Luminaries

Richard D. Batchelder

"Batch," as he was known, served as NEA president from 1965 to 1966, and, along with ATA President R. J. Martin, signed the historic NEA-ATA merger agreement.

Batchelder was born March 19, 1925, in Canton, Massachusetts. He graduated from Boston University in 1949, where he majored in American History. Two years later he earned a master's degree from Bridgewater (Massachusetts) State College. Batchelder was the first NEA president to earn his education under the G.I. Bill.

After serving during World War II as an aviation radioman, Batchelder decided to become a teacher. He taught in the Chatham area (Massachusetts) and eventually took on Association work. As president of the Chatham Teachers Association, he negotiated a salary schedule in the 1950s that became a model for New England teachers and dramatically increased area membership.

Batchelder was elected president of NEA's Department of Classroom Teachers in 1959—the largest department within the Association. He held several other leadership positions prior to the presidency, including two terms on the Executive Committee beginning in 1961, and a term as vice president from 1964 to 1965.