IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 485 
Expressing appreciation for the profound public service and educational 
contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fondly known as ‘‘Mr. Wizard’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 14, 2007 
Mr. EHLERS (for himself, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. 
LAMPSON, Mr. KUHL of New York, and Mr. AKIN) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Labor 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing appreciation for the profound public service and 
educational contributions of Donald Jeffry Herbert, fond-
ly known as ‘‘Mr. Wizard’’. 
Whereas many citizens of the United States remember Don-
ald Jeffry Herbert as ‘‘Mr. Wizard’’ and mourn his pass-
ing; 
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 U.S. Army Air 
Corps and served our country in the Atlantic theater and 
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•HRES 485 IH 
earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal 
with three oak leaf clusters; 
Whereas Don Herbert developed the idea for science pro-
gramming culminating in ‘‘Watch Mr. Wizard’’, a live tel-
evision 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 and has since been recognized by nu-
merous 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 ex-
periments attracted unprecedented numbers of children 
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to educational programming, even those who were disin-
terested or unmotivated in science; 
Whereas Mr. Wizard Science Clubs were started across the 
United States and had more than 100,000 children en-
rolled 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, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) expresses its appreciation for the profound 
public service and educational contributions of Don-
ald 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 its condolences to the family of Don 
Herbert and thanks them for their strong familial 
support of him. 
Æ 
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