NSPRA History: 1935-2002

The Leader in School Communications

A short history of the

National School Public Relations Association 1935 -- 2002

Compiled by Kenneth K. Muir, Ed.D., APR

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA

Special Thanks and Recognition This concise historical snapshot of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) would not exist without the dedicated and volunteer work of Dr. Ken Muir, APR. Ken’s passion and commitment for our profession has helped hundreds of school leaders over his professional career. He has served NSPRA exceptionally well as an active member, a board member, a president, a consultant, an author — and now as an historian. Ken always has been willing to take on any task — no matter how big or small. And, he always can be counted on to complete each tasks exceptionally well.

Along with his many contributions to NSPRA, Ken serves as an superb role model for our profession. We all can learn from Dr. Ken Muir. NSPRA and our profession are stronger today because of his verve and enthusiasm for the successful practice of school public relations.

Dr. Ken Muir deserves our thanks for this wonderful project — and for his work and leadership on behalf of NSPRA over the past 37 years.

Rich Bagin, APR NSPRA Executive Director

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA

The National School Public Relations Association was founded in 1935.

Little is known of its first decade. But a paragraph from “An Inside Look at the National School Public Relations Association,” an article published in 1976, reports: “In 1935, 23 individuals attending the annual convention of the National Education Association in Denver, met for breakfast at the Olin Hotel to discuss the need for a formal organization dealing with school-community relations. “The group was one-third educators, one-third writers, and onethird crusaders who had exchanged ideas for 10 years on better techniques, methods and materials for reporting and promoting the progress of public schools,” according to an article in the October 1984 Paragraphs, on the Association’s 50th anniversary. Thus was formed the National Association for Educational Publicity.

When the association met in 1936 in Portland, Oregon, its name was officially changed to the School Public Relations Association. At the time of the name change, the organization had 31 members, who paid a fee of two dollars annually.

The first publication in the Association archives is Trends in School Public Relations, and the first issue that was preserved is dated December-January 1945-46. Early publications of the Association refer to it as SPRA (School Public Relations Association). In addition to Trends, the Association published Today’s Techniques - Successful Practices in School Public Relations, which Trends advertised as “the first yearbook.” It was available from the president for $1.75.

The four-page January 1947 issue of Trends notes that “Maintaining its policy of at least one major publication a year, the School Public Relations Association in cooperation with the U.S. Office of Education announced Bulletin 1946, No. 17, PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR RURAL AND VILLAGE TEACHERS,” written by members of the Association.

That Trends issue also states: “Some measure of the acceptance of public relations by schools throughout the nation can be gleaned from the following: During the past six months Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have added departments of public relations with directors. Other prominent cities in the nation to include a specific department of public relations are New York City; Denver, Colorado; Seattle, Washington; Cincinnati, Ohio; Kansas City, Missouri; Madison, Wisconsin; Decatur, Illinois; Chicago, Illinois; and Indianapolis, Indiana. In addition, at least 14 state teacher associations have specific departments of public relations.”

The January Trends also notes that “The first big winter, postwar convention of SPRA was to be held in Atlantic City, N.J., on March 3, 1947. Featured will be the nation’s number one public relations expert, Edward L. Bernays, of New York City.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA

By October 1947, the newsletter masthead was recording five officers: Bernard I. Griffiths, President, Ohio Education Association; Minter E. Brown, Vice President, Kansas State Teachers Association; John F. Locke, Secretary-Treasurer, Cincinnati Board of Education; Frederick L. Hipp, Executive Committee, New Jersey Education Association; and Otis A. Crosby, Executive Committee (and past-president), Detroit Board of Education. B.I. Griffiths also served as Trends editor for many years.

Those early newsletters suggest that NSPRA held two meetings annually — one in February in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), and one in June/July, at the annual meeting of the National Education Association (NEA). SPRA’s Atlantic City meeting, on February 23, 1948, at Haddon Hall Hotel, included a 10 a.m. business meeting; a “distinguished panel of SPRA members” on Techniques in School Public Relations; a luncheon, and a 7:30 p.m. address by Edgar L. Morphet, Executive Secretary of the Florida Citizens Council, on “Florida Citizens Take the Lead.”

At that Atlantic City meeting, SPRA members voted to seek affiliation with NEA. But, two years were to elapse before NEA agreed to grant SPRA departmental status. When merged with NEA in 1950, SPRA was retitled the National School Public Relations Association. Roy K. Wilson, NEA’s assistant radio and press chief, was appointed executive director, which initially was a non-salaried, part-time position. In 1968, the position was given full-time, salaried status, and Wilson left his position as NEA’s director of press and radio to assume the redefined directorship of NSPRA, a post he held until 1976.

By September 1950, Trends reported, “Mushrooming SPRA membership has reached 1,147, according to a report submitted at the 15th annual meeting at St. Louis, July 3, when SPRA officially became a full-fledged department of NEA. The March 1951 Trends noted that “NSPRA’s Atlantic City meeting was its largest, most ambitious. All sessions well-attended. Overflow crowd at highly-successful Celebrities Luncheon. Mushrooming membership now has reached 2,147. . . Yearbook project progressing rapidly. Tentative title of the 2-color, 64-page handbook is It Starts in the Classroom - A Public Relations Handbook for the Teacher. Will go to press in late April. Publication date to coincide with NSPRA’s July meeting at San Francisco, Cal.” This issue also noted that Robert Olds, a former reporter and operator of a public relations agency in Columbus, Ohio, had become Associate Editor of Trends.

NSPRA was announcing regional meetings in 1952 -- Feb. 25, St. Louis; March 10, Los Angeles; April 7, Boston. Apparently AASA had moved to a regional meeting format and NSPRA was providing regional sessions as part of those meetings. The September 1951 Trends was the first to indicate that NSPRA had established six regional vice president positions.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA That issue also noted that “It Starts in the Classroom, NSPRA’s new PR handbook for teachers, is being acclaimed as No. 1 weapon in the counter-offensive against organized attacks on schools. Harry Fosdick, in an article for Oct. state education assn. journals, writes: ‘NSPRA has written the teacher’s manual of arms.’ 4,000 copies ordered during first six weeks following publication.” By October, the newsletter reported that the initial 15,000-copy printing of It Starts has been sold out. In November, Trends reported that 45,000 copies had been printed.

In December 1951, Trends stated, “So much attention has been won by the teacher PR handbook It Starts in the Classroom that NSPRA next month will begin publication of a monthly newsletter bearing the same name. It is designed to provide teachers with a continuing source of the same type of PR ideas which are included in the best-selling handbook. Produced as a supplementary NSPRA service, newsletter subscriptions are available to members at 20 per cent under the regular rates ($2.50 for single subscriptions; 75 cents for subscriptions of 100 or more copies).” It Starts first editor, and chair of the committee that developed the handbook, was Dr. Thomas E. Robinson, a New Jersey school superintendent and later president of Glassboro State Teachers College.

By April 1952, Trends noted that its circulation had increased to 4,000 copies monthly and subscriptions to the It Starts in the Classroom newsletter “have soared to 10,000” -- not a bad record for the fourth month of publication.

In September 1952, Trends reported: “Serving a membership more than double that of a year ago, NSPRA during the coming year embarks on its biggest year of service to members and the whole field of public education. Executive Secretary Roy Wilson reported at the July convention in Detroit that membership had reached 4,835 as compared with 2,307 a year earlier–a doubling of membership size for the fifth consecutive year. There were membership increases in each of the 48 states.”

“The main theme of the annual meeting on school news and newspaper publicity was that further improvement in press relations depends largely upon school people . . . organizing school systems for better school news reporting . . . taking the time and effort necessary to develop more significant aspects of school news involving curriculum, services . . . and using more imagination in digging out stories which have news-drama interest. As one feature of the highly successful Celebrities Dinner, the 100,000th copy of It Starts in the Classroom handbook was presented to Alice Latta, new head of NEA’s Classroom Teacher Dept.”

The October 1952 Trends reported that “To help carry out the program of expanded NSPRA services, Beatrice M. Gudridge has joined the staff as associate editor. Former aide to radio network commentator H. R. Baukhage and writer-broadcaster over WTOP Washington, she also has been free-lancing for national magazines, covering the Washington scene.” Also noted is that, at the February 15 AASA meeting in Atlantic City, NSPRA would be joint sponsor of four discussion groups and one clinic, dealing with advisory committees, PR and non-teaching -4-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA personnel, PR principles and practice, interpreting teaching of fundamentals, and school finance campaigns.

Print It Right, NSPRA’s new 48-page handbook devoted to all phases of PR printing by school systems and education associations, was published in January 1953. It was the work of a committee of members and was sent to each member. In April, Trends announced that Happy Journey, 32-page two-color booklet for parents of youngsters about to enter school would be published as a cooperative project by NSPRA, NEA’s Department of Elementary Principals, and the National PTA. The book was written by Beatrice M. Gudridge, NSPRA associate editor of publications, backed up by a joint committee. The cost was 40 cents, with quantity discounts.

Let’s Go To Press: Guide to Better School News Reporting was published in January 1954. It was previewed during its development by almost 500 reporters and editors in every section of the country. According to the December 1953 Trends, “Teachers and administrators who read the final draft were unanimously enthusiastic.”

NSPRA’s first Annual Seminar, although it was initially referred to as “the NSPRA Annual Meeting,” was held June 28, 1954, at New York’s Hotel Statler. One issue at this meeting was amending Association Bylaws to increase association dues from $3 to $10 annually, and to require that “Membership shall be open to any member of the National Education Association.” The September 1954 Trends reported that “NSPRA’s first PR Seminar, held in NYC following the NEA convention, was so successful that plans are already under way for a 1955 Seminar.”

“NSPRA’s 1955 PR Seminar on Communication Techniques in School Public Relations, to be held at Lake Forest, Ill., July 10-16, will be equipped to handle up to 100 participants, a substantially larger group than attended the NYC seminar last year. The Seminar is an invitational affair designed for school system PR directors, state association staff personnel and other PR specialists. The registration fee was $40, with lodging and meals for an additional $7 daily. The seminar will meet on the same campus and on the same dates as the Editors Workshop, sponsored by Education Communications Service.”

Apparently the seminar was separate from the Association’s annual meeting, which the April 1955 issue of Trends announced would be July 4, in Chicago. Feel Their Pulse, NSPRA’s handbook on opinion polling, was unveiled at that meeting. That issue announced also that “Robert Olds, public relations counsel for the Ohio Education Association and associate editor of Trends moves, with this issue, into the top editorial spot, by vote of NSPRA’s executive committee at St. Louis.” It also announced that “the ‘Circles of Information’ discussion technique, now a fixture of NSPRA meetings, will be utilized by the White House Conference [on Education] November 20-December 1, on a grand scale. The initial round of meetings will involve 2,000 persons seated at 200 tables. Leaders of each table will attend successive rounds until two tables remain.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA

By September 1955, Happy Journey, for parents of children starting elementary school, had gone through nine printings for 550,000 copies, while It’s High Time, a companion piece for parents of new high school students “breezed through an initial 100,000 printing.”

On February 21, 1956, NSPRA held its first Golden Key Dinner in Atlantic City. The event awarded gold ‘Keys to Tomorrow’ to a government official and a lay citizen who have rendered distinguished service to education on a national, state or local level, plus additional keys to a former teacher of the awardees. President Dwight Eisenhower and Roy E. Larsen, president of Time Inc. and former chair of the National Citizens Commission for the Public Schools and two of their teachers received the original keys. Co-sponsors with NSPRA were the NEA, National School Boards Association, National PTA, National Association of Secretaries of State Teachers Associations, the Council of Chief State School Officers and the U.S. Office of Education. The keys were donated by Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, a PR-conscious lock-maker.

At this mid-winter NSPRA meeting, Edward L. Bernays spoke about his “engineering approach” to public relations: Define your objectives; research thoroughly; reorient; plan strategy; analyze appeals; organize; plan your timing; create a blueprint for action. “Bernays, who throughout his presentation stressed the importance of using latest findings of social scientists in attitude research, goal determination, tactics and planning reinforced his deep interest in school PR by offering NSPRA $1,000 to start a library for members,” according to the February 29, 1956 issue of Trends.

NSPRA’s 1956 annual meeting was held at Lincoln High School auditorium, Portland, Oregon, on July 2. The third annual seminar was held in San Francisco, July 9-14. A major speaker was Paul C. Smith, president of Crowell-Collier Publishing Company, publisher of Collier’s, Woman’s Home Companion, and American magazines.

The June 6, 1956 issue of Trends reported that the initial press run of Sailing into Reading, a new NSPRA handbook, sent the total publication figure for the association’s parent handbooks to 1,100,000 copies in three years. Happy Journey leads with 650,000 copies. The June 20 issue (bi-weekly publication began in January 1956) reported that the first four School Bell Awards would be made at the July 4 evening session of the NEA Convention in Portland.

The awards recognized national media for distinguished service in interpreting education during the 1955-56 school year. Seven organizations co-sponsored the awards with NSPRA. The November 14, 1956 Trends says, “Miss Dee Preusch has joined the NSPRA staff as executive assistant. Formerly with Prentice-Hall’s Washington branch, she has a background of experience in advertising, radio and newspaper fields. She will coordinate departmental administration.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA The January 1957 Trends reported that the 1957 Golden Key Award winner would be General Maxwell D. Taylor, U.S. Army chief of staff, and two of his teachers. The February 20 issue noted that the “Main reason for the switch in content of NSPRA’s It Starts in the Classroom newsletter to a single-theme-per-issue has been to arm administrators, association leaders and PR directors with a ‘rifle’ for PR in-service work with teachers. Each issue is now beamed to a subject about which teachers can take personal action to improve PR for themselves and for their school system.”

The April 3 issue notes that NSPRA’s 4th PR Seminar, designed for the full-time (or almost full-time) school PR person, will be held July 7-11 (immediately after the NEA convention) at New York City. “Again being conducted on an invitational basis, participation in the five-day affair will be limited to 100 persons. Top New York communications and research specialists will be included on the program. Participants also will be able to visit communications media, get briefings on new copy and design techniques, press relations, radioTV programming, campaign planning, etc. Seminar will be held at Hotel Roosevelt.

Applications will be carefully reviewed to determine the best possible list of qualified persons who will be invited to join the Seminar. Registration fee will be $45 which includes buffet breakfasts and one banquet. For applications, write to NSPRA.” This issue also noted that NSPRA was teaming up with the Ohio and Michigan education associations to hold regional seminars in those two states.

Trends September 2, 1957, issue reports that “What NSPRA members (and many other educators) have been demanding for the past decade – a greatly expanded PR program by NEA – is now under way. Although modest in comparison with budgets of many a major U.S. association, the NEA Press and Radio-TV Division’s new budget of nearly $750,000 (up $500,000 from last year) means that important new PR strides can be made at the national level.”

The article also noted that Beatrice M. Gudridge, NSPRA’s associate secretary, joined the Pressradio headquarters office as assistant director of the division.

Another article notes that “NSPRA’s election of officers and time of annual meeting will follow a new pattern starting next year as the result of constitutional changes adopted at the July 1 meeting at Philadelphia. Beginning in 1958, NSPRA officers will be elected by an annual mail ballot conducted in May. NSPRA’s annual meeting will no longer be tied to the NEA convention, but will be held at a time and place designated by the Executive Committee. Next year the annual meeting will be held at Detroit, Mich., July 7, following the NEA convention (June 29-July 4, at Cleveland). It will be held during one day of the 5th Annual NSPRA PR Seminar, July 6-10, at Detroit.”

The November 27, 1957 issue reported that Edward L. Bernays spoke in Washington on November 16 at the dedication of the Edward L. Bernays Foundation Public Relations Library.

The library was made possible by a grant from the Foundation to NSPRA and will be housed in the library of the NEA’s new building.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA The January 8, 1958 issue notes that Secretary Marion B. Folsom of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare and one of his former teachers will receive the 1958 Golden Key Awards at the AASA regional convention in St. Louis. Another article noted that “Jeanne Rogers joined the NSPRA staff as managing editor of publications. She’s a former staffer of the Washington Post and Times Herald, Washington Star, and Kansas City Star.”

The February 5 issue stated that “Education U.S.A., the new weekly newsletter to be published by NSPRA with NEA’s Press-Radio Division, starting late this month, will tackle one of public education’s biggest problems. Its purpose will be to skim the cream – the really significant news of education – and to deliver it by fast mail across the country each week.

Strangely enough, public education is about the only major enterprise which has no fast line of communication. This shortcoming may underlie a good many other problems, although the cause has gone unrecognized. Despite the tremendous expansion and growing complexity of the ‘school business,’ its communications have been geared to a leisurely pre-war concept.”

“NSPRA President Sylvia Ciernick said Education U.S.A. would make its bow at the St. Louis AASA regional convention where pilot issues will be published daily. A sample, preview education will be published February 12. There will also be daily editions at the Cleveland and San Francisco AASA meetings. First regular issue is scheduled for publication beginning in March. The four-page newsletter will be mailed from Washington each Tuesday. Jeanne Rogers will be managing editor; news bureaus will be set up in key cities. Subscription rates will be higher than many publications in the school field because of Education U.S.A.’s weekly publication and fast delivery to all sections of the country.”

The March 19 Trends announced “One feature of NSPRA’s 5th Annual Public Relations Seminar, July 6-10, at Detroit, will be a presentation of the Ford Motor Co. PR program by Charles A. Moore, Ford VP in charge of PR. Moore will speak following a Seminar tour of the new Ford central staff building and dinner at the executive dining room.”

The June 11 issue reported “NSPRA’s PR Seminar, limited traditionally to 100 participants to allow plenty of personal consultation and consideration of individual problems, will be open this year to full-time (or almost full-time) school PR people and to superintendents who: (1) hope to start an organized PR program; or (2) handle the system PR program personally. Applications are reviewed by a planning committee. The five-day seminar (July 610) will be held this year at the Sheraton-Cadillac Hotel, and will include NSPRA’s annual meeting, scheduled for July 7.”

September 10, 1958 Trends reports that “NSPRA members now have authority to form state or local chapters. An amendment to the Association constitution, adopted at the annual meeting of NSPRA at Detroit permits the creation of chapters. Here’s how to go about it: 10 or more members in good standing may petition the NSPRA Executive Committee for authority to establish a chapter (exact jurisdictional territory of a chapter will be determined by the Executive -8-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA Committee). Chapter will elect their own officers, can set up dues in addition to national dues.

A member can belong to and vote in only one chapter. All members of a chapter must be NSPRA members. By-laws of a chapter must be approved by the NSPRA Executive Committee before they can be adopted officially by a chapter. The national Executive Committee must also approve amendments to chapter by-laws.”

That same issue also reports that Robert W. Bogen, former director of surveys and information for the Fairfax County (VA) schools assumed responsibilities as associate secretary of NSPRA. October 22nd’s issue reports that “Although most major corporations consider a PR program and staff essential, their educational counterpart – some of the big city school systems – display almost shocking insensitivity in this respect. A recent survey of 49 large systems (200,000 or more population) indicates that a substantial number have no organizational provisions for PR. If a program exists, the superintendent is trying to carry it out along or with staff help he is reluctant to admit he is using. Of 49 systems, 29 reported that the staff included a person other than the superintendent who was responsible for directing or coordinating PR programs. Six of 17 systems in cities of over 500,000 population reported no one was responsible for directing a PR program. Twelve superintendents among 32 systems in the 200,000-500,000 population group reported no one was heading up the PR program. Where PR directors exist in the largest systems, they tend to have the title of assistant or associate superintendent. A few are directors of PR or supervisors of public information or community relations. The salary range for the PR heads extended from a $5,000 minimum to a $15,000 maximum. The median maximum reported was $10,400.”

That issue also noted plans for the Sixth Annual Public Relations Seminar were shaping up. The seminar was scheduled for July 6-10, 1959 at Washington’s Statler Hilton Hotel. One session was being planned for the National Press Club; another in NEA’s new headquarters building. Enrollment is being expanded to 125 members. A later issue reported capacity registration and a waiting list. “New feature this year will be one full day when participants will be able to discuss their individual problems and projects with one or more of a group of 30 specialists.”

The November 19, 1958 issue of Trends reported “There’s quite a bit of interest in setting up state, city, and metropolitan area chapters of NSPRA. In fact, an 11-member chapter has been formed in Utah and will hold an organizational meeting next month. PR people in Minnesota, Iowa, and Michigan are in the discussion stages. NSPRA’s Executive Committee has made some modifications in procedures for establishment of chapters. All NSPRA members will receive detailed information in the near future.”

The June 24 issue reports, “Just off the press is NSPRA’s Public Relations Gold Mine, Volume 2, a handy 64-page roundup of PR ideas. Some of the material appeared originally in -9-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA Trends and It Starts in the Classroom newsletters. Some of the major topics outlined and filled with tips include: discipline, field trip PR, orientation programs, and internal staff relations.

Single copy: $1.25.”

NSPRA began a new publication, apparently replacing Trends as the Association’s “publication of record” in February 1959. It was called For Immediate Release, “which will be published ‘periodically’ to report to NSPRA members news about themselves and Association affairs.” The issue noted that Trends “will continue to report new developments in school public relations projects and programs every other Wednesday; It Starts in the Classroom will mirror the latest practices and techniques utilized by classroom teachers to build good public relations each month; Education U.S.A., which next month celebrates its first anniversary, will continue as a fast-mail weekly subscription report on the full range of educational affairs in Washington and throughout the country; the best writing and interpretation of education in the press, national magazines, radio and television will be printed each month in The School Bell.”

The 12-member NSPRA staff recently made the “big move” from their temporary quarters in the “old” wing (1957) of the NEA headquarters building, to brand-new office space on the fifth floor overlooking 16th Street.

The March 27, 1959 issue of Paragraphs was its first, replacing For Immediate Release, which, it noted, was the title of a page in the monthly magazine of the American College Public Relations Association. “To avoid confusion,” NSPRA changed the publication name to Paragraphs.

The July 7, 1959 Paragraphs announced that it was a summary of a year of growth and stimulating opportunities for NSPRA. The issue reported on the Associations four other newsletters; the School Bell Awards and the Golden Key Awards; Volume 2 of a Public Relations Gold Mine. The Association financial report showed revenue of $103,884 and expenditures of $198,796 for the 1958-59 year, with a year-end cash balance of $1,004.

The report shows membership and subscriptions by states within the six geographical NSPRA regions, with totals as follows: Leadership (membership) 2,060 Trends (subscriptions) 3,347 It Starts Newsletter 13,648 School Bell 10,475 Education U.S.A. 2,387 Total 31,317 The September 15, 1959 issue of Trends shows, for the first time in the staff list, the name of Mildred S. Wainger, as Executive Assistant, and Helen H. Cox, Director of Special Services. Robert Bogen is no longer listed as Associate Secretary. Dorsey Baynham is listed as -10-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA Associate Editor of Education U.S.A., and Dee Preusch is listed as Director of Publications. By March 15, 1962, the staff list had added Anne Lewis as Editorial Assistant.

The February 17, 1960 issue notes that J. R. Wiggins, executive editor of The Washington Past and president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, was the 1960 Golden Key Award winner.

The April 1 issue reports “Initial response to NSPRA’s new handbook, How to Help Your Child Learn, is an important top-off to PR directors everywhere of the volatile interest of parents seeking specific help for guidance of their youngsters. Announcements of the publication, such as the one which appeared in U.S. News & World Report, have virtually swamped NSPRA headquarters with orders. Individual requests have peaked 260 per day. Orders come from persons in almost every profession and occupation.”

The May 15 issue reported that “NSPRA will hold a 25th Anniversary luncheon on Thursday, July 7, in connection with the 1960 PR Seminar at San Francisco.”

The June 1, 1960 issue notes that “Three distinct basic services, rather than one, will be launched during NSPRA’s 25th anniversary year, according to President Clayton E. Rose. Here they are: Membership, $10, includes voting privileges, subscription to Trends (official assn. publication; Paragraphs, It Starts in the Classroom, and Communication Index. Professional Communication Service, $25, includes voting privileges for one individual, Trends, Paragraphs, It Starts in the Classroom, Communication Index, selected handbooks, School Bell Packet, Education U.S.A., and Education Scope. School System Service, $75, includes all of the Professional Communication Service benefits plus seven copies of the School Bell Packet, three copies of Education U.S.A., three copies of Education Scope, an American Education Week Packet, NEA Magazine Reports, and a 25% discount on all NSPRA products.”

In the July 1960 issue, Paragraphs reported “The 25th year of the National School Public Relations Association has been characterized by a sharpening of focus on Association functions.

With this fact as the lodestar, the Association does well to take a new fix and to sight the course of its past year’s activities against its stated purpose.” It notes that Article II of NSPRA’s Constitution reads: “The purpose of the National School Public Relations Association shall be to serve the citizenry of the Nation by promoting a better understanding of the objectives, accomplishments, and needs of the public schools of the United States. The Association seeks to accomplish its purpose by: (1) encouraging the use of sound public relations procedures by all those at work in the schools of America; (2) placing before the public facts and viewpoints which will lead to a better understanding, appreciation and support of their schools; (3) and developing materials that will assist the schools of the Nation in building an increased public understanding of the role of public education.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA For the 1959-60 fiscal year, receipts were $206,038 (more than half from publication sales); expenditures were $189,433, and the balance at the end of the year was a negative $475.

The number of memberships and subscriptions in each category fell, totaling 22,610 at the yearend. Subsequently, NSPRA did not report revenue and expenditure figures in Paragraphs for several years.

The November 1, 1960 issue notes that the 1961 seminar would be held July 3-7 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City. The planning committee decided to plan a six-day affair so that participants will have plenty of opportunity to work with fellow practitioners who have comparable assignments as well as making “depth” studies of general interest topics. Those who attended the 1960 Seminar indicated in an evaluation that they would like to have this type of program. NSPRA’s Annual Meeting will be held on July 4 in connection with the Seminar. By the May 1 issue, it was announced that registrations would be expanded to 150, with a $60 fee for NSPRA members; $70 for non-members.

The February 15, 1961 issue announced NSPRA’s Public Relations Gold Mine, Vol. 3.

“The handbook can serve as the basis for an in-service workshop for principals, teachers, secretaries.”

The July 1961 issue of Paragraphs listed 32 NSPRA datelines that “tell the story of the year in capsule form. . .” This issue reported memberships and circulation in a somewhat different way, as follows: School System Service 133 Professional Communication Service 374 Membership 686 Education U.S.A. subscriptions 4,753 It Starts newsletter subscriptions 6,796 Trends of October 15, 1961, announced that the 1962 NSPRA Seminar would be held July 9-13, at the Denver Hilton Hotel, and that University of Wisconsin journalism professor Scott Cutlip would be a seminar consultant. Apparently the Board was planning ahead, because the article announced that the 1963 seminar would be at the New Hilton Inn, Aurora, Illinois; and the 1964 seminar would be in Portland, Oregon.

Apparently alarmed by falling memberships and subscriptions, the March 1962 Paragraphs made a mid-year circulation report. It described the Professional Communication Service as subscriptions to the weekly Education U.S.A., the twice-monthly Trends, the monthly It Starts in the Classroom, reproduction rights for subscribing districts to each publication, and a copy of the annual Public Relations Gold Mine and Communication Guide. The January 1, 1962 figures were: School System Service 146 Professional Communication Service 573 -12-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA Basic Membership Service Education U.S.A. subscriptions (includes 1 & 2) It Starts newsletter subscriptions (includes 1, 2 & 3)

835 5,439 7,386

The June 1, 1962 issue announced NSPRA’s PR Gold Mine, Vol. 4. The September 15 issue noted “Although NSPRA’s The Shape of Education for 1962-63 was published only last month, orders this week had already reached the 30,000 mark. In 64 pages and 27 chapters, the editors of Education U.S.A. have presented compactly their best estimate of the issues and developments which will substantially affect what happens in U.S. classrooms this year. It has been designed for students in teacher education colleges (campus orders are heavy), for new and veteran teachers, administrators, and school board members. Single copy 75 cents.”

Reporting on the Denver Seminar, the September 15 issue said, “Uncomfortable and frightening in some ways was NSPRA’s 9th annual Seminar at Denver. Out in full view was a new kind of school PR maturity, one which demands of the PR man not only vastly improved communication skills but also moves him much closer to the pulse of leadership. Effective communication today, declared Scott Cutlip, University of Wisconsin professor of journalism and special seminar planning consultant, ‘is much more costly and time-consuming than is appreciated by most superintendents and PR people. A chief difficulty is that too many persons are trying to live by a World War I concept of communications which is now badly outdated.

This simple concept calls for (1) a message, (2) transmission though media, and (3) the receiver is supposed to be affected by the message and take action. Trouble is,’ said Cutlip, ‘that there are too many blocks and adverse factors which can impair the workability of this straight-line message theory. The greatest enemy of communications is the illusion of it,’ he said. ‘Getting publicity is largely a wasted effort.’”

The October 15 edition noted that NSPRA’s Happy Journey has gone through 20 printings totaling 1,375,000 copies in print, making this 50-cent publication the most widely read in the history of school PR. The March 15, 1963 edition noted that copies in print were 1,500,000. And the April 15 edition reported that NSPRA’s Gold Mine, Volume Five, was just off the press.

The February 1963 issue also made a mid-year circulation report, showing: School System Service 138 Professional Communication Service 797 Basic Membership Service 765 Education U.S.A. subscriptions (includes 1 & 2) 5,362 It Starts newsletter subscriptions (includes 1, 2 & 3) 6,680 The June 1, 1963 issue of Trends reported that “The W. Harold Kingsley Memorial Lecture, to be instituted July 8 at the NSPRA Seminar, Aurora, Ill., will be given by Arthur H. Rice, long-time editor of The Nation’s Schools and now a consultant to the magazine. The -13-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA memorial lecture in school PR, to be given annually at the NSPRA Seminar, honors Kingsley, a charter member and early president of the association. He served in many staff capacities with the California Teachers Assn. prior to his 1957 retirement. He died in 1962.”

The October 15, 1963 issue reported, “A special NSPRA committee . . . soon will begin an exploration into an uncharted area – a study of qualifications for school-community relations personnel. Behind the decision is the mushrooming importance of PR in school systems and the expansion of school-community relations positions. Superintendents have voiced concern about lack of qualified personnel and the absence of guidelines to follow in filling the positions.

Matters are further complicated by the fact that the job generally calls for skills and experience that are unique in school administration.”

The February 15, 1964, issue announced “NSPRA’s newest publication, Public Relations Ideas for Classroom Teachers (48 pp., 75 cents), offers superintendents, PR directors, principals and local associations the kind of compact tool needed to give classroom teachers the big picture of what they can accomplish in school PR. The May 1 issue reported the publication of NSPRA’s Gold Mine Volume 6, a quick overview of some of the most significant developments in U.S. school PR during the past year plus a communications guide of 39 selected articles and periodicals.

The May 15, 1964 issue noted that “A national selection jury has named 10 winners of $160 scholarship grants for participation in the NSPRA National PR Seminar, July 6-10, at Portland, Ore. The winners were selected from among persons nominated by NSPRA chapters in the western states.” Among the chapters making nominations were Arizona, Colorado, Golden Gate, Greater St. Louis, Lone Star, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Puget Sound, Southern California, and Utah.

An August 1964 Paragraphs described a panel discussion “on current problems faced by almost every school system in the country – poverty, misunderstanding of prayer and Bible reading, and desegregation.”

In the December 1, 1964 issue, NSPRA was announcing a national seminar (July 4-8, in Boston); two regional seminars (April 11-13 in Chicago and July 26-28 in Palo Alto, CA) and a summer workshop (Aug. 2-13 at Plattsburg, NY).

In the February 1, 1965 issue, NSPRA proclaimed “Nearest thing to a school PR world’s fair will get under way next week in Atlantic City for U.S. chief school executives. The School Public Relations Exhibition and Counseling Center, which will be open February 13-17 during the AASA convention, represents a joint NSPRA-AASA effort to give major emphasis to the role of PR and communications in effective school administration. The center will be housed in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel’s Ritz Hall.” One feature was a National Publications Exhibit of 2,500 school annual reports, staff newsletters, finance campaign materials, parent and community -14-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA periodicals, and teacher recruitment booklets were offered by school districts. All of those accepted by an outstanding eight-member screening committee will be on display to make up the largest collection of school PR publications ever assembled. The March 1 issue reported that more than 4,300 persons visited the joint AASA-NSPRA PR Exhibition and Counseling Center.

The February 15, 1965 issue announced publication of The Schools and the Press, an NSPRA publication written by Anne Lewis, 112 pp., $3.75 in hard cover; $2.50 paperback.)

In a warning of things to come, the May 15, 1965 issue of Trends said, “Local teacher associations are advised in the May issue of the NEA Journal that ‘all educational matters are negotiable,’ including the school PR program and ‘intra-school communication’.”

Paragraphs of October 1965 reported that “Robert Olds, familiar to NSPRA members as the editor of Trends newsletter for 17 years, has left the position of associate executive director of the Ohio School Boards Association in Columbus to become manager of a new West Coast Editorial Information Center, established by the National Education Association in Los Angeles.

He will continue as Trends editor.” That issue also noted that the newest NSPRA Chapter, #28, is the Kansas City, Missouri, chapter.

The December 1965 issue reported that “The 1966 National Seminar, scheduled for July 4-8 in Hollywood, Florida, will have some major innovations from previous seminars, based upon the suggestions of 1965 Seminar participants. The planning will take into consideration more participant participation for the depth day sessions, an emphasis upon practical plans that are now in operation, and more attention to the diversity of interests at the Seminar. Major problem areas to be covered from a PR angle probably will include problems generated by new federal legislation, the civil rights movement, staff-board-administration relations, handing the public attitude toward innovations, working with community action groups, the increasing specialization of mass media personnel and innovations in the mass media, and others. The seminar fee was increased to $75; attendance was limited to 150 persons.”

That issue also reported that, since 1951 when NSPRA launched its publishing activities with the handbook It Starts in the Classroom, the Association has printed 4,143,000 handbooks.

The February 15, 1966 issue announced NSPRA’s new parent handbook, The First Big Step (36 pp., 60 cents) written by Patricia F. Platt, an Education U.S.A. editor. It was a cooperative project with the National Congress of Parents and Teachers and the NEA’s Dept. of Classroom Teachers.

In March 15, 1966, Trends announced its establishment of the Center for Communication Studies at Santa Barbara, Ca. “The center will be closely associated with the Brooks Foundation, a unique nonprofit organization created primarily to initiate and disseminate research and development activities in the field of instructional communications. The director of -15-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA the center will be Robert Olds, who has served as the editor of Trends for the past 19 years. He will continue to edit Trends and serve also as West Coast editor of Education U.S.A.” A July 1966 issue of Trends reported, “The word at NSPRA’s 13th annual national seminar was that the school PR job becomes more demanding day by day. It was an old refrain by the close of the five-day meeting, July 4-8, at Hollywood. Fla., emphasized and underlined at general sessions, seminar type meetings and via the counselors. What has happened is that changes in education have pointed up formidable new problems in communication which demand attention immediately. They properly should be tacked in school systems under the leadership and skills of PR people. But the questions was whether the PR people had the proper skills to meet the challenge. Interestingly, the 159 participants, which included the nine scholarship recipients, gave evidence that they were alert to the changing scene. Asked even before they arrived at the seminar to list their greatest interests, they reported these major concerns: (1) the role of the PR man in school management; (2) increasing complexities of internal communication, and (3) communication aspects of integration, impact of federal programs, de facto segregation, staff negotiations, etc.”

At this point in its history (summer 1966), Trends went back to being a monthly newsletter. The October 1966 issue notes that “a professional communication agreement is the name for the formal procedure agreed to by the Fort Worth, Texas, Classroom Reachers Assn. and school board. Its stated purpose: ‘to give teachers a voice in the development of educational policies which affect them and to improve the channels of communication among the association, the superintendent, and the board.’”

The July 1967 Trends reported that the message of the NSPRA Seminar, in Minneapolis, was “No longer is there a ‘tomorrowland’ for improved school internal and external communications. It is now and the chips are down. Big communications know-how (but not in the superficial context held by most school people) is what is needed most to cope with the major issues facing schools. It means the difference between orderly or disorderly public participation, being able to work with militant employee organizations, and even continued existence in the framework of local government.”

That issue also noted that a special NSPRA committee, headed by Joseph L. Davis, has recommended that work begin on a four-fold program to upgrade school PR. Submitted at the Seminar during the Association’s annual meeting, the report proposed a task force approach at developing: 1.

2.

3.

A statement setting forth minimum standards of a school PR program.

Guidelines and procedures for some type of accreditation of PR personnel by NSPRA. A statement setting forth NSPRA membership qualifications, including consideration of the possibility of a variety of membership categories.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA 4.

A code of ethics.

“Why do this?” asked Davis. “Specifically, the leadership of NSPRA believes that such a development can contribute substantially to upgrading the quantity and quality of PR services available to public education.”

The July 1967 Special Issue of Paragraphs was a report on the activities of the then-32 NSPRA chapters, including: Arizona; Bergen County (NJ); Central Buckeye (OH); Colorado; Empire State Capitol Area (NY); Essex-Union Counties (NJ); Florida; Golden Gate (CA); Greater St. Louis (MO); Heart of America (Kansas City, MO); Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Lone Star (TX); Long Island (NY); Maryland; Massachusetts; Metropolitan Detroit (MI); Michigan; Middle Tennessee; Minnesota; Morris County (NJ); Northeast Ohio; Northwest Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Puget Sound (WA); Southern California; Southern New Jersey; Utah; and Washington (DC) Metropolitan Area. It noted that Wisconsin was completing its organization and seven others are under consideration.

In the September 1967 issue, “an ERS survey of 198 school districts, including the big ones, revealed that 60 percent had full-time directors. An additional 18 percent had part-time directors. Ninety percent of the full-time directors stated that they report directly to the school superintendent. The survey disclosed a tremendous spread in salaries of school PR directors and coordinators, from a top of $24,000 to a low of $6,500 in the larger districts (25,000 enrollment up). Most full-time directors had staff assistance but a few said they had no held. A good many of the PR men said they were not expected to provide PR counsel. Only one-half said they advised the school board. One-third gave advice to the superintendent’s council (although 45 percent said they held membership in such a council). About 22 percent provided advisory assistance to curriculum councils.”

The March 1968 edition of Trends noted “The long-time view by many school PR people that internal and external communication know-how is a vital part of successful employee group negotiations seems to be winning confirmation.”

The April 1968 edition reported that a survey of PR and publication position salaries of state education associations shows 1967-68 medians for PR directors, consultants, and assistants at $13,680; editors and publication directors $12,320, and assistant editors and publications assistants, $9,700. Medians have increased $1,200 to $2,115 over the previous year.

In May 1968, Trends reported that the National Seminar would be held at the SheratonPalace Hotel, San Francisco, with 250 attendees. And three, three-day workshops would be held in Santa Barbara in October 1968, along with January and February 1969. That issue also showed a change in Roy K. Wilson’s title from Secretary-Treasurer to Executive Director.

Earlier issues reported that the Executive Editor of Education U.S.A. was George W. Neill.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA Now on a mid-month schedule, the October 15, 1968 issue of Trends had a whole page devoted to “The Communication Side of Negotiations.” The March 15, 1969 issue reported, “Soon it will be possible to evaluate school public relations programs with greater ease thanks to a “PR Program Evaluation Instrument, to be published by NSPRA following its field testing state. The publication, which will complement the NSPRA Standards for Educational PR Programs, will make it possible to appraise programs regardless of school district size or type.”

In July 1969, Trends said, “The 16th NSPRA National Seminar, in many ways, was a shocking affair! What the speakers and many of the 200 participants had to say at the sessions and in the corridors should have made ears burn all over the nation. The concerned wrathfulness which permeated the July 7-11 event at Washington, D.C., put to rest any thought that school public relations today is in the sweetness and light business.” That issue also noted that major constitutional amendments were approved at the annual meeting, including one which defines for applicants for membership an ‘Active Membership’ category requiring specific education-related employment. Others can apply to become nonvoting ‘Associate Members.’ NSPRA’s relationship with the NEA was switched from ‘department’ to ‘associated organization.’”

The November 15, 1969 Trends reported “The generally inadequate performance by most school districts in carrying out public relations responsibilities stands out clearly enough in the recent national school opinion survey. More significant, however, may be the plans of the sponsoring foundation, CFK Ltd., of Denver, for the future. According to Charles F. Kettering II, founder and chairman of the board of CFK, the national poll is to be conducted annually.

Gallup International, which conducted the poll, reportedly will develop a technique to enable school districts to conduct their own opinion polls and compare the findings with the national poll results.”

The April 15, 1970 Trends listed the top-ranked communication problems in the combined board and administrator group executives: 1.

Communication with teachers and other employees 2.

Getting voter support of local finance issues 3.

State legislative relations 4.

Lack of a year-round, planned PR program 5.

The communication of negotiations 6.

Public “image” of the school board 7.

(Tie) Student communications 7.

(Tie) Adult pressure groups 8.

Federal legislative relations 9.

School integrations “This NSPRA poll drew responses from three-fourths of the executive heads of state administrator groups and 63% of the state school boards organizations. A revealing point of difference between the association executives and the AASA group was state legislative -18-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA relations. The latter group ranked this problem in 8th place, while the executives saw it as No. 3.”

“Two Big Steps for NSPRA” was the headline in the April 22, 1970 Paragraphs. It reported the adoption of a voluntary accreditation process and a Code of Ethics for practitioners.

“The accreditation procedures, developed by a Task Force headed by Lewis R. Applegate of the New Jersey Education Assn., outline the application process, call for setting up a five-member Accreditation Panel composed of active NSPRA members representing all sections of the country, and set forth the requirements for written examinations, practical demonstrations of PR skills, and personal interviews of candidates. Also included are provisions for reconsideration and appeal procedures. The Task Force will recommend an application fee in line with results of a recent sampling of NSPRA members asking what they would be willing to pay.”

“The Code of Ethics, developed by a Task Force subcommittee headed by Daniel K. Hess of Grand Rapids, Mich., is two-pronged, outlining on the one hand basic public relations principles to be followed by all educators, and on the other, identifying specific guidelines to be followed by the PR professional in such matters as dealing with news media, advising on policy formation in his field, cooperation with other organizations, observing copyright laws, and accepting gratuities.”

After joining with School Management magazine in sponsoring school publication awards, NSPRA also created Awards of Distinction for Educational Communications for state departments, school boards, and education associations, according to the May 22 Paragraphs.

The July 1970 Trends asked, “Does the coming of collective bargaining mean the breakup of one of the most enduring partnerships in public education – that of the school district and teacher association public relations forces? This prickly question, the subject of many emotion-charged bull sessions in recent years among educational PR people, was moved to the front of the stage at the NSPRA National Seminar this month at Los Angeles for full-fledged open discussion. Opinion polls taken prior to and following the presentation of information and discussion revealed a fascinating shift in attitudes. Prior to the presentations by the advocates and witnesses: for each side, 30% of the participants felt that the partnership was doomed. On the other hand, 46% felt that it would continue, while 23% were undecided.”

“As a top priority project for 1970-71, President John A. Gillean has appointed an NSPRA Public Relations Committee to develop an action program in behalf of school public relations,” according to the September 15, 1970 Paragraphs.

In the February 1971 issue of Trends, “The battle lines are drawn over the role of the school administrator during a work stoppage. Is it his responsibility to add to the pressure on the board of education, or to do everything he can to keep the school open and the children learning?

A basic disagreement between the NEA and various administrator organizations has now -19-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA blossomed into open conflict, leaving it to the individual administrator to decide where hsi allegiance belongs. The NEA position, as elaborated recently by the Executive Committee, is that no effort should be made by any member of the profession to provide for an institutional progrm. While the principal should stick around long enough to be sure that the children are safe and the property is protected, this should take no more than one day. He should then close the school ‘to cause the board of education and the public to recognize the gravity of the crisis and to make necessary improvements.’ Throwing down the gauntlet, the NEA statement warns, ‘For any segment of the profession to adopt the principle that its function in employee crisis is to keep the schools open is to chart a collision course which can only work to the detriment of the total educational effort.’”

The May 15, 1971 Trends announced “A submarine battle going on inside many state teacher associations to convert communication programs into propaganda machines has finally surfaced. Delegates attending the representative assembly of the Washington Education Assn.

(WEA) last month were asked to take this step. WEA’s classroom teacher unit proposed a resolution to require changing the association’s magazine and tabloid ‘into teacher-advocate publications, particularly with respect to negotiations, teacher rights, professional selfgovernance, and teacher-school board relations.’ Furthermore, ‘the greater part’ of the publications would be devoted ‘primarily to matters bearing directly on conditions of work and opportunity to teach.’ WEA’s administrator-supervisory department fought the proposal. The head of the elementary principals group declared: ‘If the WEA truly serves all educators, its publications must provide balanced content which includes educational programs for students in the state of Washington and the concerns of all educators. The resolution met approval, but not until it had been modified to enlarge the score of publication concerns to ‘member’ interests.’”

In the July 1971 Trends, “U. S. Commissioner of Education Sidney F. Marland proposed at the 18th NSPRA National Seminar, Columbus, Ohio, formation of a “panel of public affairs officers” to counsel with him and key staff members on a regular basis. He spoke at the opening of a Priority One Conference, held July 9, as part of the Seminar Program.

“NSPRA’s first Chapter Award for Distinguished Service was given to the Western New York Chapter for its activities in developing inservice programs for professional communication specialists, school administrators and board of education members.” The chapter had been in existence for only one year, according to the Summer 1971 Paragraphs.

During the 1970-71 school year, NSPRA “obtained a comprehensive picture of its membership and an evaluation of its total program of services,” said Paragraphs. The report noted that questionnaires were sent to 1,328 members, or one-half the total membership, and 987 responses were received. They showed that: 30.2% of members were PR specialists 27.4% were superintendents 14.5% were principals -20-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA 10% were “other” central office administrators 17.9% were in “all other categories” 68.4% were employed by local school districts 40% reported being a member or subscriber for 1-3 years 34.1% for 4-7 years 16.5% for 8-12 years 5.3% for 13 or more years 4.1% for less than one year Of the 516 respondents who said they were PR specialists, 77% were men; 75.6% were employed by a school district; 41.1% reported being 40-49 years of age, 28% 50 and older; and 25.2% in the 30-39 age range. Nearly nine out of ten respondents expressed satisfaction with NSPRA’s program and services, with Education USA getting the most favorable evaluations.

After a January 1972 issue that indicated no editor, the February 1972 issue of Trends reported that the “guest” editor for that issue was Donald L. Hymes. He was confirmed officially as editor in May. The April issue of Paragraphs noted that “NSPRA marks off another milestone toward professionalism for school public relations with publications of its new Evaluation Instrument for Educational Public Relations Programs. Four years in the making and testing, the new instrument is designed to help the practitioner evaluate the extent to which his organization . . . has made provisions for organizing and conducting a formal public relations program as advocated by NSPRA.” The May 1972 issue of Trends reported that “A School is People” was the title of a new filmstrip produced by NSPRA and used to keynote a session for a wide cross-section of Alhambra (AZ) school personnel.

The July 1972 issue reported on the NSPRA Annual Seminar in St. Louis, July 9-14. The program included a wide array of labs and clinics, short seminars and job-alike skill sessions, to say nothing of the social opportunities that ranged from boat rides to gall games, free beer to watermelons.

The October 1972 issue of Trends was the first to note that the Assocaition’s new address was 1801 N. Moore Street, Arlington, VA, 22209, indicating that NSPRA had moved from the NEA building to the new offices of AASA in Roslyn, Virginia. And Paragraphs for that month noted the appointment of Virginia McCreery Ross as the Association’s director of school communication services.

The Journal of Educational Communication published “An Inside Look at the National School Public Relations Association” in its November-December 1975 issue. That article -21-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA reported that, in 1972, “the U. S. Office of Education granted NSPRA $25,000 to stimulate better communication at the local, state and national levels. A series of regional and state meetings are held across the country involving district administrators, state officials, communication specialists and others. The National Association of State Educational Department Information Officers affiliates with NSPRA. NASEDIO members are important links in the national-statelocal district and work closely with NSPRA in the USOE workshops.”

“Response to the USOE seminars is so good that NSPRA decides to launch its own workshop series. Ten different staff developments are available — winning finance campaigns, communication for board members, reaching students, working with advisory committees, building level communications, working with Title I committees, the school family, office personnel and their bosses, parents, and teacher inservice,” according to the article.

Paragraphs for January 1973 reported the retirement of Helen Cox, a long-time editor for Education USA and the Education USA special reports. In May, the newsletter reported that Cox had died as the result of an early morning fire at her home.

In February, Paragraphs said, “‘NSPRA will develop the professional of educational public relations to enable the public and its educational institutions to achieve better communication one with the other, and thus to advance the purposes of education.’ With this statement as the major goal for the National School Public Relations Assn., a special Executive Board panel is seeking suggestions from members all across the country to help it formulate a goal and objective for the Association.” The first NSPRA goal (To advance the cause of education through responsible public relations, information and communication practices), 6 objectives and 18 priority activities were adopted in May 1973, along with the Association’s Articles of Incorporation (as a Virginia corporation) and Bylaws.

Richard E. Nielsen, formerly with the St. Paul (MN) Public Schools, was appointed Deputy Executive Director for Operations, effective July 1, 1973.

The September 1973 Trends reported on the NSPRA Seminar held in Seattle. The largest enrollment in the association’s 10-year history of seminars turned out to enjoy a beautiful city and to ring in, so to speak, a new year of school PR challenges and innovations.

The January 1974 Paragraphs reported a major financial crisis. “Effective February 11, 1974, the NSPRA staff will be consolidated from 29 positions to 16. A substantial portion of this reduction involves transferring the processing portion of publications sales and subscription operations from inside the NSPRA office to an outside contracting agency. . . The key element in NSPRA’s financial condition, [Executive Director Roy K.] Wilson reported to the Board, is a cash flow problem which began in July 1971. Prior to that time, NSPRA and many other educational groups housed in the NEA building relied on NEA to handle all aspects of publication sales, billings and collections. . . NEA had given NSPRA immediate cash credit for -22-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA publications ordered, but [when NSPRA transferred those operations to a commercial firm] it gave cash credit only when payment was received. Therefore, NSPRA received no revenue for about three months from one of its major sources of income, publication sales, creating a time lag in the flow of cash which held up about $200,000 in revenue.” The problem was ultimately resolved by the NEA giving NSPRA a three-year loan.

The January 1974 issue of Trends noted that a new Elementary School Public Relations Tool Kit, produced jointly by NSPRA and the National Assn. of Elementary School Principals was a library of outstanding communication ideas from all across the United States, and a 105frame color slide film with professional narration that was acclaimed a “smash hit.” Six of the seven districts at the premiere placed orders for the new $59 tool kit, calling it the “most valuable resource which NSPRA has ever helped to develop.”

In February 1974, Trends reported that “the average school public relations officer is now earning $18,682, some 5% higher than last year, according to a survey conducted by the Educational Research Service detailing the salaries of PR persons in 306 school systems. The salaries range from $6,800 to $30,992, but most interesting, as usual, is the range of titles: 37.”

The August 1974 Trends reported that the 1974 Annual NSPRA Seminar in New Orleans was the biggest ever, “and properly so, because so, it seems, are the problems facing public education. Not the least of these, especially with the ever-tightening budget squeeze, is negotiations, and on this issue participants had the benefit of advice from two men who’ve been through it all. The role of the PR practitioner in the negotiations process has never really been established, but everybody agreed there is one. PR Director John Marrs and chief negotiator Harlow Claggett helped the Lansing (MI) School District through a number of crises, including a teacher strike last year. They see information not only as the public’s right, but as the key to public support – and a good settlement.”

The September 1974 issue of Trends began with the notice, “Welcome to Trends for the Elementary School. Although published in a different format for 30 years, Trends, in a new format, will focus every other month, September through May, on public relations ideas which have been tested and proven in elementary schools across the nation. (Trends for the Secondary School, another new publication, will be published on alternate months, October through June.)”

This issue noted for the first time that Virginia M. Ross was Editorial Director.

Paragraphs for September 1974 announced the availability of the NSPRA Professional Membership certificate. And, at its fall meeting in Arlington, VA, the executive board approved a ballot amendment that would extend NSPRA regional boundaries to include Canada, and make it possible for Canadian members to vote for NSPRA officers.

At its February 1975 meeting, “members of the Executive Board discussed proposed changes in the nominating and election procedures for NSPRA officers and approved in principle -23-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA changes in NSPRA governance desired to help vice presidents better serve members. . . The proposed changes included a realignment of areas and increasing the number from six to seven, with all vice presidents elected for three-year terms; eliminating the appointed vice-president atlarge,” according to Paragraphs.

At that same meeting, “president Ken Muir appointed a board task force to review the Nebraska Chapter’s proposed NSPRA Accreditation Plan. . . The proposed voluntary accreditation plan is to be ready for presentation to the NSPRA membership at the July seminar in Denver.” The May/June issue of Paragraphs reports that, “after reviewing many suggestions from chapters and members, the Executive Board revised and adopted an NSPRA Accreditation Plan. . . The basic plan was developed by the NSPRA Nebraska Chapter, revised by an executive board task force, and further revised by the executive board . . . A timetable . . . provides for the plan to become operational in July 1976, during the NSPRA National Seminar in Philadelphia.”

“In its final form, the plan makes no provision for a ‘grandfather clause.’ It provides for an initial accreditation committee composed of five of the last seven NSPRA presidents, with the current president as chairman of the committee. This committee will develop procedures, set schedules, and prepare necessary printed materials for the program. The Board noted that the panel of NSPRA presidents will be providing a ‘major professional service to the Association in helping to launch the accreditation plan.’”

The Paragraphs Summer Issue reported that NSPRA celebrated its 40th anniversary in Denver, where it was founded in 1935. It also reported that “Roy K. Wilson, executive director of NSPRA for the past 25 years, announced in mid-August his intention to retire this year.” An executive board panel of three members was appointed to develop plans for a selection process to choose his successor.

A special edition of Paragraphs, dated January 19, 1976, noted the appointment of Dr. John H. Wherry, director of public information for the Kansas City, Kansas public schools, as NSPRA executive director to replace Roy K. Wilson.

The May Paragraphs reported that, “This year for the first time NSPRA will publish a complete directory of its members.”

The December 1976 issue announced, “It was almost two years ago when the Supreme Court rocked the educational world with two decisions that said that students were people and had to be treated fairly, not arbitrarily. The aftershocks are quieting down, but not before they motivated changes in schools throughout the country – changes that for the most part have protected students and resulted in better programs. This was by way of introducing a new NSPRA publication, Suspensions and Expulsions, a 64 page $6.75 volume. In April 1977, Trends announced another NSPRA publication, Cutting Costs: Successful Ways to Reduce

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA School Expenditures, another 64-page, $6.75 book. These were billed as Education U.S.A. Special Reports.

The January 1977 Paragraphs announced that NSPRA would conduct a nationwide publications contest. . . “it is planned that entries will be open to school districts, intermediate units and individual schools, as well as universities, junior and community colleges, and vocational-technical schools and others. (The NASEDIO awards for excellence in educational communication annually provide recognition for state departments of education, education/teacher associations and school board associations.)” That issue also announced the resignation of Richard Nielsen, whose title was given as director of marketing services.

Paragraphs for May/June 1977 announced the creation of an NSPRA Blue Ribbon Chapter Award, that could be earned annually by providing “a variety of activities for members, school administrators and other education groups. . . The purpose is to encourage chapters to provide opportunities to update members’ professional skills, emphasize the need for effective communication programs in school districts across the nation and build support for educational public relations.”

“A long sought goal of NSPRA President Ken Gelms has been achieved,” the December 1977 Paragraphs reported. “NSPRA now has two special ‘booster’ items available for purchase and use by chapters and members, a perfect gift for guest speakers, presenters, consultants, etc.”

One item was a “Speak Up for Education” pin; the other an NSPRA paperweight.

In January 1978, “NSPRA joined with eight other major school administrator groups to form the Educational Leaders Consortium (ELC) after two years of discussion and planning.

The primary focus of the consortium will be to coordinate policy statements by major school administrator groups on the federal level,” according to Paragraphs.

The December 1978 Paragraphs, which this year sported a new masthead, announced the establishment of the NSPRA President’s Award, the highest, most prestigious award of the Association. A subsequent issue (April) noted that the first recipient was Robert Olds, a longtime editor of Trends, and head of the NSPRA Santa Barbara office for several years.

The NSPRA Executive Board approved a Bylaw proposal to recreate a Vice President atLarge position. “It’s purpose is to provide an oversight process to ensure full and adequate representation of all segments of the membership in the top governance structure,” reported the February 1979 Paragraphs. “It is the intent of the executive board to name an ethnic minority representative to the At-Large seat for the intial two-year term if the amendment is approved by the membership.” After approval of the change by the membership, the executive board named Samuel L. Zimmerman to the initial two-year term.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA A picture in the September 1979 Paragraphs shows Northeast Vice President Phil Toman burning the NSPRA/NEA note, ending the Association’s indebtedness to NEA which began in 1974.

“In precedent-setting action, the NSPRA executive board took a stand on three critical education issues – education vouchers, education tax credits, the FCC proposed deregulation of the radio industry – at its meeting in October (1979),” Paragraphs reported. The executive board voted to oppose the first two concepts, and had mixed views on deregulation of radio.

The May/June 1980 Paragraphs reported the appointment of the first African American regional vice president, Nat Lee in the Mid-east region, who had been a candidate for election but initially defeated. The person who won subsequently moved to a non-education job and Lee was appointed to serve. That issue also reported the availability of NSPRA Institutional Memberships for the first time, and reported that the membership had approved giving the executive board the responsibility for setting dues.

Paragraphs announced the creation of the NSPRA Gold Medallion Award, announced at the national seminar, as well as a “Join the Education Team” promotion for the second year of radio and television public service announcements. It also announced the establishment of a Crisis Response Task Force for 10 critical areas, including: Declining Enrollment/Closing Schools; Desegregation/Integration; Financial Crises/Tax & Bond Elections; Negotiations/Strikes; News Media Relations; Releasing Test Scores; Student Rights; Surveys/Polling; Violence/Vandalism; and Pressure Groups. NSPRA members were urged to provide information about their experience with one or more issues and volunteer to provide counseling to members who may face problems in one of these areas.

The Executive Board minutes for July 5-6, 1980 reported that 1,281 publications from 320 schools and 146 colleges were entered in the 1980 School and College Publications Contest.

The NSPRA executive board took positions at its October 1980 meeting on Tax Reform Measures, Appointment to Education Department Management Positions, Federal Impact Aid, National High School Athletic Championships, and the Equal Rights Amendment.

The February 1981 Paragraphs announced the launch of an electronic news service, to be known as Education USA Newsline. “It will make critical education news immediately accessible to educators and others all over the country via a computer network. The service will provide news as it breaks: on court decisions; developments in the White House and on Capitol Hill, including coverage of committee hearings and committee and floor votes; announcements of meetings and convention coverage; settlements in contract negotiations; federal notices and resolutions; major developments in education in state capitols; and features on research and successful program in school management, cost-cutting, curriculum and other areas.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA The beginning of a relationship that was to last 20 years was announced in the April 1981 Paragraphs when it announced that “In addition to previously announced major session speakers, Patrick Jackson, immediate past president of the Public Relations Society of America . . .” would be a presenter at the 1981 national seminar.

At the 1981 Annual Seminar in Phoenix, nine school districts won the first Gold Medallion Awards for their outstanding educational public relations programs. Fifty-one entries were submitted. Winning districts were: For Total Public Relations programs Dallas Independent School District, Larry Ascough, associate supt./communications Fairfax County Public Schools, George F. Hamel, director of community relations Utica (MI) Community Schools, Cass S. Franks, director of community relations For Special Topic category (both desegregation pr plans) Pittsburgh Public Schools, Particia Crawford, public information officer St. Louis Public Schools, Jack R. Dyer, director of public affairs For Other categories Springfield (OR) Public Schools, Stephen M. Barrett (finance campaign) Fresno Unified School District, William Garbett (PR program involving students) Columbus Public Schools, Robert L. Grossman and Beverly Gifford (community relations) Great Falls Public Schools, Audrey Olson, (crisis communication plan) The NSPRA Executive Board minutes from July 2-4, 1982 report that the Board approved a new NSPRA logo which had been created by Gene Uhlmann, a graphic artist with the Montgomery County, (MD) Public Schools.

The minutes for the Board’s October 21-23, 1982 meeting stated that the Executive Board should annually review the NSPRA school public relations course syllabus to be sure that it is up to date and reflects current issues and concerns. A motion was adopted to review the syllabus annually at the January Board meeting.

The March 1983 Paragraphs announced that Ed-Net, NSPRA’s Education USA Newsline and Information Network would score a historic first when it is “among the first in the nation to receive the full text of the report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education when it is released at the White House the first week in April.”

The October 1983 issue of Paragraphs reports that Rich Bagin joined the NSPRA staff as director of Association Development on September 1. Previously he had been coordinator of school-community relations in the Bensalem (Pa) School District and director of communications and development for the Council of Chief State School Officers. Also in that issue, for the first time, was included NSPRA Scanner, a newsletter of Issues Management -27-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA topics. In January 1984, it was announced that the executive board approved, on a pilot basis, offering the accreditation examination at two regional sites – one in Kansas City and one in Asheville, N.C. In November 1984, Paragraphs announced that “NSPRA’s new project funded by the Mott Foundation, ‘Making Community Education a Public Priority’. A community education newsletter has been launched on ED-LINE and four PR regional training session for community educators throughout the country are scheduled.”

That issue also announced the beginning of a new Golden Achievement Award where “entries will be judged individually against contest criteria and not in competition with other entries. Judges will select as many winners as meet the contest criteria.” In March, Paragraphs noted that 187 had won Golden Achievement awards.

The January 1985 issue of Paragraphs changed from its long-time “typewriter” type face to a new “type-set” font, made possible by the acquisition of word processing.

In the next month’s issue was the front page headline, “NSPRA Moves to New Home in New Building.” The article noted that on March 15, NSPRA would move to 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA, due to an extensive remodeling of the AASA headquarters building where NSPRA had been housed for more than a decade.

Also in that issue was a report from the Impact Committee reporting their success in soliciting ideas from prominent and influential citizens about the quality of education and how it might be improved.

NSPRA Executive Board minutes from the July 5-6, 1985 meeting report that “Virginia Ross reviewed with Board members plans for the celebration of NSPRA’s Golden Jubilee at the final banquet of the seminar, July 11. NSPRA past presidents were invited to a special session Thursday afternoon. Past presidents attending included: R. Bailey Gardner, 1965-66; Lewis Applegate, 1966-67; Jerry Kovalcik, 1968-69; Joy Reese Shaw, 1972-73; James C. Lee, 197374; Ken Muir, ASPR, 1975-76; Nick Goble, ASPR, 1976-77; William E. Henry, 1978-79; Anne H. Barkelew, ASPR, 1979-80; Joe Rowson, ASPR, 1980-81, and David E. Smoker, ASPR, 1983-84. Also present and honored at the banquet was Roy K. Wilson, NSPRA Executive Director, 1950-76.”

The 1985 NSPRA Annual Report reported that “On July 4 the first flag symbolizing the link between education and a strong, free nation was raised over capitols of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Led by President Ellison, Joe Rowson and Barbara Kudlacek, co-chairs of the Impact Committee, and Larry Ascough, committee member, this effort marks a first in the nation . . . the first education flag.” The flag was designed and initial presentation flags were contributed by the Southland Corporation.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA “The NSPRA Foundation is Born,” blares the headline on the October 1985 Paragraphs.

Its goals are: • to develop and distribute materials that will help schools build both increased understanding of education’s critical role in a democratic society, and awareness and knowledge of sound management practices in education development; • to inform and educate the public about facts and viewpoints which will lead to better understanding, appreciation and support of their schools; • to promote use of sound communication procedures by all those who work in our schools; • to conduct research studies and publish results dealing with the advancement of education.

“A New Look, A New Format,” said a box in the October 1985 Paragraphs. “As NSPRA embarks on its next 50 years, we will be launching a new membership newsletter, the NSPRA Network. Paragraphs has been retired and will always be remembered as the driving communications force that kept us all informed during our first 50 years.”

“Paragraphs served the NSPRA family well, but it is time for a change to meet education’s new public relations challenges. NSPRA’s greatest strength is in networks of members ready to share their expertise to solve common problems.”

“The all-new NSPRA Network newsletter for members debuts next month as NSPRA begins its second 50 years. Watch for it.”

The 8-page NSPRA Network made its debut in November 1985, and among other news it announced the addition of The Awards of Honor to the Golden Achievement and Gold Medallion awards programs of the Association. The June 1986 Network reported that 112 Awards of Honor “for exemplary practice of good public relations in support of education have been awarded in the first year of this new NSPRA program to recognize those who make a difference in education.”

In the January 1986 issue, executive director John Wherry reported that he had been invited and had attended Edward Bernays 94th birthday party in Cambridge, MA., and it announced that astronaut Christa McAuliffe would be carrying 200 miniature Flags of Learning and Liberty on a shuttle launch scheduled for January 22.

The Summer 1986 Network headline reported “Women Lead Men in NSPRA Membership.” The article said, “The 1986 Membership Survey shows a sizeable gain in female members of the Association, putting them into a strong majority position with 54.75% vs. males at 45.25%.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA “The largest number of members are 40-49 years of age (40.68%), have a masters degree (36.88%), work in suburban school districts with enrollments between 1,000 and 4,999 and are white (95.82%).”

“Almost half (49.81%) are full-time PR professionals while 35.25% reported that they were part-time PR plus other administrative duties. Most have from 3-6 years experience on the job (27%), but 11.41% of those responding reported that they had been on the job only one or two years. Some 6.8% said they had been on the job 19 years or more.”

The Summer Issue also reported “The first recipients of NSPRA’s new Award of Learning and Liberty were honored at the Boston Seminar for their outstanding contributions to the cause of learning and liberty. Awards were presented to Eric Norrington, public affairs manager for the Southland Corporation; Major General William O’Leksey, director of military personnel management, Department of the Army; and to Dr. Edward L. Bernays.”

The October 1986 Network noted that “Rich Bagin, ASPR, NSPRA director of association development for the past three years, resigned as of July 25 to accept the position of vice president, public relations, Earle Palmer Brown Public Relations, Bethesda, MD.” That issue also noted that the Foundation for the Advancement of Education, which Bagin was instrumental in founding, provided two scholarships to the 1986 NSPRA seminar in Boston.

As an indication of how technology was affecting publishing, The Network for February 1987 contained a two-page article entitled “Desktop Publishing & What It Can Do,” by Paul Rhetts, NSPRA Technology Committee member and executive vice president, Laser Publishing & Design, Columbia, MD. The Executive Board’s minutes for the July 10-11, 1987 meeting state that Executive Director John Wherry reported that, based on early indications from NSPRA market research, the newsletter considered the best candidate for launching is called Better Teaching. The April 1988 minutes report that Education USA income is holding steady and ED-LINE has improved.

Better Teaching continues to be strong.

The Summer 1987 issue of Network reported that “NASA official Robert W. Brown returned education’s Flag of Learning and Liberty carried aboard the Challenger by the heroic teacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe to NSPRA President Lew Armistead in a special ceremony at the San Antonio Seminar.”

“The flag was encased in a special plaque with photographs of the seven Challenger crew members. It will be built into a special traveling display to be donated to NSPRA by the Southland Corporation which funded the development of the original education flag.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA That issue of Network also announced “the first major new NSPRA newsletter in over 25 years – Better Teaching–Tips and Techniques to Improve Student Learning, a four-page, twicemonthly publication.” The editor will be B. Rodney Davis, director of information services, Dallas Independent School District.

Network for November 1987 reported that “Sixty-five NSPRA leaders and staff members gathered in Arlington, Va., October 16-17, to develop strategic plans to carry the Association into the 21st Century.”

“Leaders came prepared for the session, having studied 65 pages of background material prepared by Executive Director John H. Wherry, ASPR, including a historical perspective.”

“North American Public Relations Council Proposed Uniform Code of Ethics,” was a headline in the April/May Network, announcing “a common description/statement on public relations and a common code of ethics” for the 12 major public relations organizations that founded NAPRC in the mid-1970's. That issue also noted that 83 individuals were to receive 1988 Awards of Honor.

June’s Network announced that “In its first seven months of publication, NSPRA’s newest newsletter, Better Teaching, has set a new first year record for Association newsletters with 1,800 subscriptions.”

The July 15-17, 1988 Executive Board minutes report that 624 people had registered for the Seminar, an estimated decline of 50 to 60 people from the 1987 seminar attendance. At that meeting, the Board also approved the North American Public Relations Council Joint Code of Ethics. In approving new NSPRA policies, the Board adopted, effective September 1, 1988, :an accrual system of accounting with income and expenses accounted for . . .”

The October 20-21, 1988 minutes note the Executive Board received a preliminary report on the 1988-89 audit of the Association’s finances from Dorothy Glading, director of administration and finance, and Phil Hinkle, auditor with Schoenadel, Marginot and Company, showing that through the audit process for the 1987-88 fiscal year, the Association had an excess of income over expenses of $151,000 on a cash accounting basis. On the new accrual basis, the surplus for 1987-88 was $36,393. . . “Hinkle also pointed out that the accrual accounting system, for the first time, provides the Association with an accurate summary of the Association’s surpluses and deficits accumulated since the Association began in 1935. Called ‘the total fund balance,’ the audit showed an accumulated deficit after adjustments of $364,771.”

“GTE Signs Agreement With ED-LINE” was the headline in the December 1988 Network.

“This agreement with GTE Information Services means the dream of a vast educational network with the potential to connect all education leaders is at hand,” NSPRA Executive Director John -31-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA H. Wherry, ASPR, said. “We will be able to expand the present ED-LINE staff to provide more extensive coverage of our federal education news. At the same time we will be expanding our service in the public sector to subscribers of the GTE Education Network. ED-LINE has worked toward this goal over the past seven years through daily transmissions over a two-way interactive, electronic network, which now includes the following special lines: Newsline, EDTECH Update; Legal Briefs; Teacher Talk; Ruraline; National Regional and State Networks; the Network Directory; ERIC Digests Online; School PR Line; and ED-LINE Bonus.”

The December 1988 Network reported in a news box “The sympathy of the NSPRA Executive Board, staff and members is extended to the family of Eugene (Gene) T. Carothers, director of public information and publications for the Metropolitan-Nashville/Davidson County Public Schools, Nashville, Tennessee. A veteran member of NSPRA, Gene provided outstanding leadership in establishing the position of Vice President at Large on the Executive Board to represent the ethnic minority, and has served as a leader in public relations activities for urban education.”

NSPRA Network noted in January 1989 that the Executive Board had initiated a search for a new executive director, having accepted the resignation of John H. Wherry at its January meeting. The resignation is effective May 31, 1989. In an article of tribute to Wherry, Past President Bill Jones wrote, “During the past 12 years, this amazing evangelistic gadget called John Wherry has traveled to every state and province in the United States and Canada to preach the NSPRA doctrine. Now, as outgoing executive director, he leaves our organization a proud legacy of professional leadership, of carding deeply, of ‘can do’ enthusiasm and of personal warmth.”

That issue also reported the release of a new publication, Win at the Polls, written by Gay Campbell, ASPR, special assistant for community relations in Eugene (OR) Public Schools, based on her experiences running bond and levy campaigns. Campbell, the article also noted, is a four-time winner of the NSPRA Gold Medallion Award for outstanding public relations programs.

By June, Network announced the appointment of Joe Scherer as NSPRA’s new executive director. “Before joining NSPRA, Scherer was director of national programs for Edunetics, an educational technology firm. Previously, he was general manager of marketing for Control Data Corp.” Scherer was one of 67 applicants in a national search. The issue noted that John Wherry began serving as president of the Parent Institute on June 1, a new Washington-based organization.

The June Network also announced that the 36th annual seminar would draw a record crowd. “Challenges in Education: Golden Opportunities are what some 800 participants to NSPRA’s 36th Annual Seminar in San Francisco, July 2-6, will find.” The issue also announced

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA a $25,000 grant from ServiceMaster “to fund the development and distribution of a 12-page information booklet on How to Use Education’s Flag of Learning and Liberty.”

The September 1989 Network reported that the Learning and Liberty Display would begin a national tour. “On Aug. 6, NSPRA’s Display of Learning and Liberty began its tour of North America with an unveiling before 1,600 educators at West Virginia’s annual Leaders of Learning Conference. The display showcases Education’s Flag of Learning and Liberty, developed by NSPRA to remind citizens everywhere that quality education is necessary for the survival of democracy. Designed by Hans Streich and funded by the Southland Corporation, the seven foot display is topped by a bronze sculpture of children’s hands reaching for the Flag of Learning and Liberty.”

That issue also announced NSPRA’s first annual Education’s VOICE conference, “an excellent opportunity to talk and work with key education, business and community leaders.” At the VOICE conference, AFT President Albert Shanker was awarded NSPRA’s first VOICE award.

The 1989 issues of Network also contained a two-page Scanner on “cutting edge emerging issues.” Scanner information was provided by the National Issues Management Program, directed by Dr. William J. Banach, a long-time NSPRA member.

In December, Network headlined the presentation “of NSPRA’s bronze sculpture Reaching for Learning and Liberty to President George Bush in a special White House ceremony marking the 68th celebration of American Education Week.”

That issue also announced “a new plan to expand the value of NSPRA professional membership. Starting January 1, subscriptions to Education USA and It Starts in the Classroom will become part of the NSPRA professional membership package at NO increase in cost.

Executive Director Joe Scherer, in recommending the additional services to the professional membership, announced plans to initiate an aggressive membership drive with a goal of 1,000 new members by July 1990.”

“A National Historical Education Calendar to promote excellence in education and a free democratic society will be published in a joint effort by NSPRA and the ServiceMaster Company,” reported the April 1990 Network. “To make this project a success, NSPRA is looking for and counting on members for 12 outstanding photographs that depict education today and the people – teachers, students, administrative staff, maintenance and custodial workers, coaches, parents, business leaders, senior citizens – that make it happen!”

“NSPRA launches building fund campaign,” proclaimed the lead headline in the June Network. Executive Director Joe Scherer recommended a building fund campaign to end NSPRA’s 55 year history as a renter, projecting that $750,000 would go for rent just in the next -33-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA five years. “A number of three-year pledges of one thousand dollars toward a goal of $300,000 will be announced at the seminar.” NSPRA Director of Public Relations Virginia M. Ross accepted the position of Building Fund Campaign director on a part-time basis when she resigns her full-time responsibilities August 31.

The November 1990 Network announced that Lenore Greenberg has been appointed to the newly-created position of Associate Executive Director. She joined the staff on October 29.

For eight years, she had been director of communications for the New Jersey School Boards Association.

That issue also reported that, after two years of study, a new mission statement and goals were adopted by the Executive Board at its October 1990 meeting.

The 1991 NSPRA VOICE award was presented to Representative Augustus Hawkins at the annual VOICE Conference, Jan. 25-26, in Alexandria. “The California Democrat spent the last six years as chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. In the most recent Congress alone, he was influential in raising the minimum wage, opening the way to a major expansion of Head Start, and enacting a new child care program.”

The 1990-91 Annual Report announced that membership had grown from 2,200 in 198990 to 2,729 in 1990-91. “A membership rebate to chapters program was conducted between January 1 and June 1 where chapters earned rebates based on the number of new national memberships NSPRA received. . .” Also reported was that “NSPRA continued sponsoring a series of paid editorials in USA Today. A grant from The ServiceMaster Company covered the costs of the articles,” which were written by superintendents of schools and leaders of organizations such as the National PTA, state boards of education, NASSP, NAESP, and the NSPRA president.

The NSPRA Network/Seminar 1991 edition reported that “Samuel Zimmerman, NSPRA’s first Vice President at Large, received the first NSPRA Carothers Award during NSPRA’s Human Relations Luncheon.”

The NSPRA Network in December 1991 announced that “Lenore Greenberg, APR, NSPRA’s associate executive director, announced her plans at the October meeting of the Executive Board to return to her home in New Jersey. She will open a consulting practice in educational public relations.”

The Executive Board’s minutes for January 10-11, 1992 reported the sale of Better Teaching to former executive director John Wherry, and a proposal to change Education USA from a weekly to a monthly newsletter “on prominent education issues and communication strategies to deal with them. The editorial emphasis would change from reporting news to analyzing issues and proposing effective ways to deal with them.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA The February 1992 Network’s headline announced, “NSPRA streamlines staff. Both the private and public sectors continue to feel the pinch of the prolonged downturn in our economy.

Thousands of jobs are on the cutting block at large corporations like IBM and General Motors, and many small business owners are struggling to keep their businesses afloat.”

“NSPRA members report first-hand the budget problems that their schools, communities and agencies are facing. Consequently it comes as no surprise that most associations, including NSPRA, are wrestling with difficult financial times. Following the recommendations of Executive Director Joe Scherer, the NSPRA Executive Board, meeting in Arlington, Va., this month approved streamlining of NSPRA staff by eliminating four positions and using consultant support in key areas for the remainder of the present fiscal year (through August 31, 1992). The staff had been reduced from 21 a year ago to 11 through attrition.”

“Working with NSPRA during this period will be: Past President Ken Muir, ASPR, . . . who will assist the staff in developing a revised financial plan and budget; Rich Bagin, ASPR/APR . . .will be responsible for developing the program and marketing the 1992 National Seminar in Atlanta, Ga., July 5-8; Virginia M. (Ginny) Ross, former NSPRA public relations director, will serve as PR consultant to expand the two-way flow of communication between the NSPRA staff, Executive Board and members.”

“President Steve Knagg said that continued growth in membership would be the top priority for the Association. This is in response to a recommendation given to the Board by Ben Kendall of the accounting firm of Kendall and Prebola who conducted a review of NSPRA’s finances over the past three years. Kendall told the Board that membership is NSPRA’s primary asset, and the key to the future is to be more market sensitive to the needs of these members.”

Another story in this issue reported that “NSPRA past president William J. (Bill) Banach, ASPR, will host a meeting of NSPRA’s Past Presidents Council on February 1-2 in Romeo, Mich., to review present plans and to recommend and assist in steps to carry the association through the decade of the 90s. Joining the meeting will be President Steve Knagg, President Elect Kathy Leslie, Executive Director Joe Scherer and consultants Bagin and Muir.”

Also announced was that “Mildred Sirota Wainger, NSPRA’s beloved ‘mother Millie’ lost her battle with cancer on January 2.” When she retired after 29 years of service in January 1988, NSPRA Executive Director John H. Wherry, ASPR said, “No staff ever replaces one such as Millie Wainger, we simply count ourselves fortunate to have served with her.”

The March 1992 Network headlined “Bagin Takes NSPRA Reins as Acting Executive Director. The NSPRA Executive Board has appointed Rich Bagin, ASPR/APR, to serve as acting executive director. Bagin has been working as a consultant with NSPRA since January.

Joe Scherer, NSPRA executive director since July 1989, resigned March 3. The NSPRA board accepted his resignation with regret.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA In June, Network announced the sale of Education USA. “NSPRA closed the sale of its weekly newsletter, Education USA, to Capitol Publications of Alexandria, Va., on May 29, 1992.

The new publisher produced many high quality education newsletters, including Education Daily.”

As a public relations organization, NSPRA’s reporting of its financial problems and change of leadership put the best face on the story for members’ consumption. Once the Association’s survival was assured, however, consultant Ken Muir wrote a brief history of those dark months as an entry in the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Awards of Excellence, Finance and Administration category. It’s title was “Rescued from Bankruptcy By Credibility. Excerpts from the entry follow.

The 11-member Executive Board looked stricken. Ben Kendall, a CPA who had been asked to look at the National School Public Relations Association's last three audit reports, began the Board's January 10, 1992 meeting by reporting a $500,000 deficit which, unless decisive action was taken immediately, would soon close the association down..

As a start, the Board told Executive Director Joseph Scherer to dismiss NSPRA's current auditors, hire Kendall, seek consultants who could help him get the association back under control and give the Board reports on financial matters every two weeks.

The previous summer, the association had lost a $200,000 annual grant. That had forced Scherer to lay off 10 employees, try to renegotiate the rent, and begin talks to sell one or two of the association's newsletters. < < <

Scherer was able to hire three consultants in mid-January: Rich Bagin, ASPR/APR, a former NSPRA staff person who had left for executive positions in agency PR with Earle Palmer Brown and Ketchum Public Relations.

Ken Muir, ASPR, a former NSPRA president who had recently retired from a budget and management position in the Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools.

Virginia (Ginny) Ross, a long-time NSPRA executive who had retired a year earlier.

Bagin started planning the Association's July seminar, a major revenue source, from scratch.

Muir, who had been an accounting major in college, began to sort out financial records that hadn't been touched since the bookkeeper left in November. Ross took over member services. In early March, Scherer resigned as executive director and the Executive Board named Bagin “acting.” The Board appointed him executive director in April 1992.

With no guarantee as to its accuracy, because there were financial “surprises” on an almost daily basis, Muir developed a February 28, 1992 balance sheet. It showed: Total assets $158,868 Accounts payable 258,449 Total liabilities 688,889 Equity - 530,021 Besieged by 6-8 daily calls from vendors and collection services, Muir and Bagin sat down with Kendall and the association's legal counsel to determine what could or should be done. They agreed to be totally honest with the creditors, seek their patience, and keep the association operating as long as

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA possible. Following are excerpts from a March 20 letter Muir sent to 73 creditors who were owed a total of $281,941 (more debt was showing up on almost a daily basis). . . . we are determined that this 56-year-old professional association will survive this financial crisis and emerge to expand its role in helping to improve communication between public schools and their patrons. One measure of our commitment is that all three of us have worked without salary since January 15. But, that can't continue much longer.

In addition to the cost-cutting measures Joe Scherer began, the new NSPRA management team has done the following since January 15: •

Sharply reduced accounts receivables by following up on unpaid balances and eliminating "grace periods" for expired newsletter subscriptions. These steps will improve cash flow and reduce production costs.

•

Cut overhead by eliminating excess phone lines, terminating expensive equipment leases and reducing dependence on "service bureau" operations. Our goal is to reduce administrative costs to the bare minimum necessary to survive; a level well within the revenue generated by membership dues and newsletter revenues.

•

Reduced prices to move our publications inventory, offered discounts for early cash payments, and developed commission agreements with others to sell their products. These steps should generate revenue with little expenditure on our part. But, our financial condition has limited our marketing to members and newsletter subscribers.

•

Aggressively sought new business, including communications audits and workshops, grants, and partnerships with other groups.

•

Straightened out financial records, established cost controls, developed cash flow and debt payment projections, and worked with our new auditor to produce NSPRA's first reliable balance sheet in more than a year--a copy of which is enclosed. We haven't completely straightened out the books, so there may have to be minor adjustments to accounts in the future.

Once we learned the magnitude of NSPRA's financial crisis, we met with our legal counsel and new CPA firm to consider the following options: (1)

Close NSPRA's doors and walk away. We couldn't do that!

(2)

Seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. While that would get creditors off our backs for awhile, it would only prolong NSPRA's and creditors' problems. Legal and other fees would eat up a good bit of the revenue that ought to go to reduce accounts payable.

(3)

Stay the course and seek our creditor's understanding. That's what we've decided to do. It's why I am writing this letter. It's why we are being very honest with you about the magnitude of our problems and what we intend to do about them. We need your trust and cooperation to solve our problem and to ensure that each creditor gets 100 percent of the money due them.

NSPRA is a small, but viable organization if properly managed. After all, it has grown and prospered since 1935. We now have a membership base of about 2,500 people nationwide. NSPRA publishes three newsletters--

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA one weekly; two monthly. While the number of subscriptions has trended downward over the years, revenue from each of these newsletters exceeds publication and distribution costs. In addition, the association develops products needed by many of the national 16,000 school districts to improve their communication with staff, parents, students and taxpayers. In short, NSPRA makes its money by serving its members and selling information products that improve confidence and communications in America's public schools.

NSPRA does not have a lot of assets as you can see from our balance sheet. All the cash that comes in the door goes out immediately to pay bills.

There are about 75 creditors in regular communication with us. Balances due them range from several hundred dollars to, in two cases, over $20,000. These creditors, of which you are one, represent over 90 percent of NSPRA's total accounts payable.

Given our ratio of assets to liabilities, we have concluded that the only way we can pay all NSPRA's creditors the money we owe them, is if they to allow us to keep operating. If just one creditor seeks and obtains seizure of assets, NSPRA likely is finished. If two go this route, we're dead for sure and the rest of our creditors will never be paid.

From March 1991 through February 1992, NSPRA's cash receipts were $1.5 million. In the coming year, with no grant, one less publication, and the effects of the recession, we project revenues at about $995,000. With our reduced expenses, we project operating expenses at about $760,000, leaving $235,000 available to pay creditors.

However, those projections depend on the economic recovery (especially in public school districts across the country) and the extent to which we can develop and sell new publications and other products to maintain our sales. But, if we can achieve these projections, we should be able to pay off more than half of what we owe our creditors within one year.

What we are proposing to our creditors is an informal Chapter 11-• You permit us to continue operating; • We utilize a pay-as-you-go system for all essential current expenses; AND • Beginning in April, we will make every effort to repay at least 5 percent of the balance due you each month, with a minimum payment of $100. And, with the payment, we'll send you a copy of the previous month's balance sheet so you will be able to monitor our progress. In addition, we will make every effort to honor any written promises made to creditors between January 15 and March 20, 1992.

In this way, each creditor will get a proportionate return on the balance we owe them. In any month when the revenue exceeds the 5 percent payments, we'll add that excess to payments, proportionately, in the following month. We project revenue surpluses for this purpose in June through November.

I know this 5 percent formula stretches out repayment much longer than you would like or deserve. But, we don't want to promise more than we think we can deliver; although we believe we can improve on that percentage between June and November. And, we want to make sure you get all the money that is due you.

In summary, we are offering the following things: • A viable organization that has its expenses under control • A competent management team of experienced professionals in this business • Regular payments, accompanied by a balance sheet that shows our current condition • A commitment to repay every dollar we owe our creditors • A continuing business relationship to our mutual benefit.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us work out of our financial problem.

The letter worked! Four creditors who were pursuing liens through the court agreed not to ask for judgments as long as NSPRA lived up to its payment plan. Payments to creditors began in April 1992.

The 1992 National Seminar, in Atlanta, was a great success and provided enough “profit” to afford payments to creditors during the winter of 1992-93 when cash flow was at a low ebb. For only two months during that winter was any payment slightly reduced. As creditors were paid off, several sent complimentary letters expressing their initial doubt, but now admiration and appreciation for following through on our promises.

The following information from balance sheets at the end of the 1992, 1993 and 1994 Fiscal Years tells the story of the association's return from bankruptcy: Item

8/31/92

8/31/93

8/31/94

Total assets Accounts payable Total liabilities Fund balance (equity)

$ 167,471 268,266 688,542 - 521,071

$ 148,976 118,324 482,068 - 333,092

$ 221,730 66,434 373,034 - 151,304

Bagin was able to say to his executive board in August 1994: We're delighted to report that: •

We took in $170,425 more than we spent—our second year for making a "profit," although this year's net was $17,553 less than we made last year.

•

We reduced our outstanding debt (accounts, loans and notes payable) from $210,648 a year ago to $144,859, a reduction of $65,789. There are only two "old creditors" left, to whom we owe a balance of less than $20,000.

•

In every single cost center (membership, publications, seminar, workshops, contests, etc.) we showed a profit this year—even accreditation, which is a perennial money loser. The problem, as you know, is that membership and subscriptions brought in about $65,000 less than last year. The good news is that membership increased in August by 20, the first time we've seen an increase. With the new campaign, we expect that to turn around quickly.

In presenting his audit report to the Board for the Fiscal Year ending August 31, 1994, auditor Ben Kendall said, “Working toward the elimination of the Association's deficit has been a textbook example of having the right people, the right attitudes, and the ability to communicate.”

In the June 1995 Financial Report to the NSPRA Executive Board, Bagin was able to report:

We did it! We’re in the black!

A year ago, I announced that, “We registered another first this month—a cash balance over $100,000.” Well, I’m proud to announce another, much more important first—the first time in memory that NSPRA has had positive equity—$4,493 more in assets than in liabilities.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA We don’t know whether we can finish the year with positive equity or not. June reflects most of the seminar revenue but few of the expenses. When those and other expenses are reflected in July and August transactions, we may fall back into a small negative equity. Keep your fingers crossed.

For the executive board and management team at NSPRA, this has been a harrowing experience. At the association's July 1992 annual meeting in Atlanta, although we all were hopeful, no one was willing to guarantee that NSPRA was out of the financial woods. By the 1993 annual meeting, we were predicting success, but saying it would take three years to get “into the black.” At the 1994 annual meeting, the Board was optimistic enough to set goals—one of which was “build a surplus of $500,000” to ensure that this can never happen again. By July 1995, we were into positive territory in our fund balance (equity) and really started on the Board's goal, although Bagin still terms the association as “financially fragile.”

Network underwent a major layout makeover for its September 1992 issue and also initiated 12 monthly issues (with the December issue being the Network Directory of North American School PR Resources). New features included the President’s Corner; Member Watch (news of member promotions, changes, etc.); Briefcase (a summary of Golden Achievement award winning entries); Perspectives (members’ responses to a question); Good Stuff (samples of good layout); Professionally Speaking (information and news from members, other publications); Windows of Opportunity (information sources); PR Clinic (advice on handling PR issues); NSPRA Matters (information about the Association); and As I See It (a column by the executive director or others on current PR issues).

Executive Board minutes from November 5-7, 1992 reported “brief discussion of the planned Past-president’s Workshop which will be held January 29-30, 1993, at Hilton Head, SC. Eleven past-presidents, plus the president and president-elect will be participating.” This workshop was the first of three that the Association offered at Hilton Head.

The November 1992 issue announced “NSPRA’s Foundation for the Advancement of Education has awarded its first-ever research grant to the Washington School Public Relations Association. WSPRA will use the grant to develop and carry out a communication plan focusing on how citizens with disabilities can take advantage of school communication options. WSPRA will report the results of the research project during the 1993 Seminar in San Diego.”

In January 1993, Network announced that “an NSPRA Professional Membership will cost $170 with renewals after March 1, 1993. This $10 increase, the first in nearly three years, and future increases, will be indexed to increases in the average pay of school administrators as reported by the Educational Research Service.” And, “During January, you will receive your new 1993 Network Directory of North American School PR Resources. The directory includes a listing of NSPRA members and PR resources and services and information about NSPRA.” The April 22-24, 1993 Executive Board minutes report “With subscriptions down to 229, the executive director asked Board members for their views on focusing It Starts in the Classroom as ‘the leading school PR newsletter for principals and others at the building level.’”

Those minutes also reported the adoption of a resolution changing the Bylaws from “A Vice -40-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA President at Large to represent perspectives which have not been provided through the elective process,” to one who will “represent racial minorities.”

The June 1993 issue announced “Three NSPRA products will be introduced at the NSPRA Seminar, June 30-July 3 in San Diego. The Complete Crisis Communication/ Management Manual for Schools is an essential resource for school leaders who know that preparation is the best offense when it comes to a school crisis. Image Builders or Breakers: A Workshop Kit for Professional School Secretaries is a complete workshop for secretaries to help them better understand and practice their roles as school communicators. See for Yourself: A Campaign to Build Support for Your Schools is a practical and inexpensive guide to help you motivate people to visit your schools and see for themselves how your school reform initiatives are working.”

The June 27-28, 1993 Executive Board minutes reported that “the executive director presented a proposed NSPRA budget for Fiscal Year 1994 that projects revenues of $937,660, expenses of $674,313, and a surplus of $263,347. That surplus would be used to eliminate old accounts payable ($132,000), purchase new computers and other equipment ($25,000), and build a positive equity balance ($106,347).”

The September 1993 Network reported that “Top 10 Seminar sites as voted on by respondents to last spring’s survey were: San Francisco; Boston; Denver; Seattle; Washington, D.C.; New Orleans; San Diego; Phoenix; Orlando; and Philadelphia.” Also reported was “the debut of the new It Starts on the Frontline. The name change from It Starts in the Classroom reflects a change in content and design as well. Beginning with the September issue, the newsletter will be geared to building-level school public relations activities. That means it’s a must read for all principals in your school district.”

In the November issue, executive director Rich Bagin reported, “Eighteen months ago, NSPRA was being measured for its coffin. Your professional association was literally within weeks of having its door nailed shut by the sheriff for non-payment of bills – big bills.”

“Today, NSPRA is recovering. Within another year or two, it should be in top form; in both services to members and financially, healthier than ever before. . . NSPRA’s auditors found that in 1992-93, we took in more than we spent for the first time since 1988. From 1988-92, NSPRA spent $482,699 more than it earned. This year, we earned $187,979 more than we spent. . . As a result of finally earning more than we spent, we have reduced NSPRA’s negative fund balance (deficit) from $648,349 to $333,092. Much of this progress has been made because we reduced debt (amounts owed to vendors and the landlord) from $368,861 to $210,648 in just this last year alone. We are now paying all current bills within 30 days.”

The May 1994 Network reported that the NSPRA Building Fund had received $53,000 and pledges for another $37,500 toward the initial goal of $100,000. With leadership from past -41-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA president Ann Barkelew, the Building Fund had raised $75,000 in cash and pledges, according to the January 1995 Network, and members were urged to help reach the $100,000 goal by July.

That issue also noted that Burnadine Moss Anderson, ASPR, was chosen as NSPRA president elect, marking the first time that an African American was elected to lead the Association.

The June issue announced, “Three new NSPRA products will be released this summer.

They include: 1) a totally revised Win at the Polls handbook; 2) NSPRA’s first ever video-based product on working effectively with the media; and, 3) The Wit and Wisdom of PR Success. It also noted that Kansas was the 14th Gold Key Chapter in Push for Building Fund Goal, with a total “edging past the $95,000 mark as this issue of Network goes to press.”

The 1994 NSPRA annual seminar was held at the Sheraton Centre Hotel, Toronto, Canada, the first time that the Association had ventured outside the United States with its seminar.

The November 10-12, 1994 Executive Board minutes reported “plans for the third Past President’s Workshop at The Hilton Resort, Hilton Head Island, SC, planned for January 27-28, 1995.” And, “the executive director reviewed preliminary plans for the first Academy for School Communications, to be held at ServiceMaster corporate headquarters in Downers Grove, IL, March 24-25.” Also reported was a new policy regarding violations of the NSPRA Code of Ethics.

In August 1995, Network reported the results of a Fall 1994 NSPRA member survey.

“Valuable information has been collected from the survey. Examples include the face that 82.5% of NSPRA members make over $35,000 per year; 82.1% report to the CEO/superintendent of their district; the top ranked training session members would like to attend deals with desktop publishing skills/computer training; and the top session members would like to send their institution’s top leadership to deals with PR counseling – PRs role/importance. Another finding indicated that NSPRA members wanted more research on effective communication tools and how to use them, more information on the public’s perceptions of schools, how to manage community involvement, and more information on what’s working in school PR.” The survey showed that there were 37.3% male and 62.7% female respondents, 94.7% of whom were white.

That issue also noted that the NSPRA Building Fund had exceeded its goal by collecting $109,000, including $3,283.50 in donations and pledges at the Seminar. The Seminar Honor Roll of contributors includes 225 participants.

The Executive Board minutes of July 11-12, 1996 “authorize Executive Director Richard D. Bagin, ASPR/APR, to negotiate for, to purchase, and to secure a mortgage loan on an office -42-

The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA condominium that will serve as the Association headquarters building. The executive director is to report periodically to the President and to the Executive Committee on the important aspects of this transaction.”

In August 1996, Network announced “Executive Director Rich Bagin has announced that as of May 31, 1996, NSPRA has finally emerged from its financial crisis and has a positive net worth of $57,291. This represents a dramatic turnaround from as recently as 1992, when net worth was minus $521,071. To keep NSPRA from ever going into debt again, the executive board has set a goal of $500,000 in net fund balance.” That issue also announced the newest NSPRA product, Practical PR for Principals, a Handbook to Help You Build Support for Your School.

The November 7-9, 1996 Executive Board minutes report the following statement from the Audit Committee: “‘Congratulations!’ In one word, that’s how veteran NSPRA Auditor Ben Kendall summed up this year’s National School Public Relations audit. In the space of the last five years, NSPRA has gone from a net deficit of three-quarters of a million dollars to an accumulated surplus of $28,000.”

In January 1997, executive director Rich Bagin reported “NSPRA is now in the final stages of purchasing its first headquarters office space. If all goes well, we should be in our new home by early February 1997.”

“In February 1992 – just five years before our upcoming move – NSPRA was dealing with organizational life and death decisions. Your leadership gathered around a table with legal counsel and an accountant to decide whether NSPRA should attempt to conquer an outrageous debt piled by the previous administration. It wasn’t even clear that NSPRA would survive even if the effort was made. . . . We have hundreds of people to thank for this monumental moment in NSPRA’s history. A committee co-chaired by Pat Jennette, ASPR, and Jeanne Magmer, ASPR, will help us decide the best ways to celebrate this victory.”

“But we most thank two outstanding leaders who were instrumental in making our new home a reality. Ginny Ross, the chair and driving force behind the building fund, and Rich Williams of the ServiceMaster Corporation, who engineered a $30,000 grant to our building fund. More thanks will come later to them and others who helped us in many ways.”

“Moving Info. Date: On or about February 1, 1997. Address: 15948 Derwood Road, Rockville, MD 20855.”

In its March 21-22, 1997 minutes, the Executive Board was apprized of the formation of the NSPRA Speakers Service, noting that 12 members had signed up to participate in the service and that promotional materials would be sent to members soon.

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA The June 1997 Network announced, “Dr. Karen Forys, superintendent of the Northshore School District in Bothell, Wash., is the first winner of the Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award. Forys was one of 20 nominees and three finalists for the award, given annually to a superintendent or CEO of an education agency, service center or intermediate unit for outstanding leadership in school public relations and communications.”

“The award is named for Robert L. Grossman, ASPR, an NSPRA past president who died September 20, 1995, and was known for his creative and strategic public relations practices and for his belief that the support and commitment of top leadership are vital to successful school communications.”

In November 1997, NSPRA announced its free Rapid Response Service. “As a result of the purchase of a new phone system, NSPRA now has a fax-on-demand system called the Rapid Response Service. This automated service allows you to receive up to three documents from a list of 30 of NSPRA’s most requested documents. Categories include: General Information; Resources; Products/Services/Awards/Contests; and Annual Seminar and Other Workshops.”

“This issue of Network contains the new marketing brochure for NSPRA’s Speaker’s Service. Now you have an easy way to book some of NSPRA’s top speakers and leaders for your next keynote, lecture, retreat or workshop.”

The January 1998 issue reported that “Karen Kleinz, current NSPRA southwest regional vice president and owner of Kleinz Communicationz in Peoria, Arizona, is NSPRA’s new associate director. . . As a result of her new position, Kleinz will resign as southwest region vice president of NSPRA. She plans to begin working at NSPRA by February 1.”

The July 16-17, 1998 Executive Board minutes reported that NSPRA had received a letter stating that the Internal Revenue Service had granted non-profit status to 34 NSPRA chapters, and that three others had obtained their own not-for-profit status, thus ending a fouryear effort to ensure that all chapters had Employer Identification Numbers and not-for-profit status. Those minutes also congratulated Andy Grunig for the successful launch of the new NSPRA web page in June. A members-only portion of the site is to begin in November.

In August 1998, Network announced that NSPRA Is On The Web! “NSPRA launched its new web site at the St. Louis Seminar and you can begin seeing what it has to offer by accessing it at www.nspra.org. The site was built upon feedback received from member focus groups at previous seminars, plus the insight offered by the NSPRA technology committee and executive board. As most NSPRA members know, web site development is a never-ending task and modification will continue to be made to the system as feedback is received from users. . .

NSPRA staff member Andy Grunig is providing the leadership for the web site and is the main contact for it.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA

By January 1999, Network was reporting that “the Communications Section of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) awarded NSPRA’s web site with a Certificate of Achievement in its Gold Circle Awards Competition, and Association Trends magazine honored the site as a runner-up in its publications contest. In both cases, the award was the second highest given, and only one winner was chosen for the highest award.”

That issue also noted approval of a change in NSPRA Bylaws that create “two Vice Presidents at Large who will be appointed by the Executive Board to overlapping two-year terms. This permits the executive board to appoint a Vice President At Large each year to obtain representation and expertise from members who are not otherwise represented.” The other changes include “making the current Vice President At Large, representing racial and ethnic minorities, an elected position . . . and eliminating the Immediate Past President from Board membership in July 1999.”

The April 1999 issue reported that “Frank Kwan, director of communications for the Los Angeles County Office of Education in Downey, Calif. Has been appointed as the first NSPRA vice president at large representing urban education.”

“At its November meeting, the NSPRA Executive Board agreed to participate in the Universal Accreditation Program being offered by the Universal Accreditation Board. NSPRA is now one of eight organizations which are considered founding members of the universal accreditation program. NSPRA is the second largest participant in the universal program. Other founding members are: Agricultural Relations Council; Florida Public Relations Association; Maine Public Relations Board; Public Relations Society of America; Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development; Southern Public Relations Federation, and Texas Public Relations Association.”

The August 1999 Network reported that NSPRA ‘99, held at the Omni Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, Md., was the largest NSPRA seminar in 10 years, with over 650 participants.

That issue also stated that “NSPRA closed out the 22-year history of its “Accredited in School Public Relations” (ASPR) program at its 46th Annual Seminar in Baltimore in July.

NSPRA is now one of nine United States and international organizations participating in the Universal Accreditation Board’s ‘Accredited in Public Relations’ (APR) program. For the 144 NSPRA members who had earned ASPR status through passage of written and oral exams, their designation has automatically changed to APR, earning them immediate recognition in fields beyond public education. Ken Muir, APR, and Joe Rowson, APR, were recognized as the ‘Founding Fathers of NSPRA Accreditation’ at the July 1999 Seminar in Baltimore.”

In April 2000, Network reported that “Jane Hammond, superintendent of the Jefferson County Schools in Golden, Colorado, has been appointed as the first NSPRA vice president at large representing superintendents. Hammond will serve a two-year term that begins this July.”

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The Leader in School Communications - NSPRA The July 6-7, 2000 Executive Board minutes report that “the executive director expressed concern that the Association needs a better method of developing chapter leaders who know and understand the benefits of membership in the national association. He discussed with the Board the concept of expanding the current Bylaws requirement that each chapter president must be an NSPRA member, to include the president-elect and a third officer. An incentive for this requirement could be to give these officers a 50% discount on annual seminar registration during their term of office.” The Board recommended a Bylaw amendment stating, “By September 1, 2002, the chapter president, president-elect (or other officer who succeeds as president), treasurer and one other elected chapter officer shall be members of the national Association and all other chapter officers and members should be encouraged to be members of the national Association.” In November, the Board expended the 50% discount on seminar registration to NSPRA retired members as well as current members of the executive board.

In Fall 2000, NSPRA developed formats for three electronic newsletters, The Counselor, Opportunities, and Alert. These free member services replaced the Fax News Service.

At its July 5-6, 2001 meeting, the NSPRA Executive Board established The Pat Jackson Scholarship Fund, to be used to fund one free registration to the annual NSPRA seminar in Pat’s name. Jackson died in the spring. Primary funding for this scholarship will be through donations and proceeds from NSPRA’s Pat Jackson Collection on Public Relations.

The March 21-23, 2002 Executive Board minutes report “After several years of development, the NSPRA Standards of the PR Profession Committee submitted a final draft of a three-part document which it recommended be published and made available to all NSPRA members. The purpose of the document is to inform superintendents and school board members of NSPRA-recommended Standards for Educational Public Relations and Communication Professionals, Educational Public Relations Program Assessment, and Standards for Educational Public Relations and Communication Program Budgets.”

To learn more about today’s National School Public Relations Association go to www.nspra.org. ©2003 National School Public Relations Association 15948 Derwood Road, Rockville, MD. 20855

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