Office of Executive Secretary and Office of Governance and Policy
Administrative histories and scope and content notes.
Contents of an Office of Governance and Policy biographical file on Forrest Conner. (MS2266-Series 1-Subseries 8-Box 690-Folder 2)
Office of Executive Secretary
The Executive Secretary serves both the Association and the Executive Committee and directs the headquarters staff. NEA's first permanent executive secretary was Irwin Shepard of Winona State Teachers College in Minnesota. From 1893 to 1912, the NEA's headquarters were located in Dr. Shepard's home at Winona.
William G. Carr, who became executive secretary in 1952, asked the executive committee to reorganize the affairs of the Association and concentrate the responsibilities into a business manager and six Assistant Executive Secretaries. These seven individuals plus the secretary of the Educational Policies Commission made up the cabinet of the executive secretary.
For over half a century, the Executive Secretary and staff had been the controlling force operating day-to-day activities and directing policy. The Executive Secretary was the prime public face of the NEA to the media and public. Executive Secretaries were not elected annually and worked under contract to NEA, with their longevity assuring them influence.
At the Constitutional Convention in 1971, the president usurped the Executive Secretary as the public face and chief spokesperson of the NEA. The position of Executive Secretary was renamed the executive director and was removed from being an executive officer of the NEA.
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The Office of Executive Secretary subseries (1896-1996, 13 Linear Feet) contains materials about the Executive Secretaries of the NEA. The majority of these records cover the biographical and historical importance of the each of the Executive Secretaries and include addresses, writings, scrapbooks, photo albums and correspondence. Executive Secretaries covered include William G. Carr, Lyle W. Ashby, Willard E. Givens, Terry Herndon, Sam M. Lambert, and Allan M. West.
Records demonstrating actions and decisions are likely to be found in the Executive Office or Executive Committee materials. A small amount of Executive Office papers exist in this subseries and are included here because they were mixed with the William G. Carr materials.
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Office of Governance and Policy
The Office of Governance and Policy facilitates governance policymaking and coordinates the Annual Meeting and meetings of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and governance committees. It also tracks and reports on governance actions, as well as develops, implements, and communicates Association policies through financial, technical, and other support for governance bodies. Departmental services include: Governance and Policy Support, Minority Community Outreach, International Relations, Strategic Scheduling and Advance, the Executive Writing Center, and the Association Archives.
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The Office of Governance and Policy subseries (1857-1997, 71 Linear Feet) contains materials from the Office of Governance and Policy. Topics covered are the NEA centennial, dues increase, the Dushane Fund, elections to NEA offices, fiscal year budgets and programs, caucuses, the NEA-PAC, nominations to committees, the Overseas Teachers Fund and details of NEA staff and officers. The NEA staff and officers records contain biographies and photos of staff and officers.
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