EDMONTON RETIRED TEACHERSā ASSOCIATION
āa voice for Edmontonās retired teachersā
The Early Beginnings — ARTA
Our association was started as a result of a group of teachers who informally organized and held meetings in the late fifties to discuss their concerns over low pensions, medical insurance and hospital care. Ā By November 14th, 1960 the Retired Teachersā of Edmonton was finalized under the leadership of President Larue Smith, Vice President J. Gordon Sinclair, and Secretary Lillian G. Parnell.
The Retired Teachers of Edmonton, along with the Calgary Retired Teachersā Association and the Lethbridge Retired Teachers were instrumental in organizing the Alberta Retired Teachersā Association (ARTA).Ā
Representatives of the three groups first met on March 12, 1963. An application was made to incorporate ARTA on September 3, 1963 was approved on November 14, 1963.Ā
The name Retired Teachers of Edmonton was later renamed the to Edmonton Retired Teachersā Association (ERTA) in 1963 after the creation of the Alberta Retired Teachersā Association.
We will forever be indebted to these people of vision for their hard work in setting the foundations of our present day organization.
Our HistoryāERTA
In the late 1950s, the retired teachers of Edmonton held irregular meetings to address concerns regarding low pensions, medical insurance needs and hospital care.
By November 14, 1960, the Retired Teachers of Edmonton was formally organized.
A letter from the president of a small group of retired teachers in Calgary was sent to the Edmonton group informing them of their intention to become formally organized as well.
On January 11, 1961, the Retired Teachersā Organization of Calgary became a formal entity.
The major conviction of both groups was that retired teachers speak with one voice, a sentiment still paramount today.
Pensions of less than $110.00 a month were a contentious issue. Meetings involving retired teachers from Edmonton and Calgary were held with representatives of the Alberta Teachersā Association (ATA) requesting that the meagre pensions of some retirees be increased to $100.00 per month.
ATA officials stated that retired teacher pensions could not be raised without retired civil servants being given the same consideration.
The ATA Pension Committee subsequently recommended that the ATA give special assistance to the approximately 150 pensioners receiving very small pensionsāadvice that was later implemented.
Health Care
Health care issues were another concern. Blue Cross and Medical Services Incorporated insisted that 75% of the retired teachers join as a group in order to become a recognized group; however, only 52% of the respondents were willing to participate at that time.
Several meetings involving retired teachers from Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge were held between 1961 and 1963. On March 12, 1963, representatives of retired teachers from Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, the Retired Teachers of Edmonton and the Retired Teachersā Organization of Calgary met to organize as the Retired Teachers of Alberta, a name that was later changed to the Alberta Retired Teachersā Association.
On September 3, 1963, an application was made to incorporate the Alberta Retired Teachersā Association, which was approved on November 14, 1963.
The application for incorporation was signed by Frank J. McCoy, J. Gordon Sinclair and Arthur G. Skitch of Edmonton along with James C. Laing, Miss Jessie Maxwell and M. Louise Tester of Calgary. The witness was Milton W. Brock of Calgary.
Arthur Skitch was the first president and Milton Brock became the first secretary-treasurer of the Alberta Retired Teachersā Association.
The Retired Teachers of Edmonton later changed its name to the Edmonton Retired Teachersā Association. Other branches made similar changes.