1925-1950: The Formative Years
The legislation creating the Texas public school system was signed by Gov. Elisha M. Pease in 1854. It called for the organization of common schools and set aside $2 million received from the sale of lands to the United States for a school fund. For the next 70 years, no formal organization for Texas superintendents or principals existed. School administrators met informally, typically in conjunction with University Interscholastic League events and Texas State Teachers Association meetings. Then, in 1924 …
Thomas Yoe, Brownsville ISD
During a meeting in Austin, a group of Texas superintendents and principals led by Brownsville superintendent Thomas Yoe formalized and began what would be a transition to form two organizations: one for superintendents and one for principals. These groups were “sections” of the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA).
E.B. Cauthorn, Dallas Public Schools
In November 1925, during the TSTA Convention in Dallas, the “Section of Superintendence” of TSTA, which would grow into the Texas Association of School Administrators, held its first meeting at the Scofield Memorial Church in downtown Dallas. E.B. Cauthorn, assistant superintendent, Dallas Public Schools, presided over the meeting as president. The Section collected $1 membership dues from 108 charter members.
The TSTA Section of Superintendence was renamed the Texas Association of School Administrators to parallel the name of the national organization. (In 1937, the National Education Association’s Department of School Superintendence became the American Association of School Administrators, a department of NEA.) TASA remained a department affiliate of TSTA until 1978 when the TASA Executive Committee voted to disaffiliate from TSTA following TSTA’s unification with NEA.
Fred C. Ayer, UT Austin
TASA awarded the first Honorary Life membership to Dr. Fred C. Ayer, a professor of educational administration at The University of Texas at Austin. TASA’s director of research from 1931 to 1935, Ayer was recognized for his series of reports on “The Progress of Pupils in the State of Texas.”
TASA established the Educational Policies Commission (a precursor to the current TASA Legislative Committee). The commission’s work influenced the development and 1949 passage of the Gilmer-Aikin laws, which made sweeping changes to Texas public schools.