WCRTA History:
Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association
Fifty Years Later/ Sixty Years Later
The year was 1946. According to Liz Johnson, a current Winnebago County RTA member, a small group of retired teachers from Rockford in Winnebago County traveled to Springfield to confront Illinois legislators about their meager pension benefits. Victoria Ericson, Liz Johnson's mother, was among this group. Back then, if a teacher retired with less than 25 years of teaching, his/her monthly pension was $1 for every year taught. Victoria received $21 per month for her 21 years of teaching. These assertive retired teachers went so far as to sit on some of the legislators' desks to draw attention to their plight.
Around 9 years before the IRTA was formed, a group of retired Rockford schoolteachers organized the Illinois Retired Educators' Association. It was granted a state charter as a not-for-profit corporation on May 15, 1946. This organization had been functioning since January of 1946 and had already embraced a large number of members in many parts of the state. The organization had a three-fold purpose- to promote understanding and respect for the teaching profession; promote recognition of the services, abilities and rights of teachers; and give aid to retirees if needed. On April 17, 1946, association president Mrs. Lillian Henson, association secretary Mrs. Josephine Rosborough, and Attorney Charles S. Thomas, legal counsel, appeared before a commission of the Illinois General Assembly, which was making a study of pensions paid by or through state government. A pension plan for teachers was proposed.
On the national front in 1947, Ethel Percy Andrus from California founded the National Retired Teachers Association to provide a national forum for retired teachers to enhance the quality of their lives through pension, tax, and health advocacy and support of education. At this time, other retired teachers throughout Illinois began to organize. In July of 1955 at the NRTA Convention in Chicago, the IRTA was organized. On January 25, 1956, an organizational meeting was held to establish a Northwestern Area of the IRTA-NRTA; this Area included Boone, Carroll, Jo Davies, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties. Shortly after this meeting, the Winnebago-Boone County Retired Teachers Association was formed. On April 26, 1956, the first regular meeting was held. The Winnebago-Boone Unit could not be chartered until the previous Rockford organization was dissolved. On October 24th the meeting was called to order to report that the old charter had been dissolved and the new one was in place. Officers could be elected. Mrs. Louise Lindstedt was elected president.
The Winnebago-Boone Unit is proud that Paul Conklin served as president of the IRTA from 1964-1965. Paul had previously served as Winnebago County Superintendent of Schools for 21 years, was twice President of the Illinois Association of County Superintendents of Schools, and received the Rock Valley College Distinguished Service Award. A Rockford school was named in his honor. The Winnebago-Boone County Unit continued to grow. By 1968 membership had swelled to 343 and continued to grow into the 1990's. By 1994 the unit had become so large that the IRTA suggested that it might be desirable for the unit to divide. A great deal of discussion and planning went into this process. The last combined meeting was held in November 17, 1994. The Boone County Unit received its charter on December 1, 1994.
The Winnebago County Unit currently has four hundred members and is growing. We meet four times a year for a luncheon and program. During February, we gather for brunch at a local restaurant. The board meets four times a year to plan unit meetings and focus on current pension and legislative issues. A newsletter is sent to each member at least four times a year. During the years, WCRTA has participated in trips to Springfield for lobby days, and members have personally contacted their state and federal legislators as the need has arisen. This year WCRTA established a scholarship/grant fund for Winnebago County. Seed money was designated for this purpose. We hold a gently-used book sale at our luncheon meetings to benefit this fund. Although this fund is in its infancy, we look forward to making a future award.
To encourage the three hundred 2005 Winnebago retirees to join our group, WCRTA held a coffee to give an overview of our organization. Our newsletter will be sent to all 2005 retirees in May and August. Personal contacts will also be made. Our motto this year is "Watch Us Grow."
The Winnebago Unit is proud to celebrate 50 years with IRTA. We are also proud to have been instrumental in the birth of IRTA. Our celebration is planned for April 20, 2006. We need two cakes, one for our birth 60 years ago and one for our 50th anniversary. Winnebago County looks forward to the challenges of the 21st Century. Legislators know we will stay involved, but we probably won't be sitting on their desks.
Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association
Fifty Years Later/ Sixty Years Later
The year was 1946. According to Liz Johnson, a current Winnebago County RTA member, a small group of retired teachers from Rockford in Winnebago County traveled to Springfield to confront Illinois legislators about their meager pension benefits. Victoria Ericson, Liz Johnson's mother, was among this group. Back then, if a teacher retired with less than 25 years of teaching, his/her monthly pension was $1 for every year taught. Victoria received $21 per month for her 21 years of teaching. These assertive retired teachers went so far as to sit on some of the legislators' desks to draw attention to their plight.
Around 9 years before the IRTA was formed, a group of retired Rockford schoolteachers organized the Illinois Retired Educators' Association. It was granted a state charter as a not-for-profit corporation on May 15, 1946. This organization had been functioning since January of 1946 and had already embraced a large number of members in many parts of the state. The organization had a three-fold purpose- to promote understanding and respect for the teaching profession; promote recognition of the services, abilities and rights of teachers; and give aid to retirees if needed. On April 17, 1946, association president Mrs. Lillian Henson, association secretary Mrs. Josephine Rosborough, and Attorney Charles S. Thomas, legal counsel, appeared before a commission of the Illinois General Assembly, which was making a study of pensions paid by or through state government. A pension plan for teachers was proposed.
On the national front in 1947, Ethel Percy Andrus from California founded the National Retired Teachers Association to provide a national forum for retired teachers to enhance the quality of their lives through pension, tax, and health advocacy and support of education. At this time, other retired teachers throughout Illinois began to organize. In July of 1955 at the NRTA Convention in Chicago, the IRTA was organized. On January 25, 1956, an organizational meeting was held to establish a Northwestern Area of the IRTA-NRTA; this Area included Boone, Carroll, Jo Davies, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties. Shortly after this meeting, the Winnebago-Boone County Retired Teachers Association was formed. On April 26, 1956, the first regular meeting was held. The Winnebago-Boone Unit could not be chartered until the previous Rockford organization was dissolved. On October 24th the meeting was called to order to report that the old charter had been dissolved and the new one was in place. Officers could be elected. Mrs. Louise Lindstedt was elected president.
The Winnebago-Boone Unit is proud that Paul Conklin served as president of the IRTA from 1964-1965. Paul had previously served as Winnebago County Superintendent of Schools for 21 years, was twice President of the Illinois Association of County Superintendents of Schools, and received the Rock Valley College Distinguished Service Award. A Rockford school was named in his honor. The Winnebago-Boone County Unit continued to grow. By 1968 membership had swelled to 343 and continued to grow into the 1990's. By 1994 the unit had become so large that the IRTA suggested that it might be desirable for the unit to divide. A great deal of discussion and planning went into this process. The last combined meeting was held in November 17, 1994. The Boone County Unit received its charter on December 1, 1994.
The Winnebago County Unit currently has four hundred members and is growing. We meet four times a year for a luncheon and program. During February, we gather for brunch at a local restaurant. The board meets four times a year to plan unit meetings and focus on current pension and legislative issues. A newsletter is sent to each member at least four times a year. During the years, WCRTA has participated in trips to Springfield for lobby days, and members have personally contacted their state and federal legislators as the need has arisen. This year WCRTA established a scholarship/grant fund for Winnebago County. Seed money was designated for this purpose. We hold a gently-used book sale at our luncheon meetings to benefit this fund. Although this fund is in its infancy, we look forward to making a future award.
To encourage the three hundred 2005 Winnebago retirees to join our group, WCRTA held a coffee to give an overview of our organization. Our newsletter will be sent to all 2005 retirees in May and August. Personal contacts will also be made. Our motto this year is "Watch Us Grow."
The Winnebago Unit is proud to celebrate 50 years with IRTA. We are also proud to have been instrumental in the birth of IRTA. Our celebration is planned for April 20, 2006. We need two cakes, one for our birth 60 years ago and one for our 50th anniversary. Winnebago County looks forward to the challenges of the 21st Century. Legislators know we will stay involved, but we probably won't be sitting on their desks.
