Ancient Free & Accepted Masons Of Texas

Mirabeau B Lamar Scholarship ProgramMirabeau B. Lamar was born in 1798 in Georgia and was raised there on hisfather's farm. An insatiable reader, he was largely self-educated and becamevery proficient in writing, history, liberal arts, sciences, math, and art. It was here that Lamar joined the Masonic Lodge and developed his strong stance for humanliberty and public education. After a brief political career, he moved to Texas in1835 just as the Texas Revolution was starting. He served as a Colonel in theCavalry at the Battle of San Jacinto and was instrumental in this final battle forTexas Independence. In 1838, he was inaugurated as the second president ofTexas and in his very first address to the Texas Congress, President Lamarcalled for and had approved an appropriation of land in every Texas county tosupport public schools and 50 leagues of land that would eventually become theUniversity of Texas and Texas A&M University. For this, he became known asThe Father of Public Education in Texas.In honor of his distinguished contributions to the public education system ofTexas, the Mirabeau B. Lamar Award is presented to a Graduating Senior fromthe Plano Independent School District by Plano Masonic Lodge#768 of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, Plano, Texas