Mirabeau B. Lamar served as the second president of the Republic of Texas from 1838-1841. He was a Freemason and is known by some as “The Father of Texas Education.” Lamar believed that Texas greatness rested on the establishment of public education. Following Lamar’s lead, the Congress passed education acts in 1839 and 1840. These acts granted each county 17,712 acres of land to support public schools. The government also set aside 231,000 acres for the future establishment of two public universities. 

The Lamar Award of Excellence was established in 1988, under the leadership of Grand Master Graham Childress. The Lamar Medal is awarded to students and educators in recognition of outstanding personal achievement in academics, citizenship, community service, or sports.