Ina A. Cokeley
1983-1985

When Ina Cokeley took over the reins as President of the California Retired Teachers Association at the end of the 1983 State Convention, there were 74 Divisions and35, 398 members. Two years later CalRTA had 78 divisions and 37,354 members, each paying annual membership dues of $14.

A report in the Summer 1982 issue of the California Pioneer Teacher had complained that only 68 percent of the divisions had contributed to the per capita fund for the Laura E. Settle scholarships. The Summer 1984 issue, however, was able to report that, for the first time, 100 percent of the divisions had done so. These contributions, added to what had been received in gifts and memorials, amounted to more than$5,500. This sum, augmented by interest from capital funds, made possible the granting of 27 scholarships of $500 each in 1984.

The Fall 1984 issue of the California Pioneer Teacher announced that Governor Deukmejian had appointed Ruth Q. De Prida to the CalSTRS Board. An earlier change in the composition of the Board had raised its total membership from nine to eleven by adding two more members appointed by the Governor, one of whom must be a retired teacher. This change was effected after the Board’s three-person Investment Committee had made a very controversial $50 million investment of CalSTRS funds.

1984 was also the year that CalRTA established the Ruth Q. De Prida Award to be presented annually. Mrs. De Prida herself was selected as its first recipient at the 1984 Convention.

The Governor issued a proclamation making April 16, 1985, the first annual “Day of the teacher.”