Pioneers.
Recently the Pioneers (Les Kolodin, President, Constance Fox-Lyttle, Secretary,
Jannis Floyd, Vice-President) met at the conference and had a great time
discussing what we would be doing for next year's conference. To begin, we will
be holding a round table discussion and or break out sessions that will allow
future and current educators to meet and ask us "old timers" questions about the
fields they are working in or plan to work in. We had a very nice woman who did
not belong to our group but was certainly encouraged to join us suggest the
title, "Been There, Done That, Ask Me About It", look for it in next year's
conference Action Newsletter.
Since the Pioneers is being revived as a subdivision we are also checking with
National about By-Laws and the Constitution in order for us to have a working
document as we begin to grow. We welcome any Past-Presidents and members over
twenty years who might be interested in sharing their experiences at our
conference next year to please contact us.
Les Kolodin
ATTENTION all 20 year PACEC members, retired members, life members, and past presidents of CEC….. You have earned the privilege of eligibility for membership in the CEC Pioneers Division! The reorganization committee members (pictured above, from top left, clockwise) Constance Lyttle, Leslie Kolodin and Janis Floyd, met at our November PACEC convention to review our Division’s current status and goals. CEC’s brief overview of the Pioneer Division follows.
Purpose and Goals The CEC Pioneers (CEC-PD) is the official division of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) that works to retain and benefit from the leadership and expertise of long-term CEC members. Goals include:
¨ Serving the general community by increasing awareness of the educational needs of children with disabilities and/or who are gifted, and the services available to them.
¨ Serving the professional community by organizing volunteers willing to donate time, effort, and expertise to activities that promote the education and welfare of exceptional children.
¨ Supporting the activities, policies, and procedures of CEC and the other CEC divisions.
CEC Pioneer Activities CEC-PD members engage in a variety of valuable volunteer activities to advance the field of special education. Activities include:
¨ Public speaking on topics that heighten awareness of the needs of special students.
¨ Supporting CEC's programs and activities at all levels.
¨ Facilitating the CEC Children and Youth Action Network (CAN).
¨ Supporting agencies and organizations contributing to the welfare of exceptional children and youth.
¨ Coordinating the selection and presentation of The Romaine Mackie Leadership Award.
¨ Establishing a Pioneer Award program for recognizing CEC members of long standing who have made notable contributions.
¨ Assisting CEC members nearing retirement with information on activities and services such as group insurance programs, travel opportunities, investments, and leisure activities.
¨ Publishing the Division newsletter, the Pioneers Press, exclusively for CEC-PD members, which includes information about the division's activities, updates on CEC governance and political action issues, news about division members, plans for the division as part of the CEC Annual International Convention and Expo, and announcements of events and opportunities of interest to CEC-PD members.
¨ Each year at the CEC Annual Convention and Expo, the Pioneers renew acquaintances at the annual dinner as well as] sponsor a number of sessions and activities. The annual Showcase session highlights CEC-PD members who have made outstanding contributions to the field of special education and CEC.
The Pennsylvania Federation of Chapters was organized by a Committee of Ten in Philadelphia on January 10, 1955. Dr. Jack Birch, Pittsburgh, was the chairman of the committee. The chapters, which organized the Federation, were the only ones in existence in PA at that time. The chapters were the Northwestern Chapter, the Western Chapter, and the PA Conference Chapter, which became known as the Eastern PA Chapter. The original and continuing purpose for organizing the Federation was "To further the development of the education, training, and care of exceptional children in accordance with the purposes and functions of Federations of Chapters as set forth in the Constitution of the National Council for Exceptional Children".
The number of chapters grew from three in 1956 to nine in 1959 to fifteen in 1960. In 1960, the first annual state convention for Special Education in PA sponsored entirely by the Federation was held in Bedford Springs. Attendance was 638. In 1961, the Second Annual Conference convened at Bedford Springs. The theme for 1961 was "Opening doors for Exceptional Children", and it was here that the "Keystone insignia bearing the open door with the two children" had its origination and has become the trademark on our newsletters, journals, and letterheads.
In 1961, the first Federation Newsletter came into being. This became the official publication and was published four times yearly to further unite and improve the communication among PA's professional personnel dealing with Exceptional Children. In 1961, the first student chapter was organized at Bloomsburg State College and became the Alpha Chapter #370. In 1961 at the Second Annual Conference at Bedford Springs, the First Honor Award was presented for outstanding and continuous contribution to Exceptional Children in PA.
An official charter was granted to the PA Federation # 255 on April 27, 1962 and was signed by Leo F. Cain, President, at National Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
On September 26, 1963 in Harrisburg, Governor William Scranton signed the first Governor's Proclamation for Exceptional Children's week in PA and this has become a tradition for the fall convention. I
n 1964, the first Delegate Assembly was held in connection with the Annual Convention. In 1965, the magic number of 2005 membership was reached and PA became Number One, the largest federation in the nation. In 1971, the format of the Newsletter underwent a change and in 1972, the Newsletter was renamed the PA Federation Journal.
Extensive membership drives have continued the growth of the PA Federation and as of September 1, 1975, the total membership numbers 5018, in 33 regular chapters, 21 student chapters and 6 divisions. We now rank number two in the nation.
As the Federation grew, Divisions for Special Interest Groups evolved and thus six Divisions have been established in the PA Federation. The Division for the Visually Handicapped, DVH, was the first to organize. This division began about 1960. In 1966, TAG the Division for the Gifted was organized. In 1967, PATED, Teacher Education Division began. It underwent reorganization in 1975. In 1968, CASSE, the Division of the Council of Administrators and Supervisors of Special Education got under way. In 1970, the Division for Private Schools became organized and in 1972, PA CEC/MR, Division for the Mentally Retarded became the sixth division in the federation.
A long-time dream of the Federation was realized on January 2, 1974, when the first Executive Secretary was hired to serve the growing needs of the organization.
Data collected and written by Dr. Gertrude Barber, the First President of PAFCEC, 1955-56. The information was published in a booklet entitled " PA Council for Exceptional Children – 1955 – 1976. Keystones in Pennsylvania".