Guy Jaggard

1959-61

When Guy Jaggard was elected president in1959, he came with a record of achievement in CalRTA where he had served seven years as chairman of the salaries committee, as assignment that resulted in doubling teacher’s salaries. He is still remembered by some as “Mr. Salary”. He discovered that CalRTA needed reorganization. CalRTA had a president, several vice[presidents, a financial secretary who handled membership and solicited dues, a treasure, and a group of honorary board of directors. He found that the /Board never met to conduct CRTA business. The president and the financial secretary managed the association with dues of two dollars a member, shared half and half with local divisions.

To strengthen the state organization, Jaggard wrote a new set of bylaws with a smaller board of directors, committee chairmen with a job to do, and an increase of dues to three dollars. This change of dues was sharply challenged when presented to the state meeting in Riverside, but after two sessions of discussion, the new bylaws were adopted and the 50% increase in funds made it possible for most divisions to send a representative to the state meetings. At his final meeting, Guy was pleased to note that all but one division was represented – and that meeting had become a real part of the state organization.

Three elected area vice presidents became a strong aid on the Board of Directors and carried the state program to many smaller meetings. That set of bylaws (1961), with some changes, became the operational format for our state organizations to date. With a high spirit of unity evident, the president asked for voluntary contributions for a legislative fund and the response was so good that the fund lasted for several years.

With aid from the CTA, a bill was introduced in the legislature to better considerably the retirement payments. It looked for a time as though the effort would succeed. As the bill moved through committee, it picked up support with votes assured on both houses, but at the end, Governor Brown refused to okay the budget, so it had to be carried into another session.

The highlight of this biennium was the hosting of the national convention of NRTA t the Alexandria Hotel in Los Angeles, June 1959. All attending were housed in one hotel with a warmth of feeling that is still referred to by “old-timers” as the best ever.

After his term as president of CalRTA, Guy served NRTA as State Director for California, and then, over a three-year period, served Dr. Andrus on a special committee on policies and plans for bringing together more closely the state organizations and the NRTA. Guy continues in the services of the state organization and on the State Council, occasionally fills in for special assignment (1972).