February 1, 2006 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 699 were people in the past such as Jackie Robin- Florence Murphy, and her achievements, in Snopek began her work at St. Francis, enroll- son, Harriet Tubman, and Dr. Vivien Thomas front of my colleagues of the house. ment in the school has increased greatly and who laid the paths for all Americans. The hard f the majority of the students are testing above work, sacrifices and hardships of these role the 75th percentile in all academic areas on models permitted the accomplishments of a TRIBUTE TO MR. FRANK CUTRONA standardized tests. new generation: Tiger Woods, Senator Aside from initiated programs that benefit BARACK OBAMA, and Dr. Benjamin Carson. HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN students, Ms. Snopek is also credited with an Mr. Speaker, with all of the significant con- OF NEW JERSEY excellent ability to recognize the talents of her tributions African-Americans have accom- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES teachers. She helps develop staff members by providing them with varied opportunities for plished throughout history, it is important that Wednesday, February 1, 2006 we recognize those achievements. Let’s make professional growth, including pursuing ad- sure that all Americans celebrate and under- Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to rec- vanced degrees. Teachers and administration stand the principles, achievements and ideals ognize Mr. Frank Cutrona, a resident of the alike recognize Ms. Snopek as one who of African-Americans; after all, African Amer- Ninth District of New Jersey and the San Ciro merges her responsibilities as a spiritual and ican history is American history. Society’s Man of the Year for 2006. educational leader to the benefit of her stu- dents and staff. f The San Ciro Society, located in Garfield, NJ, is an organization comprised of New It is my honor to recognize Ms. Barbara PAYING TRIBUTE TO FLORENCE Jerseyans of Italian-American descent that Snopek who serves as an example of one of MURPHY, PILOT AND CO- makes contributions to many worthy charitable the best in PreK–8 school leadership and FOUNDER OF NORTH LAS VEGAS causes each year. Locally, it provides students helps to foster a greater understanding of the AIRPORT with scholarships to continue their education. principal’s key role in meeting the challenging On the international level, the society has responsibility of educating children. HON. JON C. PORTER sponsored foster children in Africa. f OF NEVADA Frank Cutrona was born in Marineo, Italy on THE LEGACY OF FAYARD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 18, 1956. At the age of 13, his family NICHOLAS moved to America to realize the American Wednesday, February 1, 2006 dream and settled in Garfield, NJ. Frank grew HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to up in Garfield and worked as a truck driver for OF NEW YORK honor the memory of Florence Murphy who Dorwin Manufacturing, located in Elmwood IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES died Monday January 22, at the age of 94. I Park, NJ, for 26 years. He now lives in Wednesday, February 1, 2006 recognize Florence for her accomplishments in Carlstadt with his beautiful wife, Rosa, where aviation and business, and for paving the way they run their own deli and where Frank works Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to for other women as one of Nevada’s first fe- part-time for the Carlstadt Board of Education. recognize legendary tap dancer Fayard Nich- male pilots and the first woman to be vice The couple has two wonderful children, Jo- olas who died on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 president of an airline company. seph and Christina. Frank has been a devoted at the age of 91 and to enter into the RECORD Florence Murphy attended the University of member of the San Ciro Society for 15 years a statement remembering Nicholas prepared Nevada, Reno, for 2 years before meeting her and has served as its secretary of finance for by the National Association for the Advance- husband, John Murphy. He worked for the 7 years. ment of Colored People. State Highway Department and she was a Today, I would like to recognize Frank Nicholas was the elder half of an amazing legal secretary when they first got the chance Cutrona’s dedication to the San Ciro Society tap dance legend—The Nicholas Brothers. To- to fly in 1936. Two years later they each had and send the Garfield, NJ’s San Ciro Societa gether the show-stopping duo influenced gen- erations of dancers with their wildly creative their pilot’s licenses. Murphy earned her flight Religiosa my best wishes for their upcoming tap routines, which included slides across the instructor’s license in 1941, and 3 years later 97th annual Dinner Dance. Viva San Ciro. she became the first woman in Nevada to floor and signature no-hands leg splits. f Legends in their own time and ours, Fayard earn a commercial pilot’s license. and Harold Nicholas are best known for their She was not always welcomed in the male- HONORING BARBARA SNOPEK, unforgettable appearances in more than 30 dominated field of commercial aviation, espe- PRINCIPAL OF SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER Hollywood musicals in the 1930s and ’40s. cially when she took the controls of an airliner. They were talented singers and actors as well, At times, she had to board the plane before but Jim Crow segregationist customs kept the passengers so they could not see that a HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI them from having speaking parts. Their ar- woman was flying the plane. OF ILLINOIS tistry, choreographic genius, and unique In 1941, Florence Murphy, her husband and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES style—a smooth mix of tap, jazz, ballet and their friend Bob Barrett built Sky Haven Air- Wednesday, February 1, 2006 acrobatic moves—have astonished vaudeville, port, which is now North Las Vegas Airport. theatre, film and television audiences all over The airport opened on December 7, 1941. The Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to the world. Their work influenced dancers from festivities came to an abrupt end when an un- honor Barbara Snopek, Principal of Saint Gene Kelly to Fred Astaire to Debbie Allen, scheduled military plane landed and shut Francis Xavier in La Grange, Illinois and re- Gregory Hines to Savion Glover. Russian bal- down the airport with the announcement that cipient of the 2005 National Distinguished let dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov once called the Pearl Harbor had just been bombed. Flor- Principal Award. Nicholas Brothers ‘‘the most amazing dancers ence’s husband and Barrett then went to Ari- The National Distinguished Principals Pro- I have ever seen in my life—ever.’’ zona as civilian flight instructors. Florence gram was established in 1984 as an annual Born in Mobile, the brothers learned to stayed behind to keep the Sky Haven running event to honor exemplary elementary school dance while watching their musician parents during World War II. principals who set the pace, character, and who played in their own band at the old After the war, Florence met Ed Converse, a quality of the education children receive during Standard Theater—their mother at the piano Navy veteran who had started Bonanza Air- their early school years. One principal is cho- and father on drums. Fayard was 18 and Har- lines. She joined the company and eventually sen from each of the 50 states and the District old was just 11 when they became the fea- became vice president, the first woman to hold of Columbia, and this year Ms. Barbara tured act at New York’s Cotton Club in 1932. such a position with an airline. She stayed Snopek has been selected as a National Dis- They then appeared on Broadway with ‘‘The with the company until 1958, when she started tinguished Principal. Ziegfield Follies of 1936’’ and later Hollywood a real estate company with another friend, Before arriving at St. Francis in 1989, appearing in such great hits as ‘‘The Pirate’’ Larry McNeil. She remained active as a li- Snopek served as principal at St. Genevieve (1948) with Gene Kelly and Stormy Weather censed pilot until the age of 82 and as a real in Chicago and St. Suzanna in Harvey, Illinois. (1943) with Fred Astaire. estate executive until 93. In her first year at St. Francis she worked In 1981, the Brothers were honored with a Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I closely with the staff to create and implement retrospective of their work in films at the Acad- have the opportunity to honor the memory of new curricula for the school. Since Ms. emy Awards. Fayard received a Tony Award VerDate Sep 11 2014 13:27 Mar 08, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00242 Fmt 0689 Sfmt 9920 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BOOK1\BR01FE06.DAT BR01FE06 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE 700 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS February 1, 2006 for his choreography in the Tony Award win- TRIBUTE TO NORMAN J. PERA President Clinton for their contributions to the ning Broadway show ‘‘Black and Blue’’ in 1995 White House Christmas celebration. 1989. Two years later, the brothers received a HON. ANNA G. ESHOO Graduates from the 2004 and 2005 ATTC cul- Kennedy Center Honor. Their legacy has also OF CALIFORNIA inary arts program have received over been remembered with a star on the Holly- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES $90,000 in scholarships, due mainly to Mr. wood Walk of Fame and induction into the Doram’s fine teaching. Apollo Theater Hall of Fame. Even after Har- Wednesday, February 1, 2006 Prior to becoming a teacher, Mr. Doram old passed away in 2000 due to heart failure, Ms.