MINNESOTA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. NORTHERN DIVISION:

This regional subgroup of the Minnesota Education Association may have begun in 1920. The governing body of the Division was the executive board composed of the president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, retiring president, a state MEA member, and two members elected at large. The division included the counties of Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Pennington, Red Lake, Roseau, and Wadena.

Some time during 1970-1971 the organization became a part of the Minnesota Education Association's UNISERV program and included all local associations within the Division. UNISERV was funded one-third each by the NEA, MEA, and local units. A representative served as liaison and handled matters such as teacher welfare, legislation, negotiation, and other matters.

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The records for the years 1921 to 1957 are in a volume that contains minutes of the executive board, programs of annual and biennial meetings, reports, ballots, resolutions, and copies of constitutions of the MEA and of the northern division. The records for the 1921-1929 period are brief, containing mainly programs of annual and biennial meetings, reports, resolutions, and brief notes on board meetings (1926-1927). From the records, it would seem that the biennial meetings began in 1929 or 1931. There are no records for the even numbered years from 1930-1944, and those for 1931-1943 contain only copies of constitutions, ballots, some minutes, resolutions, notes, and reports. Beginning in 1949, the monthly board minutes are fairly detailed and also include programs, ballots, reports, and other records. The information relates to routine matters including election of officers, resolutions, legislative actions on educational programs, retirement, and salaries.

The records for the 1958-1973 period were originally in 3-ring binders, and remain in much the same order as found. The materials are more complete and detailed that those from the 1921-1957 period and include detailed minutes, financial reports, proceedings and programs of the Delegate Assembly (March) and the Biennial Convention (October), correspondence. Records after 1964 include application forms for affiliate status of local associations, annual status reports, and participation in professional activities forms.

Extensive and detailed minutes contain descriptions of correspondence received, financial information, resolutions passed, committee appointments, information on workshops and similar activities, filling vacancies on the board, committee reports, and other materials detailing the activities of the organization.

Booklets containing the agenda and proceedings of the delegate assembly contain messages from the president and other officers, committee reports, financial reports, membership directories, and amendments to the constitution.

For 1960 and 1970 the following are separate from the minutes materials: financial records and audits, mailing list forms, membership directory, correspondence of the executive secretary, lists of area representatives, tabulated replies to the biennial convention questionnaires (1970). There are also reports of several committees including citizenship, editorial advisory, improvement of instruction, legislative, local associations and field services, public relations, resolutions, and salary and economic welfare.

The 1971-1973 records are less detailed, except for the delegate assembly reports, and reflect the organization's affiliation with UNISERV. Included are minutes; financial records; mailing list forms; correspondence; bylaws amendments; and information on workshops, special meetings, and related matters.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota Education Association Northern Division Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession Number: 15,097

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, December 1995

Catalog ID number: 990017349000104294

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Education -- Aims and objectives -- Minnesota.

Educational law and legislation -- Minnesota.

Retired teachers -- Minnesota.

Teachers -- Pensions -- Minnesota .

Teachers -- Salaries, etc. -- Minnesota .

Teachers' unions -- Minnesota.

Organization:

Minnesota Education Association.

Occupation:

Teachers -- Minnesota.

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