History: Organized April 20, 1960
Jean Hoff was appointed historian in 2022. Former historians include Gene Chaplin, retired Social Studies teacher at the Rochelle Junior High School (now Rochelle Middle School), Loretta Bell who also served as Ogle-Lee RTA president, and Margaret Knight who also served as Ogle-Lee RTA president.
The Ogle-Lee IRTA traces its roots back to 1960 when the first meeting of the Rock River Retired Teachers Association was held at the Farm Bureau Building in Oregon, IL. The meeting was called by Wilbur Pickering, Ogle County Superintendent of Schools and Marjorie Cook, an Illinois Education Association organizer. The Illinois Education Association began encouraging the formation of local units of retired teachers to deal with the "plight of teachers retired some years ago with small pensions now made inadequate by the greatly increased cost of living" ( per IEA 1960 recruiting pamphlet). Nineteen retired teachers attended. Katharine Grover of Chana was elected the first president. At this meeting, it was decided that a July picnic meeting would be held at White Pines State Park. Yearly dues would be $0.50 for the local chapter and $1.00 dues to the state organization.
From this early start, three general meetings were held each year. In 1968 the name was changed from the Rock River Retired Teachers' Association to the Ogle-Lee Illinois Retired Teachers' Association.
In 1981 the Illinois Retired Teachers' Association gained a permanent office apart from the Illinois Education Association and hired a part-time executive director and permanent office secretary.
From it's founding to today, the Ogle-Lee IRTA holds several membership meetings a year. The same issues of legislation to improve pension benefits for annuitants and survivors and legislation to correct the underfunded pension system were goals of the association from its inception and continues today.
Jean Hoff was appointed historian in 2022. Former historians include Gene Chaplin, retired Social Studies teacher at the Rochelle Junior High School (now Rochelle Middle School), Loretta Bell who also served as Ogle-Lee RTA president, and Margaret Knight who also served as Ogle-Lee RTA president.
The Ogle-Lee IRTA traces its roots back to 1960 when the first meeting of the Rock River Retired Teachers Association was held at the Farm Bureau Building in Oregon, IL. The meeting was called by Wilbur Pickering, Ogle County Superintendent of Schools and Marjorie Cook, an Illinois Education Association organizer. The Illinois Education Association began encouraging the formation of local units of retired teachers to deal with the "plight of teachers retired some years ago with small pensions now made inadequate by the greatly increased cost of living" ( per IEA 1960 recruiting pamphlet). Nineteen retired teachers attended. Katharine Grover of Chana was elected the first president. At this meeting, it was decided that a July picnic meeting would be held at White Pines State Park. Yearly dues would be $0.50 for the local chapter and $1.00 dues to the state organization.
From this early start, three general meetings were held each year. In 1968 the name was changed from the Rock River Retired Teachers' Association to the Ogle-Lee Illinois Retired Teachers' Association.
In 1981 the Illinois Retired Teachers' Association gained a permanent office apart from the Illinois Education Association and hired a part-time executive director and permanent office secretary.
From it's founding to today, the Ogle-Lee IRTA holds several membership meetings a year. The same issues of legislation to improve pension benefits for annuitants and survivors and legislation to correct the underfunded pension system were goals of the association from its inception and continues today.