Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 5–Assemblymen Anderson, Andonov, Angle, Arberry, Atkinson, Beers, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Chowning, Christensen, Claborn, Collins, Conklin, Geddes, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Goicoechea, Goldwater, Grady, Griffin, Gustavson, Hardy, Hettrick, Horne, Knecht, Koivisto, Leslie, Mabey, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, McCleary, Mortenson, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Perkins, Pierce, Sherer, Weber and Williams

 

Joint Sponsors: Senators Titus, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Cegavske, Coffin, Hardy, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, Nolan, O’Connell, Raggio, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Tiffany, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

 

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Assembly Concurrent RESOLUTION—Recognizing March 3, 2003, as “Read Across America” Day in Nevada in commemoration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday.

 

    Whereas, Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1904, in

 Springfield, Massachusetts; and

    Whereas, Theodor Seuss Geisel graduated from Dartmouth

 College in 1925 and began writing humorous articles and creating

 cartoons for various magazines; and

    Whereas, His first children’s book, And to Think That I Saw It

 on Mulberry Street, was rejected by 43 publishers until, in 1937, a

 friend published the book for him; and

    Whereas, In May of 1954, Life magazine published a report

 concerning illiteracy among school children, stating that, among

 other things, children were having trouble learning to read because

 the books were boring; and

    Whereas, This comment inspired Theodor Seuss Geisel’s

 publisher, Bennett Cerf, to compile a list of 400 words that he felt

 were important, asking Mr. Geisel to cut the list to 250 words, the

 amount of words a first grader could absorb, and using only those

 words to write a book that would excite children; and

    Whereas, Nine months later, Mr. Geisel, using 220 of the

 words given to him, published The Cat in the Hat, which became

 an instant success; and

    Whereas, Later in 1960, Bennett Cerf bet Mr. Geisel $50 that

 he couldn’t write an entire book using only 50 words and from that

 challenge came the famous children’s book, Green Eggs and Ham,

 which also became an instant success; and

    Whereas, From that point on, Theodor Seuss Geisel became

known as “Dr. Seuss,” and children became enthused about reading

 every Dr. Seuss book available; and

    Whereas, Dr. Seuss died on September 24, 1991, but his

 legacy of children’s books will live forever as an inspiration to

 children everywhere to learn to read and to share in the laughter,

 enjoyment and knowledge that a book can provide; and

    Whereas, In honor of Dr. Seuss and the joy of reading, the

 National Education Association has designated March 3, 2003, as

 “Read Across America” day and has called upon every child to read

 with a caring adult on this day 99 years after the birth of Theodor

 Seuss Geisel; now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the

 Senate Concurring, That March 3, 2003, is hereby recognized

 as “Read Across America” Day in Nevada in commemoration of

Dr. Seuss’s birthday; and be it further

    Resolved, That children and adults are encouraged to read a

 favorite book together on this date to share the joy of reading; and

 be it further

    Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and

 transmit a copy of this resolution to Terry Hickman, President of

 the Nevada State Education Association, and Kenneth Lange,

 Executive Director of the Nevada State Education Association.

 

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