WHEREAS, Today's retired teachers have dedicated their lives to the enlightenment of our youth, inspiring productive curiosity and fostering the intellectual creativity that motivates economic growth, social responsibility and the preservation of liberty; and

WHEREAS, The Ocean State is unique in many ways, and its strong support of diverse educational opportunities for all of its people is a matter of record; and

WHEREAS, The lives of our retired teachers span the monumental changes that have shaped this nation during the latter half of the 20th century including the Great Depression, World War II and the social and technological revolutions which have forever influenced our vision of ourselves and of our place in the world; and

WHEREAS, Retired teachers take justifiable pride in stressing civic obligations and the exercise of the ballot, promoting individual, family and community values, and working to provide a brighter future for all Americans by advocating better health care, lifetime education, the expansion of economic opportunities and a stable system of social justice for all; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby proclaims April 3, 1996 to be "RETIRED TEACHERS DAY IN RHODE ISLAND" and urges that the public and private schools, as well as the people of the Ocean State, observe this day with tributes and ceremonies befitting the important contributions of our former educators; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the chief executive officer of each city and town in Rhode Island.