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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 261 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 261

Expressing appreciation for the profound public service and educational 
contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fondly known as ``Mr. Wizard''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 28, 2007

 Mr. Coleman (for himself, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Alexander, Ms. Klobuchar, 
Mr. Feingold, and Mr. Durbin) submitted the following resolution; which 
             was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing appreciation for the profound public service and educational 
contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fondly known as ``Mr. Wizard''.

Whereas many citizens of the United States remember Donald Jeffry Herbert as 
        ``Mr. Wizard'' and mourn his passing;
Whereas Don Herbert was born in Waconia, Minnesota and graduated from the La 
        Crosse State Teacher's College in Wisconsin in 1940 where he trained to 
        be a science teacher;
Whereas Don Herbert volunteered for the United States Army Air Corps and served 
        our country in the Atlantic theater and earned the Distinguished Flying 
        Cross and the Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters;
Whereas Don Herbert developed the idea for science programming culminating in 
        ``Watch Mr. Wizard'', a live television show produced from 1951 to 1964 
        and honored by a Peabody Award in 1954;
Whereas the National Science Foundation and the American Chemical Society lauded 
        Don Herbert and his show for promoting interest in science and his 
        contributions to science education;
Whereas ``Watch Mr. Wizard'' has been recognized by numerous awards;
Whereas an additional educational program, ``Mr. Wizard's World'', inspired 
        children from 1983 to 1990 on cable television;
Whereas ``Mr. Wizard'' continued to serve as an ambassador for science education 
        by authoring multiple books and programs, and by traveling to schools 
        and providing classroom demonstrations;
Whereas educational research indicates that young children make decisions about 
        future careers at a very early age and are influenced greatly by 
        positive contacts with science and technology;
Whereas a strong education in science and technology is one of the building 
        blocks of a productive, competitive, and healthy society;
Whereas ``Mr. Wizard'' encouraged children to duplicate his experiments at home, 
        driving independent inquiry into science with simple household 
        equipment;
Whereas ``Mr. Wizard's'' dynamic and energetic science experiments attracted 
        unprecedented numbers of children to educational programming, even those 
        who were disinterested or unmotivated in science;
Whereas Mr. Wizard Science Clubs were started across the United States and had 
        more than 100,000 children enrolled in 5,000 clubs by the mid-1950s; and
Whereas Don Herbert will be remembered as a pioneer of commercial educational 
        programming and instrumental in making science education exciting and 
        approachable for millions of children across the United States: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses appreciation for the profound public service 
        and educational contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert;
            (2) recognizes the profound impact of higher educational 
        institutions that train teachers;
            (3) encourages students to honor the heritage of Don 
        Herbert by exploring our world through science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics fields; and
            (4) tenders condolences to the family of Don Herbert and 
        thanks them for their strong familial support of him.
                                 <all>
```