ARTA Purposes
The Purposes of the Austin Retired Teachers Association shall be:
- To promote the professional, intellectual, social, and health well-being of retired school personnel
- To encourage retired school personnel to give voluntarily of their time, talents, and experience in furthering the educational and civic endeavors in the community, state, and the nation
- To promote membership in the local chapter and TRTA
- To afford opportunities for united action in solving problems relative to the needs of retired public school employees
- To support a scholarship program through the ARTA Foundation for high school seniors who qualify for and intend to pursue teaching as a career
how we began
Our History
The Austin Retired Teachers Association was organized in 1952 by Miss Gladys Morgan of San Antonio with 21 members present. The charter membership was left open until the April meeting.
According to Mrs. Lalla Odom, who prepared a paper for the ARTA January 1957 luncheon, this move increased the number of charter members to 44.
The first meeting of the Austin Retired Teachers Association took place in the parlor of Central Christian Church at 1110 Guadalupe St. The local association applied for a charter from the national organization, which was granted on July 30, 1952. TRTA was not organized until the following year.
Miss Edith Lanier Clark (January 10, 1874 – September 11, 1964), former Dean of Women at North Texas State Teachers’ College, served as ARTA’s first president from 1952 to 1960. Miss Clark was the longest serving president of the organization.
Mrs. Sadie Jones (September 12, 1884 – May 7, 1984) was the last surviving charter member of the organization.