DUANE
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Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm gonna do it justice. You know, most things that last a hundred years start small, and this one's no different. Two groups, a handshake across the middle of Texas, and a three-day meeting in a church.
That's how you build something that outlasts everybody in the room. Let me back up. It was 1877 when the North Texas Education Association got itself started up in Dallas.
Two years later, in 1879, teachers down in central Texas gathered in Austin, formed the Austin Teachers Association, and made a plan. A real plan. They were going to meet the next year with those north Texas folks and put together something bigger.
Something statewide. Now, whether you think that kind of ambition is bold or just practical depends on the kind of Texan you are. I think it's both.
June 29th, 1880. A three-day meeting begins right here, at what was then the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Limestone County. About forty Texas educators show up.
Forty people. You've had bigger birthday parties. But those forty people organized the Texas State Teachers Association.
The Reverend Doctor J. R. Malone was elected president.
Governor O. M. Roberts came out as guest speaker, which tells you something about how seriously people took this gathering.
The new organization set its purpose square on the advancement of public education, and right out of the gate they passed a resolution supporting the organization of the University of Texas. That university, by mandate of the Legislature, actually opened for classes in 1883. Forty people in a church made that a priority, and it happened.
By 1979, TSTA's membership had grown to over 100,000. From forty educators in a borrowed sanctuary to a hundred thousand members across the state. The association kept at it the whole way, raising teacher standards and pushing major education legislation across the finish line.
Forty people, three days, one church. That's the seed of it. And some seeds, turns out, just know what they're supposed to become.
What the marker says
The first statewide teacher association in Texas had its beginnings in two regional teachers organizations. The North Texas Education Association was begun in Dallas in 1877. Teachers in central Texas met in Austin in 1879, formed the Austin Teachers Association, and made plans to meet the next year with the north Texas group to create a statewide organization. At a three-day meeting beginning June 29, 1880, about 40 Texas educators met at this site (former Cumberland Presbyterian Church) and organized the Texas State Teachers Association. The Rev. Dr. J. R. Malone was elected president and Governor O. M. Roberts served as guest speaker. The new organization took as its purpose the advancement of public education. One resolution passed at the first meeting supported the organization of the University of Texas, which at the mandate of the Legislature actually opened for classes in 1883. All professional teachers in the state were invited to join and by 1979 the membership had grown to over 100,000. TSTA has helped improve the the quality of education by raising teacher standards and by influencing passage of major education legislation. 1980