[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 23798-23799] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO DAVID AND DOLLY FIDDYMENT ______ HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE of california in the house of representatives Thursday, December 7, 2006 Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to thank and congratulate my friends, David and Dolly Fiddyment of Roseville, California, for their generous contributions to furthering the field of education. They have made an extraordinary gift of $1.09 million to establish the first endowed chair at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) School of Education. With this contribution, they are furthering their family's heritage as education pioneers in Northern California. The Fiddyment Family's roots in the greater Sacramento area predate both the advent of railroad and the founding of the City of Roseville-- which the family helped to start. David's greatgrandmother, Jane Fiddyment, acquired an 80-acre parcel in 1856. The parcel eventually grew to encompass 2,200 acres of livestock, grain, and pistachio farms. David and Dolly themselves have been growing pistachios at Fiddyment Farms in Roseville since 1969 and have helped shape the State's vibrant pistachio industry. Mr. Speaker, the Fiddyment Family's commitment to education runs as deep as their rich history in agriculture. Great-grandmother Jane Fiddyment gave a portion of her land for one of the first schools in the Roseville area in the 1880s. She felt that the school building and playground were essential so that children in the area could receive needed instruction. It was a one-room structure with an oblong iron wood stove in the center of the room, a tall pine flag pole in the front, a good well, and a shed for stabling the horses ridden by youngsters from near and far. It was known as the Pleasant Grove School, and Jane became its first teacher. The school continued in operation until 1911. Continuing the tradition, the mothers of both David and Dolly taught school in the early 1900s, and Dolly was a teacher in the San Juan Unified School District for 25 years. Like the Fiddyments, UC Davis has a long history of working to strengthen schools, dating back to the first teacher-training program held on the University Farm in 1918. With the founding of the School of Education in 2002, the university revitalized its commitment to K-12 education. The Fiddyments' financial gift will enhance UC Davis' leadership position in preparing the next generation of teachers to respond to the critical issues facing our schools. This is the largest private donation made to the School of Education and one of the few in the Nation given to support an endowed chair in teacher education. Mr. Speaker, as Harold Levine, Dean of the School of Education said, ``This gift is a milestone in our growth and signals the importance of teachers and teacher education to all of us. We are honored to have the Fiddyments as partners in our mission to strengthen teaching and learning for all.'' David added, ``It is such a joy for us to be able to stand up and take a position on something of such importance. With this gift, we are hoping to make a difference in the education of children everywhere.'' They were inspired, in part, by a visit to the classroom of one of UC Davis alumna, Dawn Imamoto, a 2004 California Teacher of the Year. Dolly Fiddyment said that, ``Dawn embodies the kind of teacher we'd like every child to have.'' Today, I am proud to honor my friends and constituents, David and Dolly Fiddyment. They are truly pioneering the way to a brighter future for the next generation of students. [[Page 23799]] ____________________