Who Bought the First Ford Mustang?-- Part 3: 'Felt Like a Movie Star'

Said Gail Wise when she drove her new Mustang: "I felt like a movie star.  I didn't go looking for attention.  Everybody was happy to see this car.  Everybody was waving, asking me to slow down."

One time she was following a Chicago police car, "He waved me to drive up next to him so he could see the car up close."

She arranged for her $5,000 rookie teacher's salary to be spread out over 12 months so she could enjoy a leisurely summer.  That enabled her to take trips to the beach where the car attracted even more attention.

--DaCoot

46 Fascinating Facts About Our 46 Presidents-- Part 8: Johnson to Reagan

36.  LYNDON B. JOHNSON (1963-1969)

His first career was as a teacher.  He worked at a school near the U.S.-Mexican border for four years before  launching a career in politics.

37.  RICHARD M. NIXON  (1969-1974)

He became such a skillful poker player while stationed in the Solomon Islands during World War II that his winnings helped launch his political career upon his return to the United States.

38.  GERALD FORD (1974-1977)

A star football player at the University of Michigan, Ford turned down offers from both the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers.

39.  JIMMY CARTER (1977-1981)

When his father died in 1953, Carter gave up his successful military career to move back to Georgia to run the family's peanut farm.

40.  RONALD REAGAN (1981-1989)

He worked as a life guard and sportscaster before becoming an actor and later a politician.

--CootPres

NIU's 125th Anniversary, A Look Back Timeline (1895-1900)-- Part 1: All This and Teddy Too

1895--  Legislation passed  to create a new normal school (for teachers) in northern Illinois.

1895--  DeKalb chosen as the location for the new normal school.

1899--  John W. Cook becomes first president.

1899--  Northern Illinois State Normal School opens.

1899--  First issue of student newspaper published  (October 1899).

1899--  First marching band starts with 14 members.

1900--  Future President Theodore Roosevelt campaigns on campus.

1900--  First commencement honors 16 graduates.  (3 men and 13 women)

Let's jump ahead a few years.

1973--  RoadDog and Liz graduate from NIU.

It's Been A Real Long Time.  --RoadHuskieDog

Death of Tulsa Race Massacre Survivor Olivia Hooker-- Part 6: Education and the Commission

Olivia Juliet Hooker was born in Muscogee, Oklahoma, on February 12, 1915, and was one of five children.  She graduated from Ohio State University in 1937, then taught elementary school in Columbus, Ohio.

In 1947, she received a master's degree in psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University.  In 1961, she earned a doctorate from the University of Rochester.

In 1997, she worked on the Tulsa Race Riot Commission, which investigated the massacre and issued a report in 2001 "detailing for the first time  the extent of the city and state government's involvement in the riot and the cover up that followed and the total lack of remedy available in the courts at the time," according to a congressional report.

Hot for Teacher in Bensenville in 1918

From the March 28, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"Miss Charlotte Ritter, pretty and vivacious Genoa young woman who has been teaching in the Bensenville schools, resigned Friday and left her home, following an argument of several days with members of the school board and the teachers in the school because she approves of dancing and bridge whist."

What a party animal.  I am sure there were some very, very disappointed boys.

Hot For Teacher.  --CootHot

Names of Northern Illinois University Through the Years

From the NIU College of Education Facts and History.

1895--  Northern Illinois State Normal School

1921--  Northern Illinois State Teachers College

1955--  Northern Illinois State College

1957--  Northern Illinois University

Two other education dates of interest:

1915--  Fanny Ruth Patterson graduated, the first black student to graduate from the institution.  I wrote about her earlier this month.

July 1943--  The State of Illinois now required teachers to have a four-year degree.

--Cooter

Teachers Went Begging in Great Depression-- Part 7

In 1933, teachers almost got a measure of relief from the legislature until Governor Horner vetoed a bill allowing them to walk out of their classrooms once their pay was 90 days in arrears.  This got the teachers very upset and they began to have mass marches and noisy protest.

During spring break of 1935, 5,000 teachers converged on the Loop which led to quite a confrontation, though nonviolent.

During these times teachers were accused and denounced as radicals poisoning student minds with revolutionary ideologies.  Accusations were made that the students were being sacrificed because of their greed.

--CooterStrike

Teachers Went Begging in Great Depression-- Part 6: "Mutilated Paychecks"

Hoping to restore confidence in its scrip, the school board issued "mutilated paychecks."  When banks refused to cash them, the board offered to trade scrip for the checks.  In a 1932 Tribune headline it said, "Teachers May Be Paid With N.S.F. Checks."  City officials even considered lobbying the state legislature to repeal the law against writing bad checks.  By then, the board owed employees $12.9 million.

There wasn't much the educators could do.  They lacked the ultimate weapon used by teachers today: a strike.  And, the school board let it be known they were not in favor of teacher unions.  In 1915, school board president Jacob Loeb had denounced the fledgling Chicago teachers Federation as a bunch of "lady labor sluggers."

--Cooter

Teachers Went Begging in Great Depression-- Part 5: The Situation Worsening

Agnes Clohesy, a teachers union officer told the Tribune on Nov. 4, 1931, "There are cases where teachers, until they received their September pay last week, had borrowed all they could, had no money for carfare, and were stinting themselves on their food."

The Tribune calculated that by the end of the year the board of education would owe $9,736,000 in overdue salaries to teachers and other employees with no prospects of getting the money.

One new teacher was "living on graham crackers and milk"  A year later, one said that she had been unable to make mortgage payments and was on the verge of losing her house:  "I am not getting younger, and I have always hated the thoughts of the poorhouse."  Even one teacher's child had died because of want of medical attention because of lack of money.

--DaCoot

Teachers Went Begging in Great Depression-- Part 4

But in 1933, the board somehow found the money to secretly give the janitors, who were often patronage workers.  The janitors were already better paid than teachers.

When that news leaked out, John Fewkes, a physical eduaction teacher at Tilden High School, urged teachers to take to the streets.

Teachers were already angry with the payless paydays, scrip that decreased in value and weren't always accepted by local merchants.

Despite all this, teachers were still deeply concerned about their students.  In the Sullivan School District near the steel mills, teachers managed to feed and clothe needy students early on in the Depression, but by 1931 "helping their pupils was out of the question."

--Cooter

Teachers Went Begging in Great Depression-- Part 3: School Board Shenanigans

"Although the Chicago Board of Education recently adopted a budget with a $500 million hole in it, that risky gambit pales by comparison with the shenanigans of board members during the Great Depression.

"For many months, the board simply didn't pay its teachers and other employees.  Then the board tried to pay them with script, which wasn't much of an improvement as the paper IOUs had limited value.  Admittedly, the board was facing the worst economic crash in the nation's history (brought on by the greedy rich and greedy rich want-to-bes) and didn't have a lot of good choices.

"At one point, board members even considered asking the state legislature to repeal laws against check kiting so they could pay teachers with bad checks from empty coffers."

Hard Times.  --DaCoot

Teachers Went Begging in Great Depression-- Part 2 "At End of Rope"

Some 1933 Chicago Tribune headlines:

Pay Teachers, End City Shame, is Bogan's Plea.

School Head Challenges Politicians.

Unpaid Teachers Unable to Feed Famished Pupils.

It's Up to Hungry School Children's Fund.

5,000 Teachers At End of Rope; Tell Privations.

Can't Go Longer Without Pay, They Say.

A big photograph also accompanied the article.  Caption:  "Chicago teachers wait in lines outside temporary school pay offices on North Wells Street in August 1934.  The Tribune wrote, 'Back salaries are due to 14,000 teachers.'"  I could see only three men in the group of 25.  Most teachers back then were women.  Everyone seemed to be dressed in their Sunday-best.

--Cooter

Teachers Went Begging in Great Depression-- Part 1: Beggary

From the September 6, 2015, Chicago Tribune.  "Chicago Flashback" by Ron Grossman.

The Chicago School Board did not pay its teachers and other employees for awhile during the Great Depression.

Accompanied by a picture of Agnes Clohesy, a teachers union officer, showing the "Teacher's Calendar" in 1931.  Some teachers hadn't been paid in six months.

MAY.:  No Pay--  Surprise

JUNE:  No Pay--  Dismay

JULY:  No Pay--  Consternation

AUG::  No Pay--  Disaster

SEPT.:  No Pay--  Hopelessness

OCT.:  No Pay--  Beggary

--DaCoot

1994 Round Lake Teacher Strike: Back at School

DECEMBER 13TH, TUESDAY

I actually got a full night's sleep and feel better than I have for two months.  I now can hear the weather reports and don't care!!

First day back at school and as I expected, I don't remember hardly any students' name.  I was really surprised that 60% of then had their current events reports.  The day went fast and it was definitely good to be back.

Talked with M.R. and L.M. for awhile after school then went to hq to get my flag and sign.  They were quite mad about the letters principal M. and B. wrote to their teachers which in parts could be considered as threatening.

Watched TV and Liz picked up pizza on her way home from Costello's.

It Sure Was Great to have This Over!!!

1994 Round Lake Teacher Strike: Sour Grapes and Fences

DECEMBER 12, MONDAY

In this morning's Tribune, our illustrious leader, M.D., was gloating that we didn't get much considering how long (38 school days) we were on strike.  What a work!  Sour grapes!!

The fences were down at Magee when we drove over to Grayslake.  Who is calling the strike anyway?

These have been taken from my 1994 journal.  I have entries for every day, but just wrote some of them in this blog.

1994 Round Lake Teacher Strike-- Ratifying the Contract

DECEMBER 12TH, MONDAY--  Up at 7 when Frances called.  I couldn't get back to sleep.

We left at 11 and drove to Olde Stratford Hall in Grayslake.  The place was packed with a very long line waiting to get information (contract proposals) and pieces of paper to vote.  I videotaped for posterity.

Terri opened with some comments and then went the whole contract explaining all changes.  We then voted with a final vote of 240 to 50.  I had been considering a no vote but changed it to yes.

I did this because I am personally tired of the strike and I believe  we've pushed our people as far as they can go.  If we had voted it down, I fear that quite a few of our people (at Magee) might have crossed.  I talked to T.M., who is the only one earning money at his house, and he said he might have been forced to go over had it continued.

Drove to Costello's to eat and talk to other teachers.  K.P. was upset that it passed and had voted against it.

Came home and watched TV.  Talked to my parents who were very happy it was over.  The news shows had a lot on the strike.

1994: Round Lake Teacher Strike, End in Sight?

DECEMBER 11, SUNDAY:  Made phone calls to M.D., M.R. and Mom and Dad, but no one was home.  I did talk to Frances, Julie and L.M..

At 11, I drove to Town Pump in Spring grove and then to Costello's where I watched the Bears get slaughtered by the Packers.  Needless to say, the breakthrough in negotiations was the main topic of conversation, especially as the game developed and it became apparent the Bears had not come to play.

Rumors are flying around and there are a few people planning on no-votes tomorrow.  Word has it that we gave up our Unfair Labor Practices which has a lot of people very upset.  There is also the possibility that we will end up with no pay raise as we will have to go to binding arbitration.

I called L.M. and M.R. and we all agreed that Magee would be the best place to be when school resumes.  We had absolutely no one cross the picket line and we didn't have a principal who stabbed us in the back like M. at Ellis and B. at the high school.  Those two places are going to be tough, not only because of their principals teaching but also because they had the largest number of scabs.

Great News, Though.

1994 Round Lake Teacher Strike: December 11th, End in Sight?

DECEMBER 11TH, 1994, SUNDAY:  Up at 6:30 and wrote in this.  Reading the Chicago Tribune, I found an article on the one minute of silence required in Georgia and found some paragraphs on B.B., our Georgia Boy scab.

I called M.D. at 8:15 a.m. to tell him about it so he could put something about it in the Update.  He told me that a tentative agreement had been reached early this morning and that we would be voting on it tomorrow.  GREAT NEWS!!!

However, if this is not to my liking, I'll definitely vote it down.  A few more weeks or months is not going to make a difference to me.  They can't hurt me anymore than they already have unless I get fired for this which hopefully is not likely.  I already intend to quit any and all volunteering or perhaps restrict it even more than before.

Also, my days of coming into school even if I'm sick are over.  I will use many more sick days and will stop my efforts at student attendance.  The people of Round Lake have spoken long and loud about how they feel about us.  They have done nothing to end the strike ad when given a chance, sent their children to school with unqualified substitutes.

More to Come.

1994 Round Lake Teacher Strike-- Part 6: Last Paycheck Cashed

D.K. said that the Cobra letter did not mean that we lose our insurance right away but that we still had 60 days and could reapply and extend it.  Also, M.D. (superintendent) had guaranteed the subs (scabs)_ permanent jobs which means she would have to fire the teachers.  D.K. said that the board could do this but they'd have to take each one of us  to court individually and that would cost $30,000 for each of us.

I followed D.K. to her house in Cary and had a long talk with her about the strike.  On the way back, I picked up some firewood and a wood holder for our fireplace.  I also bought the new Beatles CD and other cassettes at Best Buy.  I have been staying out of these places and not even looking at their flyers.  (Hey, both of us are on strike and have no money coming in.)  I had lunch at Tommy's where I had a Polish sausage sandwich.

Came home and helped Liz drain the hot tub and fill it up again.

We went back to Ellis School to say goodbye to the scabs.  I stayed in the car as I forgot my hat and gloves and it was starting to snow quite hard.  I still don't feel too good about the confrontations at Ellis because of the phone call to M..

Went to the bank and put my last school paycheck in, the one from Oct. 15th, this officially putting me on strike.  (When it became apparent that we would most likely have a strike, I began saving my paychecks instead of cashing them.  That way, every two weeks, I could cash one and it would seem like I had a paycheck.)

Went to Costello's and then home to watch TV.

Twenty Years Ago, the Round Lake Teacher Strike-- Part 5: The Georgia Scab and Trekking to the Lair

DECEMBER 6, 1994, TUESDAY:  There was about 1/4 inch of snow on the ground this morning and a very fine snow falling most of the day.

Drove to the front of the high school to confront B.B., the Georgia Boy scab.  Someone had found an article in People Magazine about his dismissal from South Gwinnett High School in Georgia over the one minute of silence that is mandatory.  He has to be one of the major hypocrites of all time.

Once again, I was amazed at how quiet the picketers were.  No one was yelling and one scab even walked by and they said nothing.

Went to Magee (Middle School, my school) and walked there until 9:45 when D.K. came back from hq where she had heard some of the picket captain's meeting.  Our picket captains: B.D., S.K. and M.K. had gone to Chicago to do informational picketing at the H.'s pl;ace of business.  They had earlier asked me if I'd go with them, but I chickened out.

(And, remember, this is December and the strike had been going on since October 17th.  Will it ever end?)