Congressional Record—Senate S5827
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June 19, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5827 State constitution. Two hundred years commitment to education and commu- standing what this elementary school of subjugation and oppression, of bond- nity outreach expands to the home represents to its community, the age and tyranny, serve as a reminder with June’s famous cooking. June school’s motto is fitting: Ku lokahi ka to all of us now of the importance of warms the homes and lives of others ‘ohana ‘o Wahiawa! Stand in unison the freedom and equality. with her legendary apple strudel which family of Wahiawa!∑ Although Maryland was a slave she has shared through cooking les- f State, it did not secede from the Union. sons. She continues to inspire with her IN HONOR OF ALFREDO NU´ N˜ EZ Marylanders’ contributions to the dedication to continual learning and Union cause and the abolitionist move- improvement. ∑ Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I would ment did much to secure the abolition June Salander inspires with her en- like to take a moment to celebrate the of slavery. Harriet Tubman, who was ergy and enthusiasm within the reli- life and work of a dedicated educator. born Araminta Ross in Dorchester gious community as well. The Rutland This month, Alfredo Nu´ n˜ ez will retire County, freed countless slaves from Jewish Center has remained an inte- as principal of the Agassiz Elementary bondage and was the first woman to gral part of her social and cultural life. School of Jamaica Plain, MA, and as he lead an armed assault in the Civil War. June’s daughter, Menasha, accurately prepares to do so I am proud to join Frederick Douglass, who was born describes the center as June’s living with his colleagues, friends, and family Frederick Augustus Bailey in Talbot room, kitchen, dining room, and back- in celebrating more than 30 years of County, escaped slavery and went on to yard. Deeply rooted community in- service to Boston Public Schools. become one of the foremost leaders of volvement remains a core value, and to Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Nu´ n˜ ez the abolitionist movement. These he- further uphold and solidify the Jewish immigrated to the United States in roic Marylanders dedicated their lives tradition, June was Bat Mitzvahed at 1963. He attended high school in Jersey to the emancipation of all slaves and the extraordinary age of 89. It is be- City, NJ, and subsequently moved to the empowerment of African Ameri- lieved that June is the oldest Rutland New Brunswick, NJ, where he grad- cans. resident to complete the significant uated from Rutgers University. Earlier this year, we commemorated ceremony. Her commitment to observ- Following graduation, he moved to the 40th anniversary of the death of ing Judaism and keeping tradition Boston where he became a U.S. citizen Martin Luther King, Jr. His legacy re- alive through education is a landmark and obtained his master’s degree from mains with us as we continue to pursue of encouragement and pride for the Boston University in bilingual edu- equality and justice wherever dispari- Jewish community. I congratulate cation. Nu´ n˜ ez then became a fifth ties exist, whether in the economic, June Salander as she reaches yet an- grade teacher at the Agassiz, where he educational, housing, or health care other remarkable milestone, her 100th has worked ever since. One of the larg- arenas. It is our duty to eradicate dis- birthday. The message she has instilled est elementary schools in Boston, with crimination in all its insidious forms. in others through a lifetime of active over 800 students and 100-plus faculty Our concerted efforts will be necessary citizenship is commendable. I am con- and staff members, the Agassiz is a di- to wipe out racial intolerance, and the fident that June’s spiritually fulfilling verse and dynamic school with a large strength of the Nation depends on the and publicly active life will continue to bilingual student population. Nu´ n˜ ez success of these efforts. inspire others for years to come. relished the opportunity to not only Today, on this 143rd anniversary of On a personal note, my wife Marcelle teach but also to learn from the thou- the first Juneteenth, another historic and I have cherished her friendship for sands of students, parents, and teach- event will take place. The first Afri- a third of a century, as we did that of ers he has worked with over the years. can-American woman to represent her wonderful husband.∑ During his tenure as principal, the Maryland in the U.S. Congress, DONNA f Agassiz has garnered numerous awards EDWARDS, will be sworn in this after- and accolades for its drive to achieve CELEBRATING WAHIAWA ELEMEN- noon. It is my honor, on this historic excellence in education. Nu´ n˜ ez has en- TARY SCHOOL’S CENTENNIAL day, to call upon my colleagues to join couraged partnerships with institutes me in celebrating Juneteenth and ∑ Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I take of higher education such as the Univer- those who made this day possible. this opportunity to congratulate the sity of Massachusetts and Harvard Uni- Wahiawa community as it marks the f versity, as well as art and cultural in- centennial of Wahiawa Elementary stitutions like the Boston Ballet, to ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS School. Located in central Oahu, try to expand his students’ horizons. Wahiawa is home to one of Hawaii’s He has also worked to grow parent par- first pineapple plantations. As the in- ticipation within the school to foster a TRIBUTE TO JUNE SALANDER dustry grew, so did Wahiawa and the more community oriented approach to ∑ Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I wish to needs of its residents. learning. pay tribute to June Salander of Rut- Wahiawa Elementary opened in 1908, I am proud to pay tribute to the serv- land, VT. On June 28, 2008, June will on Lehua Street with one teacher, Mrs. ice of Alfredo Nu´ n˜ ez to the Agassiz and celebrate her 100th birthday. H.C. Brown, and 56 students. In 1924, to the children of Boston. I wish June Salander has led a remarkable Wahiawa Elementary expanded to six Alfredo the very best as he looks back life. Like many Jewish immigrants, classrooms, only to be closed during on so many achievements and con- she came to the United States via Ellis World War II. In 1950, Wahiawa Ele- tributions to the community and be- Island in 1920 after a journey from Ros, mentary reopened with a new building gins this new chapter in life.∑ Poland, making the trip with her and a new location on Glenn Street. f mother, brother, and sister. Family Today, Wahiawa Elementary has an and a supportive Jewish community enrollment of approximately 500 and HONORING J.R. SIMPLOT were always positioned as cornerstones includes a center for medically fragile ∑ Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, in 1923, a of June’s upbringing. In 1941 she mar- students, a teacher training center for 14-year-old boy dropped out of school in ried her husband Lew Salander and students with autism, and a preschool. Declo, ID, and began working as a po- moved to Rutland, VT, where she has Wahiawa Elementary students have a tato sorter. He eventually became a po- remained an active community mem- 95 percent attendance rate. tato and hog farmer, a forester, a ber ever since. A strong believer in the For 100 years, Wahiawa Elementary miner, an entrepreneur, an industri- idea that it takes a village to raise a has been a focal point for Wahiawa, alist, an investor, a billionaire, and child, June has lent her time volun- providing a strong foundation for the today—he is a legend. teering at the Rutland Hospital and community’s children and families. John Richard Simplot was born in teaching Hebrew school classes. June There are now several other elemen- Dubuque, IA, in 1909—but his family has remained an active citizen into her tary schools in the Wahiawa area due moved to Idaho when he was young, golden years, earning her real estate li- to dramatic population growth on the and Idaho remained his home. At an cense at the age of 62 and taking up island of Oahu, but Wahiawa Elemen- early age, J.R. knew school was not for tennis at the impressive age of 73. Her tary remains a special place. In under- him, so he dropped out and began VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:46 Sep 14, 2008 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD08\RECFILES\S19JN8.REC S19JN8 mmaher on PROD1PC76 with CONG-REC-ONLINE S5828 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 19, 2008 working in the fields. He saved up and oped his own. He went to the Fort Hall sisted to his wife Esther that he was was able to buy 40 acres of land and Indian Reservation looking for phos- going to go to the office. That was the several hogs. He planted potatoes and phate rock for his new fertilizer and kind of man J.R. Simplot was. Even at fed his hogs with a homemade feed rec- ended up tapping into the largest phos- the age of 99, even with billions of dol- ipe that allowed him to use his own phate mine in the West. He leased the lars, his last thought was that he need- spuds and meat from wild horses. That land and built a fertilizer plant. ed to go to work. saved him some money on feed; more- In 1945, J.R. Simplot became a cattle- I am going to miss my friend Jack, over, as luck would have it, a harsh man when he built a small feedlot for and my sincere condolences go out to winter depleted the grain stock, and the purpose of getting rid of the potato Esther and his family.