Western Montana Retired Educators Association records, 1956-2002

The Western Montana Retired Teachers Association was organized on October 10, 1956, in Missoula, Montana, and covered eight western Montana counties. The Western Montana association is affiliated with the Montana Retired Teachers Association and the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA). (In 1982 the NRTA merged with the American Association of Retired Persons.)

The Western Montana Retired Teachers Association (WMRT) adopted their motto, "To Serve, Not to Be Served," from Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, who founded the NRTA in 1947. The purpose of the WMRT was and is to promote the social and economic welfare of retired educators; to promote and support efforts to improve public schools and higher institutions of learning; to improve and support their professional organizations; and to maintain an active interest in the social, economic and political life of the community. The organization provides information about bills in the legislature dealing with youth, education, and families, and about health and senior services available. The association also provides financial support for some social welfare causes and scholarships in support of education.

In 1959 the Montana Retired Teachers Association was organized. Members of the WMRT gave active support and had leadership roles in working with the state organization to improve pension benefits for Montana’s retired educators. When the Ravalli, Pend d'Oreille, and Northwest Montana units were formed, the geographical area of the Western Montana unit changed; it now covers Missoula and Mineral counties. In 1993 the Western Montana unit changed its name to the Western Montana Retired Teachers and School Personnel Association. The name was changed again to the Western Montana Retired Educators Association in 2002 to reflect the name change of the state entity to Montana Retired Educators Association.