 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Local Affiliates |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
TAIR Celebrates 60th Anniversary
As TAIR now celebrates its 60th anniversary, over 10,000 educators each year attend TAIR meeting
60 years ago.
In November 1946, 10,000 teachers and administrators attended the annual meeting of the Texas
State Teachers’ Association. Of those 10,000, only twenty persons gathered at the Reading
Sectional Meeting. Those who attended were appalled at the indifference, the apathy that
teachers across the state demonstrated concerning the pressing problems in teaching children to
read. Recognizing the need for an organization for teachers of reading, Jewel Askew, Director of
TSTA Reading Sectional Meeting. She networked with key educators around the state and designed
a program that would give participants an opportunity to interact with outstanding reading
educators; become acquainted with current research, methods, and materials; and snare successful
instructional strategies.
As a result of her efforts a Reading Sectional meeting was held at Alex Spence Junior High on Friday,
November 26, 1948. The room was packed with public school and university teachers, supervisors,
and administrators. Dr. Evelyn Thompson delivered the keynote address entitled Children Can Learn
to Read and motivated the 375 participants to become charter members of TAIR. Because of the
excitement generated by those pioneering efforts, TAIR officers were bombarded with requests for
more conferences. As a result, they scheduled many regional conferences that are still in existence
today. These ideas have since been refined to become “What We Believe.”
60 years ago.
In November 1946, 10,000 teachers and administrators attended the annual meeting of the Texas
State Teachers’ Association. Of those 10,000, only twenty persons gathered at the Reading
Sectional Meeting. Those who attended were appalled at the indifference, the apathy that
teachers across the state demonstrated concerning the pressing problems in teaching children to
read. Recognizing the need for an organization for teachers of reading, Jewel Askew, Director of
TSTA Reading Sectional Meeting. She networked with key educators around the state and designed
a program that would give participants an opportunity to interact with outstanding reading
educators; become acquainted with current research, methods, and materials; and snare successful
instructional strategies.
As a result of her efforts a Reading Sectional meeting was held at Alex Spence Junior High on Friday,
November 26, 1948. The room was packed with public school and university teachers, supervisors,
and administrators. Dr. Evelyn Thompson delivered the keynote address entitled Children Can Learn
to Read and motivated the 375 participants to become charter members of TAIR. Because of the
excitement generated by those pioneering efforts, TAIR officers were bombarded with requests for
more conferences. As a result, they scheduled many regional conferences that are still in existence
today. These ideas have since been refined to become “What We Believe.”
1948 Francis Thorpe Masterson, Wharton
1949 Josephine Linn, Alpine
1950 Mina Lee Mitchell, Dallas
1952 Louise Orr, Amarillo
1952 Sheila Roach, Andrews
1953 Troy Case, Baytown
1954 Artie Mae Burkett, Haskell
1955 Jewell Askew, Houston
1956 Belma Meeker, Dallas
1957 Edna Miller, Corpus Christi
1958 Bennett Cooksey, Longview
1959 Evelyn Thompson, Houston
1960 Hazel Strickland, Odessa
1961 Trula Maud Jetton, Lubbock
1962 Marie Clark, Amarillo
1963 Hazel Horn Carroll, Dallas
1964 Marjorie Martin, Corpus Christi
1965 Kate Bell, Houston
1966 Grady Coates, Pine Tree-Longview
1967 Rachel Maxey
1968 Maurine Walker, San Angelo
1969 Margaret Grogan, Beaumont
1970 Margaret Grogan, Beaumont
1971 Hazel Saunderman, Canyon
1972 John T. Thornton, Nacogdoches
1973 Mildred Ardia, Austin
1974 James Wylie, Waco
1975 Virginia Davis, Edinburg
1976 Bonnie McCullough, Lubbock
1977 Kenneth D. Black, Aldine
1978 Frances R. Middleton, Dallas
1949 Josephine Linn, Alpine
1950 Mina Lee Mitchell, Dallas
1952 Louise Orr, Amarillo
1952 Sheila Roach, Andrews
1953 Troy Case, Baytown
1954 Artie Mae Burkett, Haskell
1955 Jewell Askew, Houston
1956 Belma Meeker, Dallas
1957 Edna Miller, Corpus Christi
1958 Bennett Cooksey, Longview
1959 Evelyn Thompson, Houston
1960 Hazel Strickland, Odessa
1961 Trula Maud Jetton, Lubbock
1962 Marie Clark, Amarillo
1963 Hazel Horn Carroll, Dallas
1964 Marjorie Martin, Corpus Christi
1965 Kate Bell, Houston
1966 Grady Coates, Pine Tree-Longview
1967 Rachel Maxey
1968 Maurine Walker, San Angelo
1969 Margaret Grogan, Beaumont
1970 Margaret Grogan, Beaumont
1971 Hazel Saunderman, Canyon
1972 John T. Thornton, Nacogdoches
1973 Mildred Ardia, Austin
1974 James Wylie, Waco
1975 Virginia Davis, Edinburg
1976 Bonnie McCullough, Lubbock
1977 Kenneth D. Black, Aldine
1978 Frances R. Middleton, Dallas
1979 Carl Pride, Canyon
1980 Eleanor Dugger, Austin
1981 Myrtle Richardson, Orange
1982 Beverly S. Young, Nacogdoches
1983 Lester G. Butler, Lubbock
1984 Lester G. Butler, Lubbock
1985 Ralph Brown, Wichita Fallas
1986 Janice Mumford, Dallas
1987 Susan Y. Paynter, Waco
1988 C. Ann Terry, Waco
1989 Pat Simpson, Lubbock
1990 Graciela Farias, McAllen
1991 Hellon Wilbur, Canyon
1992 Conchis Silva, Dallas
1993 Elvia Rodriguez, Nacogdoches
1994 Geraldine Haggard, Plano
1995 Al Tucker, Alpine
1996 Andrea Karlin, Beaumont
1997 Michael Sampson, Commerce
1998 Linda Ellis, Nacogdoches
1999 Mark Lukert, Wichita Falls
2000 Mark Lukert, Wichita Falls
2001 Nancy Conners, Dallas
2002 Nancy Conners, Dallas
2003 Margaret Hill, Clear Lake
2004 Margaret Hill, Clear Lake
2005 Randy Wood, Waco
2006 Randy Wood, Waco
2007 Cathy Davis, Austin
2008 Cathy Davis, Austin
2009 Lillian McEnery
1980 Eleanor Dugger, Austin
1981 Myrtle Richardson, Orange
1982 Beverly S. Young, Nacogdoches
1983 Lester G. Butler, Lubbock
1984 Lester G. Butler, Lubbock
1985 Ralph Brown, Wichita Fallas
1986 Janice Mumford, Dallas
1987 Susan Y. Paynter, Waco
1988 C. Ann Terry, Waco
1989 Pat Simpson, Lubbock
1990 Graciela Farias, McAllen
1991 Hellon Wilbur, Canyon
1992 Conchis Silva, Dallas
1993 Elvia Rodriguez, Nacogdoches
1994 Geraldine Haggard, Plano
1995 Al Tucker, Alpine
1996 Andrea Karlin, Beaumont
1997 Michael Sampson, Commerce
1998 Linda Ellis, Nacogdoches
1999 Mark Lukert, Wichita Falls
2000 Mark Lukert, Wichita Falls
2001 Nancy Conners, Dallas
2002 Nancy Conners, Dallas
2003 Margaret Hill, Clear Lake
2004 Margaret Hill, Clear Lake
2005 Randy Wood, Waco
2006 Randy Wood, Waco
2007 Cathy Davis, Austin
2008 Cathy Davis, Austin
2009 Lillian McEnery
| Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading |