The Advisory Board
of Citizenship Education Clearing House, University of Missouri-St. Louis
requested space in CECHPOINTS to voice a tribute to Mrs. Aaron Fischer
(Terry) who founded CECH in 1967 and who was a persistent driving force
within the organization until her death on February 27, 1995. Those who
worked with Terry Fischer on the CECH Board concur with longtime Board
member Benjamin Price, current Executive Director of Curriculum and Staff
Development for the St. Louis Public Schools, when he wrote "Terry
Fischer exemplified all the characteristics that we attribute to good
citizenship. For most of us it would be enough to vote regularly and participate
in organizations that seek to improve living conditions surrounding us.
Terry extended herself far beyond that level of involvement. She had a
passion for building lasting underpinnings upon which the basic rights
of all persons would be protected and the young, regardless of socioeconomic'
status, could have an opportunity to be educated and become productive
citizens of their community.
Citizens who make
a difference in a democracy always represent a unique meshing of talents
and civic concern with the particular needs of a time. However, they share
characteristics with others which can be emulated. The following is a
partial list of the characteristics Terry conveyed to us as we worked
with her over the years in the context of CECH:
- A "caring"
for the total community as Ben Price's statement conveys. As her biographical
sketch shows, she chose to concentrate efforts on a broad concern of
the community -- education
- Respect for information.
She chose to learn about all facts of the educational scene, questioning
and involving school superintendents, and other school administrators,
academic educators, teachers, students of many different interests,
corporate and small business concerns. Education Week and the Chronicle
of Higher Education were read thoroughly, marked clipped, and circulated
to fellow Board members-frequently with suggestions for action attached.
Participants never arrived "cold" for a Conference but at
least clutched their homework, having completed some exercises which
assured use of that homework prior to the Conference. She appeared at
most meetings "over-prepared" and then felt free to select
carefully what would be shared at a moment appropriate to the group's
deliberations. Terry never let us think long about only one side of
an issue, but raised questions about a point of view which was being
neglected. She recognized that emotions and varied frameworks for thinking
through an issue were "facts" in planning constructive actions
and in estimating the parameters of common good.
- High consciousness
of goals. Terry Fischer frequently used "why" questions, drawing
us to expand upon a goal, to relate to others' comments to the goal,
to rethink fundamental purposes and to devise new alternatives. Humor
for comfortable exchange was a consistent goal, with frank commentary
if members seemed not to enjoy the discussion. She held strong views,
she probed continually to stimulate thought in colleagues. As Marvin
Beckerman, Director of CECH says, "I knew that I had better be
prepared for responses that indicated some degree of wisdom and job
effectiveness, for Mrs. Fischer was intent upon insuring that CECH's
mission was continually before me and other staff so that its goals
might be fulfilled."
- Civility. No tribute
to Terry could be complete without mention of her unfailing graciousness.
Frank Morley, former Curriculum Director at Ladue School District, recalls
this graciousness expressing itself through "Terry's intelligent
understanding support of all of us on the Board." He continues
saying that she fostered growth in each of us in the same way she assured
democracy should. Thus there was great congruence in her life as she
acted out those civic and personal values she held most dear.
- Persistence. While
accepting reasonable compromises, Terry never lost sight of the educational
goal being pursued once it had been established. She was indeed a woman
of vision, competent to move others through what Marilyn Ulrich, a longtime
CECH staff member, labels "her passion for participatory citizenship
in a democracy." That passion translated into project after project
to which she attracted capable supporters and saw to completion. In
Margaret Dagen's words, "she knew how to work with, and get decisions
from, educational, political, and diverse community leaders of good
will, commitment and energy. Working with her was challenging, demanding,
rewarding and filled with realistic hope for positive end results."
Many goals may not have been reached directly, but may we have the persistence
of Terry in working toward positive results. Jane Gautier, a retired
teacher and current board member recalls, "Terry Fischer truly
believed in democracy and valued the democratic process. This belief
in democracy was complemented by her belief in people and her patience
and perseverance." Student project groups have shown these same
characteristics. Sometimes students have thought their lobbying efforts
had been successful on a particular bill only to have it fail in the
second house, or be vetoed by the governor. Generally these groups have
not given up but have persisted in the following years toward their
goals. One group lobbied successfully for a state bill curbing the use
of ATV's (All Terrain Vehicles). That did not end their participation.
They persisted by following up with research the following year on the
impact of enforcement of the law.
When student in project
groups exhibit these democratic characteristics of belief in others, patience,
and persistence, they are in a way, paying tribute to Terry Fischer. Rightly
so, for even though they did not know her personally, were it not for
her, they might not have had the opportunity to participate in the political
process as students in school.
Margaret Dagen served
on the first Board of CECH. Her initial sentences reflect our feelings,
her last sentence - our hope. "We mourn the loss of such a totally
valuable woman, and her active, challenging husband, Aaron. We are gratified
her work can go on in perpetuity, as I see no future without informed,
determined, rational, active people, dedicated to being active citizens.
It is reassuring to know there is a concern CECH Advisory Board and Staff
established at the University of Missouri - St. Louis, for Terry Fischer
belongs forever in the public educational domain."
Teresa
M. Fischer
- President of League
of Women Voters of St. Louis (1945-48)
- Mayor's Tax Commission,
St. Louis (1946) (Commission recommended earning tax for St. Louis)
- Vice-Chairman of
Lay Citizens Committee to Study Education in Missouri (1950-52)
- Member of Board
of Directors, John Burroughs School (1950-53)
- Member of Board
of Directors, Council on World Affairs (1950-53)
- President of League
of Women Voters of Missouri (1951-53)
- Delegate to National
White House Conference on Education (1956-63)
- St. Louis-St. Louis
County White House Conference on Education (1956-63)
- Member of Mark
Twain Summer Institute Board (1958-62) Chairman (1961-62 (1966-91)
- Member of Advisory
Committee of St. Louis County Handicapped Children's School District
- Chairman of committee
to Study Higher Educational Needs of Greater St. Louis (Shils Committee)
(1958-60)
- Chairman of Missouri
Citizens Committee for State Aid for Junior Colleges (1961)
- Co-Chairman of
Higher Education Coordinating Council for Metropolitan St. Louis (1963)
- Citizenship Education
Clearing House (1967-95) Chairman (1967-71)
- Webster University
Board of Directors (1970-86)
Honors
- Public Service
Award, St. Louis Argus (1957)
- Woman of Achievement,
St. Louis Globe Democrat (1959)
- Women's Honorary
Journalism Fraternity (1960)
- St. Louis Suburban
Teachers Association School Bell Award (1961)
- St. Louis Award
(1962)
- Doctor of Humanities
(Honorary), Lindenwood College (1963)
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