More than a dozen past presidents along with ASCD officers and members gathered to discuss the history, heritage, and purpose of ASCD at a session to celebrate the Association's 50th anniversary.
Among those present were Robert Gilchrist (president 1956–57) and William Van Til (president 1961–62), ASCD's longest term members. Both men joined between 1943, when a former NEA department merged with the Society for Curriculum Study, and 1945, when the organization became known as ASCD. Van Til authored the first chapter of ASCD's first yearbook.
The session, convened by Ben Ebersole (president 1979–80), reflected ASCD's diversity, as persons representing the Association's many constituencies sat in a large circle sharing personal anecdotes and even poems about the Association.
"I was surprised that an organization with the words supervision and curriculum [in its name] welcomed teachers and treated us as equals," recalled Delmo Della-Dora (president 1975–76).
Executive Director Gene Carter told the group that ASCD "will not abandon our foundation. We must continue to be visible and to provide leadership and service."