s.

A I Iistory of th EACHERS ASSOCIATION

.IN'rRCOOCT.lOO

y wa unde to Ip .

of e Rockv~11e '1' achers 9) •

at r recently err rged "an . nterna ona. kers inves_' 9 09 the hist ri S 0 thei \JWI1

• • hi tory f be ow." "P, chron logy of the (1967-198 ), for example, is go'ng 0 press. As 5

rlC est country .n L e '.0/0 1 is the poorest i cts s ch as this st contribu ons Lo

f th RVi 'A may f' d -s an ach .

Younger member sh l au t

for and 1 59-64.

r

chive of

those achievemen 'd not ffarts of

z ns f lea ers Un 0 unately, have

signiflcant ga a dCUt~onal material

Ve te an I embers ' reVlves memo ~es of the f?rogr r its firs hal .

r Deh ,

ted ri d 'ly Spine Ii, 111

"doza, Ken Jenkin I Elliot a I audia S cter (au lor 0

'rt'eul rly, Larry Oreyfuss ill1d 'ck anis iun of any

PROUUJE

n a number "significant respects the Rockville Ceo re schools are uni'-;jue. For example, South Side was the first public high schCXJl (1892) and the first junior high s hoo (1916) on the south shore of long Island (beyond New York City). Following the second World War the distr' ct pioneered in nany areas of pupil services and professional growth. This publication, however, is not intended to be a history of the Rockville Centre schools. The author has attempted to focus on significant events which directly involved the teachers organization.

Page

IAPI'ER Fa.w:rtE YEARS: 1940-19

ember 2, 1940.

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A 1942 ·1992

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Mar h, 1941:

~~ers ~~re c ution by ~ atfic rs that ey "rray be asi y just riticism (and) sh ul v' d 11 public coo 'bnents or

h_ .in 0 al or 'nted Dl1. "

Page 3

A History of the ROCKVILLE CENTRE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

The organization's leaders had a "cordial meeting" with the Central Council of the PTA in an effort to convince that organization that th y were "not a group of scheming radicals out to turn the town upside down!" A] 1 teachers were urged to join the PTA (and 100% did).

Four "departments" (ccmnittees) were created. To prc;m:)t "men hygiene" the "Psycholcgy Carmittee" suggested that teachers "read Dr. Altman's article' OUr Mentally Unbalanced Teachers' in The American Mercury" and take a. self-administered personality test.

Noting that with non-cumulative sick leave extended illness could be "financially disastrous" a fund was established to make no-interest loans to teachers (a "\\lelfare Bridge" raised $200 for the fund).

April, 1941:

The president's bulletin quoted this statement fran Superintendent Floyd watson:

"I am in favor of a teacher's association which is conceived for the purpose of improving the interests of the boys and girls, and general professional improvement and not one organized for selfish motives."

The need for teacher strength through unity was illustrated by "nineteen economies" proposed to cut costs by the New York Citizens' Bureau of Governmental Research in 1941. Recarmendations which targeted the "cost of instruction" included.:

(1) Abolition of life teaching certificates (2) Providing tenure for only 5 or 7 year tenus (3) Repealing seniority (4) Allowing school boards to dismiss a given percentage of

teachers on tenure each year. As NYSTA observed, the objective seemed to be to "make it easier to

eliminate the higher paid persons on the teaching staff."

May, 1941 (General meeting):

Mr. Rose extended High School Principal Wohlsen I s "greetings and best wishes to the Association."

Miss Signa Anderson , girls physical education instructor (and an admirerI

of Martha Graham) announced the creation of a class on posture (in place 0

regular gym class) for girls in secretarial stUdies.

september/OCtober, 1941:

The RVcrA voted to affiliate with the Long Island assroom 'reachers Association.

The Social CcoTnittee asked for $10 for decorations for OCtober I s inner "so the charge can be kept to $1."

Re-elected president Ne son_ qA~ . uggested a. ca c tive ~alary an sick leave study but cautioned that "whatever the Ass ia ion rray or may not do, before any action can be tak n it. will have to be subni t ed to the Administrators ana I30ard of Edu ation."

Page 4

A Hislory 0 19 2 .. J992

a]rea y rep sen inq all Rock"\l' ille cenl:r' t chers an S' 'A1. ann conv ntio , ~ tCl "represent. the veTA

ues l.stra s a.X! a 1 j owed to ~ Oln he Assoc i U rI was C Jec "tea lL not feel free a talk nd '.;p Lr real Vll-' ,II, L

'as plained , II hey (dminis . tors l co 1. j I [1cJ e e soci ion" (as ld NYSTA).

J nuary. 191

[fleers senl 1 t Lee of app ia t 10[1 0 he Boa of P. Ilei! .1.0 •II

at l'- • wa 5 r I , 5 ng I re p eased to a V's the L ul.a inc C 'ordin the 01 sal. • scheaule. II

at er l? ar1 Hartor, he 'cva·.1.O by f dy eft ei low jncorne 51tions for t r j I

(or 0 n er the S 1ees) was al a bein 1n Rille entre. Te chars s rved as Red C ass un tee , as 10 the l~.) USQ's in H stea. req· S ars or Ira n in va defen8 roles.

ApriJ/' y, 1943:

A new ..:umulati Ie ve en ir iv yeaJ ~. residen IIJimnyll Buell noted

111111 to 5 [ , the school docto to t1fy rIlTOre II f1ve d ys nd C rlnot ge to our n doc"!:.

S . nee he AsSOCi at.10n ' s. sav i rlgs :lC~Ol nt ba1 $26 .34 d checking accoun he d $125.8 e m rship voted u s to $1 nnually (al tho gh testa e-w.Lde verag <las S4).

uJ.y, 1943'

'1 e ne.'II minim of $U50 to a

eq 'v 1 nt

deterrtti n

ever re t

Se tember, ] 43:

Pr :=;iaent 005 Interest Ccmnittee" dra ll~ _~-=-=.IO:.-"-~

new sugg sted s e "tted rinci ~ls or thei ­poss,~ us. The Feb a t no that "Teac; s need happy sts'-a. a adverse c iC1sm L ch~ h teacher-. Ii

I

Page 5

50 th Anniversary A History of the ROCKVILLE CENTRE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

May, 1944:

Letters were sent ·to Albany protesting projected reductions In state aid.

January/March, 1945:

A motion was adopted to ask for a sa ary "bonus" --"a cc:nmittee w'" 1 discuss with Mr. Watson."

A Profesiona1 Pelations Conmittee was created "t receive and act up:m any personal grievance of any mefimer of this organization. The Committee will decide whether the grievance is important enough and affects enough pea?le for it to go beyond the Cc:mnittee" (presumably to the Nassau County lassroom Teachers Associa tion) .

May, 1945:

As Ule war \'K)und down Treasurer John Ri.ngwald reported a balance on hand of $61.27 but his motion to donate $15 to the American Legion for cigarettes for servicemen was adopted.

November, 1945:

At the urging of Hester Hunter, the Association voted $150 to support a school (Fijnaart High School) in "liberated Ho land" through Save the Children Federation.

January, 1946:

A motion by Louise Austin that the Teachers I terest Corrrnittee "talk to Mr. Watson about a $400 bonus" was adopted and two members of that cornnittee were also asked to see Watson on behalf of "a member whose services are to be terminated (this month)."

April, 1946:

Amy Raynor/ Chairperson, presented the organization's revised constitution.

September, 1946 :

It was revea16'd that over the Slmner, four teachers (John R.ingwald, Myles Stireman, W8s Coppel and Bill Blanchette) "in a spontaneous gesture" had an "informal talk" VIi th Superintendent Watson regar 'ing post-war inflation and salary inadequac·es.

'l'hey w r invited to the early S.>ptE!lllber Board of Education meeting, "spontaneously accompanied by Miss ,Laura DeGroot and Miss G adysBratton."called back a second time, they wer advised f the "dangers 0 ca l'ng Sup lelmenta"y Budget Meeting" ("without precedent") to utho ize a ost of living adjustment: "taxpayers might lose confidence 1n the .ard' s aoD' ty to draw up budget" and "the budget might become a poEtical tball."

Page 6

A History of the ROCKVILLE CENTRE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION 1942 - 1992

The Board indicated it. had done a Nassau County salary survey and would (unilat rally) announce a -new salary sch€:o'<lule next February, to be effective Se Le, r, 1947. Morris C)ttma.n pointed oct at the subsequent Assoc.lation meeting that "in ther systems a TA representative sat in on board meeting and at the drawing up of salary schedules"!

C!ctober, 1946:

A ca~nittee was appointed to petltlon the Board Eor a $750 co t-of-living adjusbnent for 1946-47 and a revision of the salary schedule. In late November a letter Eran the Board announced a $400 salary increment in four wonthly payments.

December, 1946:

T~he Salary Cannlittee (Lois Graves, Louise Austin, Audrey Alexander, Janet Angus, Hank Guyer, M::lrris Ottman, and President John Ringwald) asked the Board ( 1) whether the $400 was the total increase for the year, ( 2) would it be permanent in contracts (which were individual then) and (3) would the Board work with the TA hereaf"ter? Mr. Watson suggested "teachers receive more pay according to time spent 0n extra curricular activities."

January, 1947:

The Association began forming a Blue Cross t1ospitalization group and were informed of the services provided by the Valley Stream Teachers Federal Credit Union.

The Executive Board discussed how to rally public support on salaries: "it was the consensus of opinion that we do nothing to antagonize the Board just at this time" -- a "quiet mouth to mouth campaign" was reCO£lTOended.

March, 1947:

After the new salary schedule (unilaterally devised by the Board of Education) had been placed in teachers' mailboxes, a general meeting formulated a list of eleven questions to be presented to Mr. Watson, including:

(1) Why is prior service left up solely to the superintendent? (2) May we be told in writing three months prior to the increrrent

the reason Why we will or will not receive it? (3) Why is advanced education discouraged through this schedule? (4) vJ!ly does a teacher in his last five years of service receive

an increment of only $50 ? (5) yVhat is the basis of merit Systff~ decisions?

(No record of a ~esponse to the list of questions appears to exist).

Page 7

50 th Anniversary A History of the ROCKVILIJE CENTRE TEAC' S ASSOCIATION

May, 1947:

TI,e membership voted renewed sponsorship of Forum Ser:' es (of cultural lectures) for 1947-4B. This popular comnun' l-y event, originated by .John Ringwald, will be chaired next year by ''.Jirrrny'' Buell and LDui,se Cressey.

November, 1948:

Members voted to have President Hel Stral,ey send a letter to NYS'f'A censuring thei (administrator daninated) Executive Board "for its a tion regacding sections 5 and 6 of the Feinberg B.ill" and disapprov'ng its action "in overruling the sentiments expressed by the (teacher dominated) House of Delegates on the F'einberg Bill."

(This law, enacted during the post-war hysteria over carrnun1sm, was designed to "rid school systems of subversive teachers." It was upheld by the courts in 1952 but. the Supreme invalidated parts of the law grounds of mere membership in an

Court which organ

in Reyishian provided for ization).

v. Board of Regents removal of any teac

(1967) her on

May, 1949 (General meeting):

Members voted to affiliate with the National Education Association (NEA) and $75 was approved toward "Bunny" Rioux's expenses as delegate to the National Convention July 3-8 (location not specified).

Page 8