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1920-1969, predominant 1929-1950 (Creation)
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2.2 m of textual records
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Administrative history
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) was founded in Toronto on December 30, 1919. The federation was formed to address social issues, and to defend the rights of female teachers. District 12 of OSSTF, was comprised of numerous locals from across Northeastern Ontario and represented the interests of educators in that district. In 1958, with the redistribution of boundaries within the provincial level of OSSTF, District 12 was subdivided into Districts 28 and 29. The general organizational structure of the federation includes a central provincial federation, district federations, and locals. According to the constitution, the overall objectives of the OSSTF include: discussion and promotion of education in Ontario, raising the status of the teaching profession, ensuring a professional working condition, a voice for teachers provincially and locally with regard to education, and promoting a standard of professional etiquette for the teaching profession. Annual fees paid by the members of OSSTF provide sick benefit insurance, a superannuation fund, a benevolent fund, and group insurance. By June of 1925, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation was recognized as a corporate body. Through the years, OSSTF has been an influential force in Ontario, with regard to establishing standards in teaching that began with the Teacher's Board of Reference Act of 1938. OSSTF is also one of five affiliated federations that formed the Ontario Teachers' Federation through the Teaching Profession Act in 1944, that established teaching as a legally recognized profession in Ontario. Today, OSSTF is the leader in educational research among education groups in North America, and reports on public education. OSSTF is also a leader in collective bargaining, and represents the interests of teachers and other education workers. Currently, the federation bargains for over one hundred and fifty collective agreements.
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Custodial history
The fonds was donated to the Northern Ontario Labour Industrial Archives (NOLIA) prior to 1982, and later transferred to the Laurentian University Archives before 1995.
Scope and content
The Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) fonds consists mostly of handwritten and typed correspondence, and also contains minutes, resolutions, bankbooks, cheque stubs, ledgers, reports, school curriculum outlines, and news bulletins. Included as well are travel claims, salary schedules, membership lists and some copies of the federation magazine The Bulletin (1958-1968).
This fonds, documenting the labour movement within education, presents a comprehensive picture of OSSTF affairs and organizing procedures from 1920-1968. Specifically, although not without exception, the records highlight OSSTF activities in Districts 28 and 29, jurisdictions which encompass most of Northeastern Ontario. Many papers represent correspondence to and between the Provincial Executive, the District Secretaries and the membership at large. Meticulous accounts of membership totals and dues illustrate the constant drive for membership participation through the years, and the financial records illustrate the success of this drive. Some very lively correspondence written by the Provincial General Secretary and the Provincial Treasurer, both of whom served in these positions from 1924-1947, is testament to their enthusiasm and convictions. Researchers interested in the OSSTF response to the loss of 600 teachers to the armed service during WWII, to the matter of child poverty, to the School Law Amendment Act of 1938, and to cases of professional difficulty will find the records rich in documentation.
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No information is available regarding acquisition of this fonds.
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- English
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The fonds is not processed. A preliminary listing done prior to its transfer to Laurentian University Archives is available.
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Previously RG 33
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Revised: 2023-05-04