In US history, there are many examples of hardworking educators who continue to work towards improving the lives others, even after retirement. One of these is activist Laura E. Settle, the founder and first president of the California Retired Teachers Association.

Laura retired as a teacher from the Pasadena School District in Pasadena, California, while the country was struggling through the Great Depression. At that time, a retired schoolteacher received just $500 a year in pension benefits. To rectify this, a small group of teachers led by Laura Settle banded together to fight for better retirement incomes for their colleagues who were living in poverty after a lifetime of teaching.

In 1927, Laura contacted Los Angeles politicians with the goal of forming a local retired teachers’ group. Interested individuals held their first meeting  in Sycamore Grove Park. Laura was elected president, and she immediately launched into her work to expand the organization in other California communities. For years, she drove the dusty highways all over the state to help organize teachers in their common cause. All were welcome to join for the annual dues of $1.

After several years, CalRTA made its first major breakthrough in 1934, when pensions were finally boosted, and by 1943, Laura’s work had resulted in the formation of 17 divisions throughout California. Today, CalRTA is one of the nation’s largest retired teacher organizations with more than 43,000 members in 86 local divisions throughout the state.

In all, Laura served 16 years as the president of CalRTA, from 1929 to 1945. This amazing educator passed away on May 11, 1951. To honor her, a scholarship has been established in her name, and is given to deserving high school students who have declared an intention to go into the teaching profession.

Laura E. Settle: All teachers, whether currently retired or still in the classroom, owe her a great debt.

Often classroom teachers become advocates for social issues that extend far beyond their classroom. Such is the case with teacher Bill Holden, an educator who has worked tirelessly to increase awareness about the problem of juvenile diabetes.

Bill was born in 1948 in Elgin, Illinois. He earned his degree from Southern Illinois University in 1970. Bill accepted his first position as a teacher in 1973, and soon became interested in working with Native American students. After teaching many years in Illinois, he transferred to Camp Verde, Arizona. At Camp Verde, Bill became aware of the alarming rate of diabetes among his Native American students. Bill retired after 32 years in the classroom, but he was not done dedicating his energy to benefit his students. He decided to focus his vast energy on helping to find a cure for juvenile diabetes.

In 2005, Bill literally walked from Arizona to Chicago, a distance of 2,100 miles, with the goal of raising $250,000 in donations for the American Diabetes Association to fund research for a cure for juvenile diabetes. Bill started his walk on January 11, 2005, walking through the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois. Along the way he battled arthritis in both knees, fatigue, sunburn, windburn, and stifling heat, and once he was nearly hit by a car. It took the dedicated teacher six months to complete the walk, but the effort garnered him national attention.

Bill Holden is certainly a true chalkboard champion.