Guide to the California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA). State Capital (Sacramento) Division 5 records
Tandrea Blake
Center for Sacramento History
551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.
Sacramento, California 95811-0229
Phone: (916) 808-7072
Fax: (916) 264-7582
Email: csh@cityofsacramento.org
URL: http://www.centerforsacramentohistory.org/
© 2013
Center for Sacramento History. All rights reserved.
Guide to the California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA). State Capital (Sacramento) Division 5 records
Collection number: MS 0070
Center for Sacramento History
Sacramento, CA
- Processed by:
- Tandrea Blake
- Date Completed:
- 2009
- Encoded by:
- Sean Heyliger and Nicholas Piontek
© 2013 Center for Sacramento History. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA). State Capital (Sacramento) Division 5 records
Dates: 1866 - 2003
Bulk Dates: 1935-1996
Collection number: MS 0070
Creator:
California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA). State Capital (Sacramento) Division 5
Collection Size:
3 linear feet
(4 boxes)
Repository:
Center for Sacramento History
Sacramento, California 95811-0229
Abstract: The California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA) – State Capital (Sacramento) Division 5 records document the activities
and operation of the organization. The collection includes twenty-nine textbooks, five publications, ephemera, CRTA State
Capital Division Meeting Minutes, CRTA State Capital Division News, and seven CRTA State Capital Division Historian’s Scrapbooks.
Textbooks range from 1866 to 1948 (not inclusive). Publications range from 1929 to 2003 (not inclusive). CRTA State Capital
Division Meeting Minutes range from 1935 to 1996 (not inclusive). CRTA State Capital Division News ranges from 1971 to 1996
(not inclusive). CRTA State Capital Division Historian’s Scrapbooks range from 1971 to 1996 (not inclusive).
Physical location: 30:J:2; 40:48
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Collection is open for research use.
Publication Rights
All requests to publish or quote from private manuscripts held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted
in writing to the archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical items and
is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron. No permission
is necessary to publish or quote from public records.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA). State
Capital (Sacramento) Division 5 records, MS 0070, Center for Sacramento History.
Acquisition Information
CRTA material donated by Afton Louise Driggs on May 22, 2008 to the Center for Sacramento History.
Processing Information
California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA) – State Capital (Sacramento) Division 5 Processed by Tandrea Blake, 2009. Finding
aid is prepared by Tandrea Blake.
Biography / Administrative History
The State Capital Division of the California Retired Teachers Association formed on January 18, 1935. Nine retired teachers
got together and voted for Clarence S. Smith to be president, Sophie Price to be vice-president, and Kathryn Simmons to be
secretary treasurer. The branch wanted “to protect interest with respect to legislation and investments through the strength
that comes from unity, to compile and preserve a history of California schools and teachers, to provide for social gatherings,
and to hold business meetings giving contacts with persons of similar interests.” In 1981, the Division initiated a publication
committee in order to preserve the history of Sacramento County education. Published works include The First One-Hundred Years
of Sacramento City Schools 1854-1954 and the Sacramento County Public School District 1850-1992.
In 1914, California enacted its first teacher retirement compensation law. It gave those who had taught at least thirty years
an annual pension of $500, distributed in quarterly amounts of $125, but it provided no death benefits. The California Retired
Teachers Association (CRTA) formed during the era of the Great Depression. A group of nine teachers from the Retired Teachers
Club of Pasadena (next known as the Southern California Retired Teachers Association, then simply as the CRTA) got together
to demand an increase in teachers’ pensions, since many lived in poverty. While the Supreme Court ruled that the Legislature
should increase pension benefits, it did not. Therefore, the founder and president of the CRTA, Laura E. Settle, helped to
organize teachers throughout California. Settle retired in 1920 after thirty-two years of teaching. Teachers could join the
CRTA at an annual rate of one dollar. In 1935, CRTA was able to achieve its goal of increased pensions.
The CRTA is one of the nation’s largest retired teacher organizations. As of 2008, the CRTA had more than 52,000 members within
89 local divisions or chapters. Past members of significance include Ethel Andrus Percy, who was a leader in CRTA during the
late 1940s. Percy went on to create the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the National Retired Teachers Association.
The CRTA is committed to issues dealing with teachers’ retirement and public education. It is a nonpartisan organization,
with its board of directors only taking stances on ballot issues, and not endorsing particular candidates for office. The
CRTA depends on grassroots volunteerism; even officers do not receive a salary. A report done in the late 2000s indicated
that current volunteers provided more than 2.3 million hours of service at a value of more than $38 million. Members help
to raise funds to provide scholarships for future teachers. In 2008, the CRTA awarded $338,000.
Scope and Content of Collection
The first series includes twenty-nine textbooks that are arranged in the finding aid alphabetically by subject matter (English,
fiction, mathematics, music, science, and social science), then alphabetically by title (A to Z). Twelve of the textbooks
deal with mathematics. The textbooks range from 1866 to 1948 (not inclusive). Within the box, they are arranged in a manner
that best utilizes space.
The second series encompasses five publications that are arranged alphabetically, and range from 1929 to 2003 (not inclusive).
Ephemera is the third series and is placed together in a sleeve, with the exception of the Sacramento Union Education Articles,
which are in a folder and range from 1864 to 1875 (not inclusive). The CRTA State Capital Division Meeting Minutes constitutes
the fourth series and is held within five folders, ranging from 1935 to 1996 (not inclusive). The fifth series is the CRTA
State Capital Division News, which is held within three file folders, ranging from 1971 to 1996 (not inclusive).
The sixth series contains the CRTA State Capital Division Historian’s Scrapbooks that are arranged chronologically and by
size. Four of the scrapbooks that range from 1971 to 1996 (not inclusive) are in box two, and three of the larger scrapbooks
that range from 1974 to 1979 are in box three.
Significant items include: The Sacramento County Superintendents of Schools 150 Years of Leadership 1853-2003, which reveals
the history of public schooling in Sacramento County. The California Retired Teachers Association State Capital Division Meeting
Minutes from January 18, 1935 to October 13, 1953 that has the origin of the Division, early membership lists, goals, etc.
Moreover, the by-laws contain the most fundamental principles and rules regarding the nature of the organization.
Arrangement
Series 1. Textbooks
Series 2. Publications
Series 3. Ephemera
Series 4. Meeting minutes
Series 5. California Retired Teachers Association State Capital Division News
Series 6. Historian’s scrapbook
Series 7. Artifacts
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA). State Capital (Sacramento) Division 5
Education--California--Sacramento
Sacramento (Calif.)--History
Teachers--California
Rodell, Katherine Clay Cowin Carr, ed. History of California Retired Teachers Association from 1929 to 1961. Los Angeles:
Alert Printing Corp., 1961.
Series 1. Textbooks
Physical Description: 1 box
Series Scope and Content Summary
The textbook series includes twenty-nine textbooks that are arranged in the finding aid alphabetically by subject matter (English,
fiction, mathematics, music, science, and social science), then alphabetically by title (A to Z). Twelve of the textbooks
deal with mathematics. The textbooks range from 1866 to 1948 (not inclusive). Within the box, they are arranged in a manner
that best utilizes space.
Subseries 1.1 English textbooks
Box 1
Carden Reading Method
undated
Box 1
Chamber’s Twentieth Century Readers First Primer
undated
Box 1
Eighth Year Literature Reader
undated
Box 1
Golden State Speller
undated
Box 1
The Laidlaw Basic Readers
undated
Box 1
Revised English Grammar
undated
Box 1
A Vocational Reader
undated
Box 1
The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Sketches
undated
Subseries 1.3 Mathematics textbooks
Box 1
Advanced Arithmetic (two copies)
undated
Box 1
The American Intellectual Arithmetic
undated
Box 1
Elementary Arithmetic
undated
Box 1
Elements of Plane and Solid Geometry
undated
Box 1
Essential Mathematics
undated
Box 1
Fish’s Arithmetic Number Two
undated
Box 1
High School Algebra Elementary Course
undated
Box 1
The Iroquois Arithmetics: For School and Life
undated
Box 1
Mathematics We Use
undated
Box 1
Standard Arithmetic
undated
Subseries 1.4 Music textbooks
Box 1
The Progressive Music Series for Basal Use in Primary, Intermediate, and Grammar Grades
undated
Subseries 1.5 Science textbooks
Box 1
First Principles of Physics
undated
Box 1
Practical Botany for High Schools
undated
Subseries 1.6 Social science textbooks
Box 1
American Government
undated
Box 1
Essentials of Geography
undated
Box 1
They Live in South America
undated
Box 1
World Folks (two copies)
undated
Series 2. Publications
Physical Description: 3 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
The second series encompasses five publications that are arranged alphabetically, and range from 1929 to 2003 (not inclusive).
Box 2:1
Golden Bear Annual
undated
Box 2:2
Sacramento County Superintendents of Schools 150 Years of Leadership 1853-2003 (two copies)
2003
Box 2:3
Seventieth Annual Commencement Winter Class, Sutter Static
undated
Series 3. Ephemera
Physical Description: 2 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
Ephemera is the third series and is placed together in a sleeve, with the exception of the Sacramento Union Education Articles,
which are in a folder and range from 1864 to 1875 (not inclusive).
Box 2:5
Sacramento Union education articles
1864-1875
Series 4. Meeting minutes
Physical Description: 5 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
The CRTA State Capital Division Meeting Minutes constitutes the fourth series and is held within five folders, ranging from
1935 to 1996 (not inclusive).
Box 2:6
Meeting minutes
1935-1953
Box 2:7
Meeting minutes
1951-1971
Box 2:8
Meeting minutes
1971-1977
Box 2:9
Meeting minutes
1975-1982
Box 2:10
Meeting minutes
1993-1996
Series 5. California Retired Teachers Association State Capital Division News
Physical Description: 3 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
The fifth series is the CRTA State Capital Division News, which is held within three file folders, ranging from 1971 to 1996
(not inclusive).
Series 6. Historian's scrapbooks
Physical Description: 7 scrapbooks
Series Scope and Content Summary
The sixth series contains the CRTA State Capital Division Historian’s Scrapbooks that are arranged chronologically and by
size. Four of the scrapbooks that range from 1971 to 1996 (not inclusive) are in box two, and three of the larger scrapbooks
that range from 1974 to 1979 are in box three.
Box 4
Series 7. Artifact
1955-10-08
Physical Description: 1 trophy
Series Scope and Content Summary
2nd Award Lincoln Junior High School, Weinstock Lubin and Company and Towle
dated October 8, 1955
