Texas Library Association OUTSTANDING SERVICES TO LIBRARIES AWARD NOMINATION WORK FORM Date:____December 18, 2013_______ NOMINEE: Judge Jack English Hightower (posthumous nomination; died August 3, 2013 in Austin, Texas)______________ Name of the nominee Served on the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (5 years); Founding president of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society; Actively involved as a volunteer with the Baylor University Libraries; Supported Libraries at the state, local, and national levels through his service in the Texas State Senate, the United States House of Representatives, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and on the Texas Supreme Court Title/Library Affiliation of Nominee Daughter: Amy Hightower Brees 3009 Chatelaine Drive Austin, TX 78746______________________________ Widow: Colleen Ward Hightower Summit at Westlake Hills, Apt. 227 1034 Liberty Park Drive Austin, TX 78746-6852_ Nominee's Address Amy: (512) 347-7137 e-mail: [email protected] Colleen: (512) 452-7327 (no e-mail)________________ Nominee's Phone Number/Fax/Email NOMINATED BY: Kathy R. Hillman_____________________________________________________________________ Nominator's Name Director of Baptist Collections, Library Advancement, and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society at Baylor University Nominator's Title/Affiliation 8505 Oakdale Drive Waco, TX 76712 (Work: One Bear Place #97148 Waco, TX 76798-7148)__________________ Nominator's Address Cell: 254-749-5347 Office: 254-710-6684 FAX: 254-710-3116 E-mail: [email protected]_____________ Nominator's Phone Number/Fax/Email Please read the criteria for the award as outlined in Standing Rule 9, Section C "Awards" and send detailed information using these subheads: I. Specific reason for nomination II. Achievements/contributions related to library service III. Other activities/information pertinent to nomination IV. Recognitions and awards V. Resumé (if possible) SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Use this nomination form to gather your nomination materials to cut and paste into the online nomination form available September 15 through January 15. If unable to submit online, please contact Mary Ann at the TLA office, 512-328-1518 ext. 147. TLA Awards 3355 Bee Cave Road, Suite 401 Austin TX 78746 I. Specific reason for nomination Judge Jack English Hightower developed a love of libraries, books, and history as a young child, asking Santa Claus for books instead of toys and making scrapbooks of presidents and his visit to the Texas Centennial as a boy. That love deepened during his school days and grew through his university and law school years while working in Baylor University campus historical library, The Texas Collection. Libraries and all they represent became a lifelong passion of Judge Hightower’s that manifested itself in his ongoing support of and involvement in libraries through personal, professional, and public service. II. Achievements/contributions related to library service Commissioner of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, 1999-2005 (appointed by President Bill Clinton) Founder (founding president) and until his death president emeritus of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society (“nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the collection and preservation of papers, photographs, and significant artifacts relating to the Supreme Court of Texas, the appellate courts, and Texas judicial history”)…From Texas Supreme Court advisory dated August 3, 2013, “His enchantment with history led him to help found the Supreme Court Historical Society in January 1990, the sesquicentennial of the first session of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas, and establish its mission to record the Court’s history. His vision drew former Chief Justices Robert Calvert, Joe Greenhill and Jack Pope to file incorporation papers. He became the Society’s first president and at his death was its president emeritus.” See: http://www.supreme.courts.state.tx.us/hightower/hightower.pdf Collector of historical documents and books as he put it, “I collected to preserve. I have a desire to preserve our history.” Most of these documents, including a land grant for one of the original 300 Texas settlers and 3,000 first edition and signed books (5 of those by U.S. presidents before Abraham Lincoln), have been donated to libraries. Board advocate for university libraries as a trustee of Midwestern University in Wichita Falls, Baylor University in Waco, and Wayland Baptist University in Plainview Supporter and instrumental legislator in the founding of Vernon Regional Junior College, now Vernon College Tireless fundraiser for libraries in general and for the Baylor University Libraries specifically through service on the Baylor University Library Board of Advocates including three terms as chair from 2002-2006; Chair of the Library Fellows Program from 2005 to 2010 (group of donors committed to giving $1,000 or more annually to the Libraries) Note: Hightower’s daughter Amy Hightower Brees has carried on the family’s involvement by becoming a member of what is now called the Baylor University Library Board of Advisors Documenter, preserver, and depositor in the Poage Legislative Library of his political and personal papers from his service as a Texas State Senator, U.S. Representative, First Assistant Attorney General of Texas, and the Texas Supreme Court See collection information at: http://www.baylor.edu/lib/poage/hightower/index.php?id=56644 Student assistant under Texas historian Guy B. Harrison in Baylor University’s Texas Collection for six years as an undergraduate and law student (worked his way through school in libraries) III. Other activities/information pertinent to nomination The Texas Library Association acknowledged Judge Hightower’s contributions to Libraries with a brief comment in the Names in the News section of TLACast, Volume 32, Number 4: Deaths Jack English Hightower, former US and state representative, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and longtime advocate for libraries who was appointed to serve on the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, died August 3. Press Release: For Immediate Release May 13, 1999 For Information Contact Barbara Whiteleather PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES JACK E. HIGHTOWER AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE Washington, DC - Yesterday the White House announced that President Clinton has named Jack E. Hightower as a member of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS). The text of the White House press release is provided below. THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release May 12, 1999 PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES JACK E. HIGHTOWER AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCE The President today announced his intent to nominate Jack E. Hightower to serve as a member of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. Justice Jack E. Hightower, of Austin, Texas, is Counsel to the law firm of Hilgers and Watkins in Austin. He was first elected to the Texas Supreme Court in 1988 and served until 1996. He served as First Assistant Attorney General of Texas from1985-1987. From 1975-1984, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving on the Agriculture, Appropriations, and Government Operations Committees. Justice Hightower was a member of the Texas Senate from 1964-1975 where he served as President Pro Tempore. He previously served as District Attorney for the 46th Judicial District from 1955-1961, and in the Texas House of Representatives from 1952-1955. Justice Hightower received B.A. and LL.B. degrees from Baylor University and an LL.M. from the University of Virginia Law School. The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science was established in 1970 to plan and advise governments and agencies on library and information services to meet the needs of the people of the United States through federal cooperation with state and local governments, and public and private agencies. http://www.nclis.gov/news/pressrelease/pr99/hightowr.html IV. Recognitions and awards Distinguished Alumnus of Baylor University (See: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=67466) President Pro-tempore of the Texas Senate Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Theater named in his honor See obituary in Section V. for additional recognitions and awards See article “Touching History” http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=67471 or attached .pdf V. Resumé (if possible) See obituary below: Jack Hightower Obituary (Published in Austin American-Statesman from August 5 to August 7, 2013) Jack English Hightower Jack English Hightower, a small-town lawyer who devoted his life to public service at the local, state and national levels, died peacefully on August 3, 2013 in Austin, Texas of complications due to Parkinson's Syndrome. He was 86. Jack Hightower was born in Memphis, Hall County, Texas, on September 6, 1926, the son of Walter Thomas Hightower and Floy Edna English Hightower. Jack spent his early years working in the Hightower Greenhouse, the family-owned flower shop and nursery. He told many stories about delivering corsages and collecting bills on his bicycle. After graduation from Memphis High School he attended Baylor University for a summer term. His study at Baylor was interrupted by his service in the Navy in 1944. After serving during World War II, Jack was discharged in 1946, and returned to Baylor University where he worked in the Texas Collection, a library of Texana, was surrounded by books that were his passion throughout his life. It was at Baylor where he met Colleen Ward from Tulia, who he would marry in 1950. He graduated in 1949 and went on to receive his law degree from Baylor in 1951. Jack and Colleen moved to Vernon, Texas in 1951, where he joined the law firm of Storey, Storey and Donaghey. Shortly thereafter, there was a vacancy in the office of State Representative. He was convinced that this was his opportunity to embark on a career in public service, so he ran for and was elected as a Democrat to the Texas House of Representatives in 1952, where he served one term.