 
17     WHEREAS, National College of Education spawned the PTA,
18 Head Start, and the concept of special education; the school
19 introduced the first four-year course of undergraduate study
20 for aspiring teachers and became a pioneer in the graduate
21 education of working teachers, principals, and
22 superintendents; and
 
23     WHEREAS, National College of Education, as an innovator in
24 the education of working adults, began offering bachelor and
25 masters degree programs in business, health and human services,
26 and the arts and sciences in the early 1970s and was the first
27 private college in Illinois to offer courses at satellite
28 campuses across the Chicagoland area; and
 
29     WHEREAS, In 1990, the generosity of benefactor Michael W.
30 Louis enabled the National College of Education to formally

 

 

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1 become a doctoral-level university, and the College was renamed
2 National-Louis University, comprised of a College of Arts &
3 Sciences, College of Management and Business, and the National
4 College of Education; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Today, the legacy of Elizabeth Harrison continues
6 to have a profound positive impact on education with nearly
7 one-in-five Illinois teachers holding either a graduate or
8 undergraduate degree from National-Louis; and
 
9     WHEREAS, National-Louis is recognized by U.S. News and
10 World Report as a top national university for its ethnic and
11 economic diversity as well as its small class sizes; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Nation-wide, National-Louis University is in the
13 top three schools in the number of graduate degrees awarded to
14 working teachers; and
 
15     WHEREAS, More Golden Apple Award-winning teachers hold
16 degrees from National-Louis University than any other college
17 or university; and
 
18     WHEREAS, The university continues to develop programs in
19 partnership with Chicago Public Schools and other districts
20 throughout the State to enhance teacher effectiveness and
21 school leadership and to raise student achievement in reading,
22 science, and math; therefore, be it
 
23     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
24 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
25 we congratulate National-Louis University on the occasion of
26 the 120th anniversary of its founding by education pioneer
27 Elizabeth Harrison, and we thank the students, staff, and
28 faculty, as well as the many alumni for their dedication to
29 improving education in our State; and be it further
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2 presented to National-Louis University as a token of our
3 respect and esteem.