Today in History, 1963: Moorhead high school PTA found to be mostly dormant in runup to failed bonding vote

By Kate Almquist Today at 12:01 AM Listen Comments Share Share this article Behind the story Behind the story Clarifies why and how a story was reported. The Trust Project What is this? On this day in 1963, Moorhead Senior High School's PTA remained inactive due to declining parent interest as the district faced two failed school construction bond proposals. Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day: ADVERTISEMENT Moorhead High PTA Dormant By TOM LUNDQUIST Minnesota Staff Writer After Moorhead School District voters Oct. 14 turned down for the second time this year a bond issue proposal to finance badly-needed new construction, a discouraged school board member commented that only two organizations had come forth to back the issue. The two were the Moorhead League of Women Voters and the Fargo-Moorhead Home Builders Association. Outstanding among the groups that remained silent on the important issue were the Moorhead Chapter of the Minnesota Education Association (MEA) and the district's PTA units, two groups that could be expected to be informed about the problems behind the proposal and have definite opinions for or against. Since the 55-man citizen's advisory committee that helped formulate the $2.6 million program found the senior high phase of the program to be the key issue, a glaring omission was the lack of any expression from the senior high PTA. See more history at Newspapers.com Nov 7, 1963 The Forum (Fargo, North Dakota) Newspapers.com A check revealed, however, that the Moorhead Senior High PTA has been dormant since October 1962. At a time when a single PTA could be most helpful in providing educational leadership at a crucial period in the history of the 7-year-old reorganized school district, high school parents in the district apparently are not concerned enough about their children or the more than 50 per cent of their local tax dollar devoted to schools to keep a PTA functioning. No vote was ever taken to officially disband, either at a general membership meeting or any officers' meeting, says Joseph Faust, 1303 3rd St. S., elected president for the 1962-63 school year. ADVERTISEMENT "It just died a natural death ... from lack of interest," he said. "It's just an inactive unit. If someone wanted to pick it up, they could, I suppose." Technically, Faust and Albert Bartz, 1118 South River Drive, secretary, are still in office. They cannot recall who the other officers are or if any paid memberships were received last fall. Cited by many as the main reason for the group's failure is the lack of interest displayed by parents in any program other than the annual back-to-school night program, which gives parents a chance to visit each of their child's rooms and meet each of his teachers. Organized in the fall of 1958 as a separate unit (formerly there was a combined junior-senior high PTA in the district), the 4-year-old organization attracted an attendance of 45 parents and teachers at its last regular meeting in April 1962. Senior high enrollment that year was 888. It grew to 1,021 in 1962-63 and is expected to total 1,165 this school year. Bartz, a senior high English teacher, notes that teachers frequently outnumbered the parents at the meetings even though meetings were well advertised through notices sent home with students and often mailed post-card notices. Principal Alden Knatterud says he has received only a few queries about PTA since its demise and most of his questioners seemed satisfied when informed that the school itself will sponsor the back-to-school program each fall. Last fall's PTA-backed back-to-school program (the unit's last official function) drew 418 persons. Knatterud notes that this fall's program, organized by the school alone, attracted 508. While enrollment is up over last year by some 140 students, he feels increased enrollment may not be solely responsible for the larger crowd. ADVERTISEMENT CATCH UP ON THE LATEST TODAY IN HISTORY ARTICLES Today in History, 1993: West Fargo opens new post office 1d ago Today in History, 2002: North Dakota farmer dies piloting beloved plane 2d ago Today in History, 1920: Fargo slow to count ballots after historically large vote 3d ago Today in History, 1979: Fargo educator and community music supporter Vincent Dodge dies at age 64 4d ago Today in History, 1938: Wahpeton State School Science (NDSCS) adds air conditioning courses 5d ago As president of Minnesota PTA District No. 13, which includes Clay, Becker, Mahnomen and Norman counties, Gale Stenerson, rural Moorhead, is proud of the predominant number of active units in his district and disturbed by the failure at Moorhead Senior High. He notes this is one of only three units in his district that is inactive. Schools in Hitterdal and Waubun currently do not have PTA units, either. "It certainly was not the fault of the school administration ... Poor programming appears to be the basic fault," Stenerson says. He adds any effective effort to re-establish the senior high PTA will have to come from the parents because teachers and administrators do not wish to be accused of having forced PTA on anyone. Evidence of some effort to activate the unit is reported by Eathen Miller, 1417 13½ St. N., current president of the Moorhead District's PTA Council. He says he has been approached quite often about the problem but adds, "There seems to be as many against it as are for it." P. T. Tabbut, 1304 11th St. S., vice president of Minnesota's PTA Region V, comprised of some 18 area counties, says it is a shame the unit is not operating at a time like this when public confusion is being blamed for the two bond issue defeats. ADVERTISEMENT He notes that PTA units in Rochester, Minn., are credited with leading a campaign there that resulted in recent passage of a bond issue for some $7 million. "I don't feel there is any less enthusiasm on behalf of parents here in Moorhead than there is in Detroit Lakes or Rochester or anywhere else," he says, adding that he knows of positive steps that are being taken to re-activate the unit. Many district residents interested in public school education in the space-age hope he is right. Comments Share Share this article Behind the story Behind the story Clarifies why and how a story was reported. The Trust Project What is this? Tags Tags FROM THE ARCHIVES TODAY IN HISTORY By Kate Almquist Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at [email protected]. Listen to this article Conversation ADVERTISEMENT What To Read Next Lifestyle YWCA Cass Clay marks 120 years of protecting women in crisis 3h ago · By Tracy Briggs Community Learn how to help a WF mom fighting a brain tumor and other ways to Lend A Hand Up 1d ago · By Staff reports Lifestyle Venison Cheeseburger Sliders make a great meal or tailgating snack 1d ago · By Jeff Benda ADVERTISEMENT Get Local Must Reads Moorhead How will vacant Moorhead City Council, Moorhead School Board seats be filled? 6h ago · By Ingrid Harbo North Dakota Driver charged in fatal Cass County crash settles Grand Forks cases 18h ago · By Matt Henson Business Sisters developing Kindro app to help users find their chosen family 6h ago · By Stephanie Dickerson Lifestyle What if this winter’s forecast holds true? 5h ago · By Don Kinzler