MRTA History
Many retired teacher groups had organized over the state. The Missouri Retired Teachers Association and Public School Personnel was organized in December 1960 by a group of eleven retired teachers meeting in Jefferson City, Missouri at the Governor Hotel. The five school system areas represented were St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Columbia, Lebanon and Springfield.
Mr. Thomas Babb, a retired teacher from Springfield was elected president.
- Constitution was drawn and approved by the initial members.
- Dues were established at $1 a year due January 1st.
- A question arose, “Should we be bonded?”
In 1964, Mr. Babb was appointed the National Retired Teachers Association Director of Missouri. Dr. Ethel Andrus was the President of the NRTA at the time. A quote from Dr. Andrus, “Do something outside yourself. Make life richer by your efforts and ideas. As teachers, we have the most marvelous experience in the world.”
Minutes of the March 1962 State Meeting showed 2,549 retired teachers in Missouri. This did not include St. Louis and Kansas City. MRTA membership at the time showed 649 members.
In 1972, a very important legislative change was made in that final average salary would be determined on the basis of total earnings for the last five consecutive years instead of 10 consecutive years.
In 1980, MRTA was incorporated as a 501(c)(4) not-for-profit corporation.
MRTA is Missouri’s largest and only Education Association where the Public School Retiree is the #1 priority.
Our motto is: “To Serve, Not to be Served.”
MRTA is an affiliate of NRTA (National Retired Teachers Association, AARPs Education Community).
Read the entire history here.