Ethel Percy Andrus
Encyclopedia
Ethel Percy Andrus was a long-time educator and the first woman high school principal in California
. She was also the founder of AARP
in 1958. In 1995 she was designated a Women's History Month
Honoree by the National Women's History Project
.
in 1903 and a bachelor of science
degree from Lewis Institute (now Illinois Institute of Technology
) in 1918. She then went on to receive her master's (1928) and doctoral (1930) degrees from the University of Southern California
.
Andrus founded a separate organization, the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA) in 1947. She realized that retired teachers were living on incredibly small pensions, often without any health insurance
. She approached more than 30 companies to offer health insurance to retired teachers, before she found someone willing to take a chance on NRTA members in 1956. The organization expanded its membership to all retirees and became AARP in 1958.
In 1954 she moved to Ojai, California
, to start Grey Gables of Ojai, an NRTA sponsored retirement community. She ran both NRTA and AARP from her offices in Ojai until 1964 when she moved the administrative branch of AARP-NRTA to Long Beach. It was while living in Ojai that she founded AARP in 1958.
Today, the NRTA is still a division of AARP, and serves as its educator community. AARP continues to follow Andrus’ guiding principles: Collective voice, collective purchasing power, and the collective ability to do good and give back through service. AARP continues to follow the motto she created, “To serve, not to be served.”
The Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center
is named after her at the University of Southern California
Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
, the oldest and largest existing professional school of Gerontology.
Among Andrus' many accomplishments is a stint as a faculty member at Chicago
's Lewis Institute, a predecessor of Illinois Institute of Technology
and the first woman high school principal in the state of California. She was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame
in 1993.
She is buried at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, California
.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She was also the founder of AARP
AARP
AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is the United States-based non-governmental organization and interest group, founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, PhD, a retired educator from California, and based in Washington, D.C. According to its mission statement, it is "a...
in 1958. In 1995 she was designated a Women's History Month
Women's History Month
Women's History Month is an annual declared month worldwide that highlights contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. March has been set aside as this month in the United Kingdom and in the United States...
Honoree by the National Women's History Project
National Women's History Project
The National Women's History Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and preserving women's history. Based out of Santa Rosa, California since 1980, it was started by women's history activists Molly Murphy MacGregor, Mary Ruthsdotter, Maria Cuevas, Paula Hammett and Bette...
.
Life
She earned a bachelor of philosophy (S.B. or Scientiæ Baccalaureus) degree from the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1903 and a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Lewis Institute (now Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
) in 1918. She then went on to receive her master's (1928) and doctoral (1930) degrees from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
Andrus founded a separate organization, the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA) in 1947. She realized that retired teachers were living on incredibly small pensions, often without any health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
. She approached more than 30 companies to offer health insurance to retired teachers, before she found someone willing to take a chance on NRTA members in 1956. The organization expanded its membership to all retirees and became AARP in 1958.
In 1954 she moved to Ojai, California
Ojai, California
Ojai is a city in Ventura County, California, USA. It is situated in the Ojai Valley , surrounded by hills and mountains. The population was 7,461 at the 2010 census, down from 7,862 at the 2000 census.-History:Chumash Indians were the early inhabitants of the valley...
, to start Grey Gables of Ojai, an NRTA sponsored retirement community. She ran both NRTA and AARP from her offices in Ojai until 1964 when she moved the administrative branch of AARP-NRTA to Long Beach. It was while living in Ojai that she founded AARP in 1958.
Today, the NRTA is still a division of AARP, and serves as its educator community. AARP continues to follow Andrus’ guiding principles: Collective voice, collective purchasing power, and the collective ability to do good and give back through service. AARP continues to follow the motto she created, “To serve, not to be served.”
The Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center
Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center
The Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center, one of the first centers for gerontology research in the U.S., was founded at the University of Southern California in 1964. The center was expanded in 1975 with the inception of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, the first school of gerontology in...
is named after her at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
The Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, a leader in the field of gerontology, has pioneered educational programs including the world's first Ph.D. in Gerontology, the first joint Master's degree in Gerontology and Business Administration, and the first...
, the oldest and largest existing professional school of Gerontology.
Among Andrus' many accomplishments is a stint as a faculty member at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Lewis Institute, a predecessor of Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
and the first woman high school principal in the state of California. She was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame
National Women's Hall of Fame
The National Women's Hall of Fame is an American institution. It was created in 1969 by a group of people in Seneca Falls, New York, the location of the 1848 Women's Rights Convention...
in 1993.
She is buried at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, California
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
.