GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1989 SESSION
RATIFIED BILL

RESOLUTION 25
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 2025

A JOINT RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF ALBERT COATES.

Whereas, Albert Coates was born on August 25, 1896, in Johnston County, was one of nine children born to Daniel Miller and Nancy Lassiter Coates, graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1918, served briefly as a second lieutenant in the United States Army, and graduated from Harvard University with a law degree in 1923; and
Whereas, Albert Coates returned to Chapel Hill to teach law at the University of North Carolina and, while teaching criminal law, noticed that his casebook consisted primarily of Supreme Court decisions and that these cases constituted less than four-tenths of one per cent of all the criminal cases tried in the State's Courts; and
Whereas, Albert Coates started visiting sheriff's and police departments to find out what was taking place in the real world and found that these law enforcement agencies were also desirous of training, thus the idea for creating an Institute of Government was conceived; and
Whereas, Albert Coates thought that the Institute of Government should offer training programs for law enforcement officers and a broader program of research training, and consultation for all types of State and local officials; and after a long struggle the Institute of Government became a part of the University of North Carolina in January of 1942; and Albert Coates remained its director until 1962, when he returned to teach law at the University of North Carolina; and
Whereas, after his retirement from the University of North Carolina in 1969, Albert Coates was able to devote his time to an earlier idea to provide public school teachers of civics and government with information concerning practical government as opposed to what was being taught in books and with the support of State funds, and so created an Institute of Civic Education in the University's Extension Division which expanded greatly; and by 1980 the State Board of Education responded to these efforts by formally approving The Albert Coates Citizenship Education Program as part of the basic skills instructional program of public schools, to be included in the social studies curriculum; and
Whereas, Albert Coates also wrote and published tributes to his colleges, his family, the State Highway Patrol, law enforcement officers, and others; and
Whereas, his books include What the University of North Carolina Meant to Me, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: A Magic Gulf Stream in the Life of North Carolina, and Edward Kidder Graham, Harry Woodburn Chase, Frank Porter Graham: Three Men in the Transition of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from a Small College to a Great University; and
Whereas, Albert Coates died on January 28, 1989, in his ninety-third year, after an extraordinarily constructive life of public service and will be long remembered as one of North Carolina's most outstanding citizens;

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

Section 1.  The General Assembly wishes to honor the life and memory of Albert Coates and expresses its sympathy to his widow, Gladys Coates, his family, and his friends.
Sec. 2.  The General Assembly wishes to recognize Albert Coates for his many accomplishments including founding the Institute of Government, inspiring the lives of his law students, and improving the teaching of civics and government in the State's public high schools.
Sec. 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Albert Coates and to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Sec. 4.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 22nd day of June, 1989.

	 
	James C. Gardner
	President of the Senate

	 
	J. L. Mavretic
	Speaker of the House of Representatives