The PTAs’ annual celebratory event, Founder’s Day, will be held on Thursday, March 20 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at the Century House in Latham. Tickets are $55 each and can be purchased at Mail N’ More in Burnt Hills or at any BH-BL Schools’ main office. Tickets are on sale from Jan. 24 to March 10,
What is Founder’s Day?
You’ve likely heard the words “Founder’s Day” and seen the event’s dinner listed on the district’s printed calendar, but have you ever wondered: “What exactly is Founder’s Day?” To fully understand the significance and importance of Founder’s Day, you need a little background about the National PTA.
The National Parent Teacher Association was founded in 1897 as the National Congress of Mothers by Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst. They founded the organization when women did not have the right to vote and social activism was not popular. To their delight, however, on February 17, 1897, more than 2,000 people—mostly mothers, but also fathers, teachers, laborers and legislators—attended the first convocation of the National Congress of Mothers in Washington, D.C. (Twenty years later, 37 chartered state congresses existed.)
In 1926, Selena Sloan Butler formed the NCCPT to advocate for children, especially African American children in segregated communities.
Birney, Hearst, and Butler had a strong calling to work toward bettering the lives of every child in education, health, and safety. The two associations began holding their conventions in conjunction with one another and worked toward merging in all 50 states. On June 22, 1970, the two congresses signed a Declaration of Unification and officially became one association–the National PTA. The unification of the two congresses is an important part of National PTA’s history and the association’s continued efforts to serve and make a difference for every child.
Founders’ Day (February 17) has become an important day for PTAs. It’s the day when PTAs around the country recognize the organization’s first convocation and celebrate the legacy and work of the organization’s founders—Alice McLellan Birney, Phoebe Apperson Hearst, and Selena Sloan Butler. According to the National PTA website: “The founders represented women of imagination and courage. They had a simple idea—to improve the lives and future of all children. They understood the power of individual action, worked beyond the accepted barriers of their day, and took action to change the world for all children.” And that is why PTAs annually present individuals who are completely dedicated to their school community with the organization’s highest award.
BH-BL Founders’ Day History
What has been learned perusing BH-BL’s historical records is that presenting Founder’s Day awards dates back to at least 1939 when Miss Edith Livingston, a BH-BL teacher, was a recipient of the award. The next known award recipient was BH-BL teacher Miss Gertrude Rice in 1948. (See photo below.) It is speculated that the gap in years in recognizing others is due in large part to World War II. (Visit this webpage to view a list of ALL BH-BL’s Founder’s Day award recipients.)