1930-1931 The Beginning
At Sapulpa High School, outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, the principal, E.H. McCune gave student council a great many responsibilities. To foster idea exchange and problem solving, McCune and Sapulpa HS hosted a central Oklahoma meeting for state's first student council presidents. The Student Council President at Sapulpa was Warren E. Shull, a teenager much as those today. He had the idea, or vision, that this type of meeting would be good to have at the state level.
His idea kept building, until he heard and met Willis Sutton, National Education Association President, at the Oklahoma State meeting. Sutton asked Shull to attend the NEA annual convention and to begin plans for a department within NEA for Student Government Presidents. The teenager, Shull, with very little money traveled by train during the early days of the Depression to the 1931 NEA Convention in Los Angeles. He held the first national meeting of student officers, even though there were only nine people present.
In 1932, the NEA Convention was in New Jersey, and Shull hitchhiked to it. At this convention the National Association of Student Government Officers was formally created with Shull elected as President. Warren Shull continued to foster the student organization, while attending college, until 1936 when the name was changed to National Association of Student Officers (NASO) and joined NEA at its headquarters in Chicago, IL. By 1936 Shull's perseverance and dedication to the student council idea and early enthusiasm of other students, educators, and individual advisers had made great contributions to the survival and growth of the NASO. The NASO meeting in 1936 had grown to 200 attendees. Meetings continued to be held at the NEA convention until 1942 and the on set of World War II.
1935 The first magazine for student officers, "Student Leader", was published. It was an eight page magazine and was published monthly during the school year. In 1937 the publication changed its title to "Student Life".
1940 NASO changed names again to the current National Association of Student Councils (NASC), and Ms. Grace Anderson of Glover Cleveland HS in Queens, New York served as Executive Secretary of the organization. Anderson was also President of an advisers group, the National Association of Sponsors of Student Participation in School Administration, which was allied with NEA.
1942 Dr. Paul E. Elicker, NASSP Executive Secretary, becomes Executive Secretary. Mr. Walter Hess of NASSP is given the day to day operation of NASC on a part-time basis.
1943 The National Association of Secondary School Principals, NASSP becomes the sponsoring and supporting organization for NASC. For the first time in its 13-year history, NASC receives full support from a parent organization. NASC through its alliance with NASSP, gets an even louder, more credible voice. NASC has grown to 200 member schools.
1947 NASC has grown to 1,900 member schools with 20 state associations and requires a full-time Director. Dr. Elicker hires Gerald M. Van Pool to serve as the first NASC Director, a position he held for 23 years, unti 1970. Van Pool came from Wisconsin where he was Executive Secretary of the Hish School Student Council Association. As the director's position was a new one, there were no guidelines or precedents to follow. To justify its existence, NASC would have to provide talented leadership, help to determine the aims and objectives of the student council movement, and outline worthy projects and activities. As a practical matter, it would also have to build NASC membership to obtain operating funds for new services.
An Advisory Committee is selected by the NASC office, the state associations, and the NASSP Board of Directors to help establish goals, develop programs, and advise the Director.
At this time, about 20 states had loosely organized state student council associations, among them were:
Indiana State Associations of Student Councils
West Virginia Student Co-Government Association
To help unify NASC, Van Pool asked that all associations use the name (State) Association of Student Councils. NASC offered its support and services to the state secretaries in an effort to have them to serve a three-year minimum term, thereby providing a stronger base for the state associations. To the states that did not have associations, NASC sent model state constitutions and a step-by-step procedure for holding a state constitutional convention.
1948 After the war, the NASC returned to holding an annual conference. This time on its own, not at the NEA convention. It was held at Coolidge HS in Washington, D.C. and it was limited to 400 delegates. The responsibility for selecting conference delegates was given to the state associations.
the 1950's - Student Council was primarily focused on the social needs of the school without addressing student issues and concerns.
1951 NASC continues to increase its services to states and make student councils stronger. NASC collected valuable information on student council practices and procedures and reported them through articles and publications. Prior to these publications little had been written about student councils. The articles helped to give the student council movements a sense of direction, to explain the reasons for student council, and to help principals and council advisers fit student council into student activity programs.
1952 A small summer workshop was held in Colorado at Camp La Foret, under the leadership of George Mathes. It provided valuable training in directing a student activity program. This workshop was the model of the annual National Leadership Camps held each summer.
1956 The International European Tours for International Understanding Program was initiated with a six-week tour of Europe. The tour was promoted by G. Van Pool for international understanding among students in various countries. The program continues in 1959, 1962, 1965, 1968 and ended in 1970 when the cost became prohibitive.
1958 NASC writes a new Constitution becoming the first NASC Constitution since the founding documents were NASGO in the 1930's... (NOTE: The lastest revision was adopted in 1995.)
The Williamsburg Student Burgesses Program was done in cooperation with Colonial Williamsburg. The program was designed to bring together outstanding student leaders from each state, along with students from other countries, to share ideas and discuss national and world problems. The program thrived for 14 years until 1971.
1959 NASC assumes control of the National Leadership Training Camp, operating at Camp Cheley, Colorado.
The 1960's represented a struggle between student council and school administration trying to define the legitimate role of a student representative organization in a secondary school.
1963 All 50 states have state student council associations providing such services as leadership workshops and an organization of statewide student council projects for member schools.
The 1970's Student Council suffered from the social and political upheaval that was all around.
1970 Robert Fitzsimmons, a principal at John F. Kenneday HS in Iowa is appointed Director of the Office of Student Activities at NASSP, and thus the responsibility on managing NASC.
The NASC Advisory Committee structure is completely changed. One student and one adult, teacher or administrator, is selected by each region to sit on the committee. The committee will lead NASC and a national president will no longer be elected.
1972 Robert Gaut from Louisiana is chosen as the new NASSP Student Activities Director. NASC has a new direction, to stress leadership training and provide resources for member schools.
Two more leadership camp sites were added to the one in Colorado.
1973 The National Association of Student Advisers (NASAA) was formed. This association includes advisers for NASC, NHS, NJHS and many other clubs/ organizations in secondary schools.
1974 Terry Giroux takes over the reins as Director of Student Activities. Giroux began a new titled magazine, "Student Advocate", and began a new direction for NASC. A more vital, more relevant NASC was the goal - To tackle topics discussed in the cafeteria, the halls, ni student government meetings, and in the classroom.
The International Student Leadership Program took 100 U.S. students to five European cities to participate in intensive leadership training sessions in their shipboard classrooms. Today the NASSP's Partnerships International Department organizes international exchanges.
The 1980's student-initiated, student-implemented, and student-sponsored activities are now thought of as an integral part of the school's curriculum. The role of student council is fully addressed.
1981 A new logo was developed for NASC in recognition of NASC's 50th anniversary. Founder Warren E. Shull is on hand for the celebration.
National Leadership Camps now number seven, with five senior high and two middle level camps offering leadership training.
1982 The NASC Advisory Committee is re-named the NASC Executive Board with a major revision of the Constitution. Additional amendments were made in 1984, 1990, and the most recent in 1995.
The Department of Student Activities is formed within NASSP to manage the many associations, programs, and services for members.
1986 Dale Hawley, a principal from New York state, becomes the Director of Student Activities at NASSP.
1988 The Publication for student activities is re-named "Leadership for Student Activities".
1989 The Warren E. Shull Adviser of the Year awards are established to honor outstanding student council advisers at the state, regional, and national levels. The first recipient is Kay Baker of L.D. Bell High School in Texas.
1993 The first NASC Area Conference was held in Fairmont, West Virginia. Area Conferences were developed to enhance state programs, expand the outreach of NASC, and offer multi-state experiences for those who could not attend the NASC National Conference.
1994 Leadership of the NASSP Department of Student Activities and NASC is assumed by Rocco Marano, after working in DSA for 18 years.
1997 The First National Leadership Academy was held to bring state officers together for specialized training.