THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY MIRABITO, EVERETT, McCALL, BAKER, BRENNAN, CAUSER, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, DENLINGER, DONATUCCI, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GRUCELA, KESSLER, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, MAJOR, MANN, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MENSCH, MILLARD, MOUL, MUNDY, PASHINSKI, PICKETT, QUINN, READSHAW, ROEBUCK, SAINATO, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SEIP, SIPTROTH, STABACK, THOMAS, SWANGER, BEAR, PARKER, CALTAGIRONE, BISHOP, KULA, VULAKOVICH, YOUNGBLOOD, PHILLIPS AND HESS, JULY 3, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JULY 3, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Congratulating the Pennsylvania College of Technology on the

occasion of its 20th anniversary as an affiliate of The

Pennsylvania State University.

WHEREAS, The House of Representatives takes great pride in

recognizing those educational institutions that are committed to

the enrichment of the people of this Commonwealth and their

development into well-rounded citizens with productive,

meaningful lives; and

WHEREAS, The institution that would become the Pennsylvania

College of Technology was informally established in 1914 in the

industrial shop of a small high school for the purpose of

assisting adults learn trades and enrich their education, and

many of the program's students were disabled World War I

veterans who needed specialized training to return to the work

force; and

WHEREAS, As the Great Depression loomed, this institution

provided desperately needed vocational training through a

partnership between the school and local industry, helping to

combat rising unemployment and leading to the development of the

"Williamsport Plan," which was copied throughout the United

States; and

WHEREAS, The period leading up to World War II brought

changes within the school, which was formally named the

Williamsport Technical Institute in 1941; and

WHEREAS, During World War II, the Williamsport Technical

Institute operated on a 24-hour daily schedule, becoming one of

the nation's largest providers of training and retraining of

people with physical handicaps to form the backbone of the

defense industry; and

WHEREAS, The passage of the Community College Act of 1963 led

to the establishment of the Williamsport Area Community College

and, utilizing as its foundation, the Williamsport Technical

Institute; and

WHEREAS, In 1989, after continuous growth throughout the

1970s and 1980s, the college became an affiliate of The

Pennsylvania State University, was renamed the Pennsylvania

College of Technology and is commonly referred to as "Penn

College"; and

WHEREAS, As an affiliate of The Pennsylvania State

University, Penn College is realizing its potential as this

Commonwealth's premier technical college, offering bachelor's

degrees, associate's degrees and certification programs; and

WHEREAS, For 20 years, the Pennsylvania College of Technology

has truly provided its students with "degrees that work";

therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives congratulate the

Pennsylvania College of Technology on the occasion of its 20th

anniversary as an affiliate of The Pennsylvania State

University; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of the House of

Representatives transmit copies of this resolution to the

Pennsylvania College of Technology, One College Avenue,

Williamsport, PA 17701.