Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading Empowering educators and creating star readers since 1947

TAIR – A Proud Heritage and A Promising Future

In November, 1946, the annual meeting of Texas State Teacher’s Association convened with some 10,000 teachers and administrators in attendance. Of those 10,000 teachers, only 20 attended the Reading Sectional meeting.  In order to address the apparent indifference and apathy of Texas teachers concerning the pressing problems in teaching children to read, these 20 teachers banded together and elected Jewel Askew chairperson. They charged Ms. Askew with planning a program to attract teachers to the TSTA Reading Sectional meeting.

Cognizant of the fact that teachers of reading throughout the state needed an organization which would provide an opportunity for them to hear outstanding people in the field of reading, Jewel Askew become acquainted with current research, materials, and people to share successful instructional strategies at the sectional meeting

In 1947, 100 people were identified as reading leaders by Superintendents of every school system in the state with 500 or more students. These people agreed to undertake leadership roles at the next conference by being discussion leaders, consultants, or recorders during the Reading Sectional meeting.

On November 25, 1948, these same 100 participants met in Dallas, Texas, during the Business Sectional meeting to discuss the seriousness of the problem they faced in trying to improve reading programs in the schools across the state.  This problem was presented from the conference platform the next morning, and a motion was made that a reading association be organized.  The audience members who were willing to support such an organization through membership dues were asked to drop their names and one dollar into a hat.  375 people responded and became the charter members of the present Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading (TAIR).

The First Annual Conference of Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading was held on the campus of Sul Ross State College in Alpine, Texas, in November 1949.  The goal was set to provide a reading conference that cost no more than $50 and was within 200 miles of every teacher in the state.

Sul Ross University also hosted the second TAIR Conference, with the University of Houston, Texas Southern University and West Texas State University joining Sul Ross in offering TAIR conferences by 1952, and Pan American University and Southern Methodist University in 1953.  By 1970, TAIR Conferences were offered across the state on 13 different campuses.

TAIR conferences continue to serve Texas educators by offering the opportunity to hear speakers relate the latest research in reading methodology and reading assessment, authors of children’s literature speak on the process of writing, and Texas teachers present the effective strategies used in their classrooms.

The initial goal of the charter membership of TAIR to hold a reading conference within reach of every teacher has been achieved. Because of the support of outstanding teachers and administrators and the dynamic leadership at both the state and local levels, TAIR will continue its mission to teach all children of Texas to read.  TAIR – a proud heritage, a meaningful present, a promising future.

Past Presidents