The annual summer social meeting of the Ohio Society was held in Dayton OH on August 15, 1950. Members of the Montgomery County Chapter RTA acted as hosts and hostesses.
Beginning in 1950, semi-annual meetings were scheduled in April and October. Every year a bus was rented so Montgomery County Chapter RTA members could attend the Ohio Retired Teachers Association meeting in Columbus OH.
The Montgomery County Chapter RTA held its first luncheon meeting in October 1951 at the YMCA. Members voted unanimously for luncheon meetings with guest speakers for these meetings.
For the first time a social gathering honoring newly retired teachers was held on September 10, 1954. This practice continues today. The initial memorial service for deceased members of the Montgomery County Chapter RTA was held April 26, 1956. This service also continues on a yearly basis.
At the general meeting of the Montgomery County Chapter RTA on October 29, 1956 it was decided to change the name of the local chapter to Western District Chapter of the Ohio Retired Teachers Association. This organization was scheduled to include Auglaize, Darke, Greene, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery and Shelby counties.
At the Western District Chapter RTA Board meeting March 24, 1967 it was decided to have directories printed. The Western District Chapter RTA president reported the possibility of organizing a chapter in Greene County.
Through the years the constitution and by-laws were revised many times. On July 21, 1966 it was reported that the new constitution called for the fiscal year to start on January 1 of each new year.
A motion passed September 28, 1967 to send communications to incapacitated Western District Chapter RTA members even though they have not paid their yearly dues.
The 1971 revision of the constitution and by-laws of the Western District Chapter of the Ohio Retired Teachers Association changed the name of the local chapter to the Montgomery County Chapter of the Ohio Retired Teachers Association.
Montgomery Co. RTA has an ongoing project unique among our Chapters. They call it their Shoe Fund. During the period from 1991-1996 the chapter has given 300 pairs of shoes to needy schoolchildren in the Dayton area. Teachers from four schools make referrals and a voucher is issued by which selection may be made. The average cost is $30.00 per pair, after a discount given by the Elder-Berman Co. Members contribute $1,500 a year outright. Other funds are raised with bake and calendar sales, card parties, bazaars and other projects. Pictured are members of the Shoe Fund Committee in 1996 when this history was published: Front to back: Margaret Meighen, Chairman; Betty Dickerson, Esther Ewing, Anna Hurt, Marty Butler and David Hogg. Members not pictured are Lucille Cummins, Bob Daniszewski, Pauline Parsons and Mona Schroeder. Photo compliments of Helen Stuber.
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Mayor McGee signed a proclamation in 1972 stating the week of October 22-28 be designated as Retired Teachers Week in Dayton Ohio.
At the April 23, 1974 general meeting dues were raised to $2.00 per year. A picnic was scheduled for the June meeting. Copies of the first newsletter were presented by Blanche Keyser on June 10, 1975. Upon the recommendations of the Montgomery County Chapter RTA Board, Blanche Keyser was awarded a Citation for Service at the National Retired Teachers Association Meeting in August 16-19, 1975.
"Vials for LIfe" were received and passed out to members by David Hogg, Informative and Protective Services Chairman, in October and November 1983.
In 1983 President Dorothy Birt applied for a non-profit organizations postal permit. A Christmas party was held for Montgomery County Chapter members.
In 1984 life memberships were offered to Montgomery County Chapter RTA members. A gold membership card was used to represent the life membership.
The first pre-retirement meeting was held March 9, 1985, These meetings are still held yearly.
In 1986 Montgomery County Chapter RTA was contacted by the University of Dayton in Dayton OH to discuss the writing of a history of education of the schools in Montgomery County. A brief history had previously been published in 1926. Lois Baggett, president of Montgomery County Chapter RTA during the term 1987-88, was elected as chairman of the project. This history writing project was the brainchild of Kenneth Crim, former superintendent of the Montgomery County School System, professor at the University of Dayton and member of Montgomery County Chapter RTA. With the help and hours of work by Montgomery County Chapter members, Virginia and Bruce Ronald, wrote School Days: an Informal History of Education in Montgomery County Ohio from 1926-1990.
In 1952-53 Montgomery County Chapter RTA had 15 members pay dues. In 1996 Montgomery County Chapter RTA had 910 members 515 of whom are life members.
In November 1991 President Robert Daniszewski designed and built a mitten tree for the December meeting. Mittens, gloves, hats and scarves decorate the mitten tree each December. These mittens, gloves, hats and scarves are then given to the needy children in the Montgomery County area.
The Montgomery County Chapter RTA members performed a play about school life in 1950. This play was written by Helen Stuber, a chapter member.
Two trips a year are planned and carried out by Barbara Albers, on the Montgomery County Chapter members. Trips have included local points of interest such as German Village in Columbus OH, The Little Red School House on the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus OH, boat cruises on the Ohio River, visits to antique shops, etc. More extensive cruises and trips have included Mexico, Alaska, Russia and Greece.
Mr. Probst was president in 1950. Succeeding presidents have been L. Daisy Hammon, Maude Rupel, Margaret Hemingway, Sylvia Bickman Orph Kerr, Hazel Baver, Blanche Keyser, Lillian Walton, Charles Carpenter, Charles Tarsinski, Francis Birt, Anna Mae Smith, Dorothy Birt, Dorothy Reinicke, Lois Baggett, Carol Walters, Robert Daniszewski, Toni Kucharski, L. Dale VanTine an Clara Ulrich as President-Elect for 1996 when this history was written. Committee persons at the time of this writing were: Dorothy Birt, Francis Birt, Helen Stuber, Carol Walters and Lois Baggett.
OHIO RETIRED TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION CELEBRATED 60 YEARS in 2007! MCRTA entered a quilt square along with the other 87 counties and the quilt composite hangs in the STRS building in Columbus today. From this design, MCRTA adopted the bi-plane flying over the little red school house as its official MCRTA Logo and Banner designed by Mrs. Jan Brasier, an art teacher and member of MCRTA.
MCRTA entered the technological world on Sept. l8, 2007 when it officially launched its website mcrta.net!!! Pat Kuczak, Darlene Ruzicka, Deloris Ullman and Jean Long were instrumental in getting us into the technological era. We were officially linked to ORTA!!
We also began our annual picnics suggested by board member Margaret Cosimati in 2006 and still enjoyed by many in 2008!
The "Kids in Need" project started in 2006 became the CRAYONS TO CLASSROOMS project in 2008 and in Jan. 2009 the free school supplies for children/teachers/schools most in need became a reality in 2009!
Thanks to Roslyn M.Hall , our Historian, 2006-8, we were able to capture in pictures our activities and display them on our website and preserve them in our scrapbooks for others to enjoy in the years ahead.
The year 2010 found all five public pension systems, including STRS, being reviewed by the ORSC (Ohio Retirement Study Council) and revised for the present and future retirees to assure solvency of funds. The new STRS proposal to the ORSC was passed by a 7-3 vote of the STRS board in October of 2010. The new STRS proposal included the following areas:
ELIGIBILITY FOR RETIREMENT: the number of years of service phased in based on a timeline from 30-35 years of service;
FAS - FINAL AVERAGE SALARY: the top 5 yrs. of service , rather than the top 3 highest salaries would be the average;
COLA-COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT: the COLA would be reduced from 3% to 2%; new retirees would wait 3 yrs. before receiving this cola;
INCREASE IN CONTRIBUTIONS: Active teachers would pay an increased contribution by 0.05% per year beginning July 1, 2011 to a total of 2.5% on July l, 2015; then Boards of Education would match this 2.5% beginning 2015;
BENEFIT FORMULA: would be 2.2% per year for the first 30 yrs. of service; 2.5% per yr. thereafter, beginning August l, 2015;
These public pension proposals will be reviewed and discussed by the ORSC members and voted on by the 9 voting members of the ORSC sometime in January of 2011.They will forward their recommendations to the Ohio legislators who will vote to amend/adopt the pension proposals and thus, vote to revise the ORC (Ohio Revised Code)to legally change existing statutes governing public employee pensions. We will see what occurs in 2011.
ORTA Lifetime Membership rose to $500 and annual dues to $30. MCRTA Lifetime Membership rose to $150 and annual dues to $12 per year. There are approximately 754 active members, however, there are almost 1,000 newletter mailings published six times per year (this includes out-of-state retirees as well).
L to R: Helen Stuber, Historian; Dale VanTine, President; Toni Kucharski, Immediate Past President; Barbara Albers (standing), Publicity Chairman; Clararose Ulrich, President-Elect; Carol Walters, Past President.
ORTA celebrated its 65th ANNIVERSARY in 2012 as THE YEAR OF THE VOLUNTEER.
A commemorative cookbook of recipes from the 90 county chapter membership was created and sold for $6.00 to its members.
Major STRS PENSION REFORM was voted in under Senate Bill 342 and Governor John Kasich signed the bill on September 26, 2012. These changes took effect on Jan.7, 2013.
The five areas effected in the STRS PLAN were:
1) THE COLA ( COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT) : Cola's would be suspended for one year for all STRS recipients; then we would lose 1% of our COLA and drop our COLA from 3% to 2%. This was the only area to effect retirees.
2) Increase in MEMBER CONTRIBUTION beginning July 1, 2013 by 4% phased in l% per year beginning July 1, 2013 through July 1, 2016. {Members contributed 10% and now they will contribute 14% of their salary to STRS OHIO.}
3) FINAL AVERAGE SALARY (FAS):New FAS calculation will be the average of the five highest years of earnings (rather than the 3 highest years) beginning August l, 2015.
4) BENEFIT FORMULA beginning Aug. 1, 2015 is 2.2% for all years of service.
(Example: 35 yrs. of service X 2.2%. It was 2.5%.)
5)ELIGIBILITY FOR RETIREMENT: An increase in age and service requirements was adopted. Service credit requirements for retirement with an UNREDUCED BENEFIT will increase to 35 yrs. of service by August 1, 2023. A minimum age 60 requirement will be added August l, 2026.
** Significantly , the STRS Board now has the authority to make adjustments in the future. The law provides the STRS RETIREMENT BOARD to make adjustments to the member contribution rate, retirement age and service requirements, and the COLA as the need or opportunity arises, depending on the retirement system's funding progress.
