History of NBSRT
The New Brunswick Society of Retired Teachers was formed on February 28, 1975, however, its roots can be traced back to when 31 retired teachers in the Saint John area met in April 1951 to form the province’s very first Retired Teachers’ Association. The annual dues amounted to 50 cents. They lobbied for better medical aid, health insurance and improved pensions, and influenced greatly the Government of New Brunswick’s decision to do away with the need for retired teachers to apply monthly for their pension benefits, and to have automatic payment.
By 1975 when at least four other retired teacher associations had formed in New Brunswick, the decision was made to form a provincial retired teachers’ group. The NBSRT was created with the local associations and their subscribers as members. Read the minutes of NBSRT’s very first meeting HERE (Taken from Reflections, Winter 2016 edition).
Today there are 10 local NBSRT branches: Bathurst Branch (1975), Carleton-North York Branch (1977), Central Branch (1975), Charlotte Branch (1977), Kings County Retired Teachers’ Association (1976), Miramichi Area Retired Teachers’ Association (1976), Greater Moncton Association of Retired Teachers (1975), Restigouche Society of Retired Teachers (1975), NBSRT Saint John Branch (1975 – formed locally in 1951 as the first retired teachers’ organization in New Brunswick), and Victoria-Tobique Branch (1975).
The first president of the NBSRT was Muriel Baird. Ms Baird was a graduate of UNB and a member of the Alumnae Society. She has been described as the person who “led the charge” in 1949 to establish UNB’s first women’s residence in a house donated by Lord Beaverbrook.
She served as NBSRT’s first President from 1975 to 1976. Since then there has been a long line of distinguished and dedicated presidents who have worked on behalf of NBSRT’s members.
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