Founders Day

PTA Founders’ Day: A Proud Past – A Bright Future

In 1897, Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst founded the National Congress of Mothers – a nationwide movement – in a time when social activism was scorned and women did not have the vote. They called for action and more than 2,000 people responded; many were mothers, but fathers, teachers, laborers, and legislators also responded. Support grew from that first meeting in Washington DC. Some of the programs and legislation that the PTA has helped create throughout the years include:

kindergarten classes
child labor laws
public health service
hot lunch programs
juvenile justice system
mandatory immunization

The PTA was founded to improve children’s lives and learning by involving parents in their children’s education and addressing social problems affecting families, such as child labor, rampant childhood disease, high infant mortality, delinquency, and a criminal justice system that was cruel to youth. From the beginning, PTA has advocated for a strong public school system, with initiatives aimed at securing adequate funding, improved teacher training, and equal educational opportunities for all children. We now have 55 Congresses (organizations formed at the state and territory level). Washington State PTA has 900 local PTA and PTSA organizations with over 150,000 members.
Every member matters.

history of washington state pta

Washington State PTA was founded in 1905 by Abby Williams Hill of Tacoma, an artist who saw the need for an organization to support Washington’s children. Thanks to her leadership and vision—and that of thousands of parents and teachers who have carried her vision forward—Washington State PTA has been a leading voice for children in Washington for more than 106 years. In addition to supporting the work at the national level, here are some specific examples of PTA successes right here in Washington:

Washington State PTA coined the term “preschool” and mentored parents of toddlers long before early childhood education was accepted and expected.
Before there was public funding for well-child exams, PTAs hosted back-to-school “round-ups” with medical volunteers.
When moms went to work during World War II, Washington PTAs arranged day care.
When local levies failed in the 1950s and kindergartens went unfunded, Washington State PTAs first organized kindergarten “co-ops,” then worked to secure state funding for universal kindergarten.
As part of a coalition of community and statewide groups, Washington State PTA was instrumental in promoting the use of seat belts to save lives.
Thousands of volunteers from Washington State PTA helped secure the passage of the “simple majority” amendment to the state constitution in 2007.
Working collaboratively with other education and child advocacy groups, Washington State PTA played a leading role in securing the passage of major education reform efforts in Washington: House Bill 2261 (2009), House Bill 2776 and Senate Bill 6696 (2010).

Abby Williams Hill, WSPTA Founder

National PTA Founders