[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E355] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Ms. STEFANIK: I rise today to honor Caroline B. Mason for her extraordinary lifetime and legacy of public service and leadership in education. A dedicated, lifelong scholar, Caroline proudly earned her undergraduate degree from Denison University and master's degree from Case Western University. Additionally, she pursued graduate studies at University College Dublin in Ireland, one of Europe's pre-eminent research-intensive universities. Caroline began her teaching career in the classroom at the all-girls Laurel School and continued to excel as an instructor in classrooms at hallowed educational institutions including the Boston Conservatory of Music and Harvard College. Known for her academic rigor and leadership, Caroline was appointed to serve as principal at the all-girls Mount Saint Mary High School. Caroline continued her pursuit of academic excellence as Head's Fellow at the Klingenstein Institute Teacher's College at Columbia University. In 1993, Caroline was appointed Head of School for Albany Academy for Girls, the oldest continuous all-girls school in the United States founded in 1814. During her tenure, Caroline increased enrollment, brought fiscal discipline, strengthened the curriculum, developed a comprehensive faculty evaluation program, constructed the new library, gymnasium, and Slingerland Wing. She strengthened cherished Academy traditions such as Bacon Bat, ring sisters, the 4th and 8th grade plays, Wassail, Thanksgiving lunch, senior May term, and senior speeches. Caroline brightened the hallways with fresh flowers, art exhibition posters, and warmly greeted the students at the curb every morning with a welcoming smile. Perhaps above all, she invested in extraordinary faculty to instill intellectual rigor, challenging curriculum standards, and true academic excellence. She frequently sat in to observe students and teachers in classrooms. Caroline was formative and determinative to what it means to be an ``Academy Girl'' for thousands of girls and women. In 2003, due to her effective leadership, Caroline was appointed to Head of School for Albany Academy earning the distinction of being the only individual to head two schools simultaneously. She combined the academic departments under a single head ensuring that course standards were equal, increased enrollment, and organized the multi-disciplinary Melville Symposium and the Memorial Day Chapel Service. Caroline stepped down as Head of Schools in 2007 and she remains deeply dedicated to the Albany Academies community. On behalf of the United States Congress and New York's 21st District, I am honored to recognize Caroline's immense contribution to academic excellence and the pursuit of the American Dream for tens of thousands of students. Caroline embodies what it means to be a patriotic American who has given so much of her intellectual gifts to generations of young students who excel as leaders in all fields today. We, and I, cannot thank her enough for her lifetime of service.