Prince Edward Island Teachers' Federation

PEITF History


In February, 1880, three years following the adoption of the Public School Act of Prince Edward Island, one hundred and thirty-eight teachers gathered at Upper Prince Street School to form the Teachers' Association of Prince Edward Island;

At the organizational meeting, Mr. D. Montgomery, Superintendent of Education, occupied the presidential chair and Mr. J.D. Seaman, Principal of Prince Street School acted as secretary;

In 1885, this new association was incorporated by an Act of the Legislature;

In 1903, at the annual convention of the association, efforts were made to change the association to a federation, however, this did not occur;

1920 marked the change of the Teachers' Association of Prince Edward Island to the Prince Edward Island Teachers' Union - an effort to unite to obtain improved working conditions;

The Union was dissolved in 1924 and the Prince Edward Island Teachers' Federation came into existence - a time when the total teacher population in the Province was 612; and

1945 marked the Act of Incorporation for the new Federation;

In 1897 an unsuccessful attempt was made to establish an interprovincial Association for the Maritime Provinces;

In December, 1915 the first organization publication, the Teachers' Magazine was published with Mr. J.D. Seaman as editor;

P.E.I.T.F. affiliated with the Canadian Teachers' Federation in 1924;

CTF Annual Meetings have been hosted by the Federation in 1926, 1951, 1962, 1973, 1987 and 2000;

In 1929 there was a teachers' strike for higher salaries;

The P.E.I.T.F. Newsletter was first published in 1945;

In 1947 the first office was established in the Saunders Building on Prince Street in Charlottetown;

1949 marked the provision for sick leave;

In 1950 the Federation was instrumental in the establishment of summer school for teachers;

The Grafton Street Office was purchased in the spring of 1961;

In 1964 a group disability insurance plan was developed;

1968 marked the beginning of Sabbatical Leaves;

The first collective agreement for the Province was signed in 1972; and in 1974 the present offices - Federation House - were opened in Southport;

In 1980 the Federation celebrated its "Centennial Year".

In 1986 the Federation made provisions for the presidency to be held on a full-time basis.

In 2011 the President’s term was extended.

In 2011 a Deputy General Secretary was added to staff.

Past Presidents Since 1880


1880-1885D. Montgomery
1885-1886 Neil MacLeod
1887-1888 J.D. Seaman
1888-1889 L. Millar
1892-1893 J.A. Ives
1893-1894 Ewan Stewart
1897-1898 James Landrigan
1898-1899 R.H. Campbell
1899-1900 A.P. Trowsdale
1900-1901 Norman Carruthers
1901-1902 W. D. MacIntyre
1902-1903 Alex Campbell
1903-1904 W.J. MacMillan
1905-1906 Ira J. Yeo
1906-1907 G.E. Gillis
1907-1908 J.W. Jones
1908-1909 C.W. Kielly
1909-1910 Wilfred Boulter
1910-1911 P.S. Bradley
1911-1912 M. Coughlan
1912-1913 Inspector Johnson
1913-1914 R.H. Campbell
1914-1915 Vernon Crockett
1915-1916 G.A. McCarthy
1916-1917 Leo Nelligan
1918-1919 M.E. Francis
1919-1920 R.H. Rogers
1920-1922 L.W. Shaw
1922-1923 D.J. MacArthur
1923-1925 L.T. Lowther
1925-1927 E.J.H. Morrissey
1927-1928 W.H. Yeo
1928-1929 C.B. Jelley
1929-1930 Marion Douglas
1930-1931 Leo F. MacDonald
1931-1932 Russell Leard
1932-1933 Elmer Pineau
1933-1934 Norman MacDonald
1934-1935 J.F.W. MacCallum
1935-1936 Bessie MacLeod
1936-1937 John Gillis
1937-1938 C.F. Hine
1938-1939 J. Reginald MacDonald
1939-1940 D.M. Bell
1940-1942 Edison MacDonald
1942-1944 Pius Callaghan
1944-1946 Estelle Bowness
1946-1948 Daniel MacDonald
1948-1949 James R. Murphy
1950-1952 Mabel O'Brien
1952-1954 Earl Jelley
1954-1956 Elmer Pineau
1956-1958 Mabel Matheson
1958-1960 John Hughes
1960-1962 Marjorie Dover
1962-1963 Frank Costello
1963-1964 Thomas Hall
1964-1965 Charles Campbell
1965-1967 J. Weeks Murphy
1967-1968 Francis Blanchard
1968-1969 Rufus Reid
1969-1970 Albert Fogarty
1970-1971 Archie Clark
1971-1972 Richard Noonan
1972-1973 James Blanchard
1973-1974 Wendell Deagle
1974-1975 Roberta Hubley
1975-1976 George MacDonald
1976-1977 Kimball Blanchard
1977-1978 Willard Moase
1978-1979 Gerald Praught
1979-1980 Brooke Brady
1980-1981 Frank Gillan
1981-1982 James MacAulay
1982-1984 Daphne Hodge
1984-1987 James Ross
1987-1989 Barbara Foster
1989-1991 Michel Plamondon
1991-1993 Linda McGuire
1993-1995 Leo Broderick
1995-1997 Joyce McCardle
1997-1999 Ralph Grant
1999-2001 Ed Kilfoil
2001-2003 Margaret Stewart
2003-2005 Maurice Poirier
2005-2007 Seana Evans-Renaud
2007-2009 Phyllis Horne
2009-2011 Carrie St. Jean
2011-2015 Gilles Arsenault
2015-2019 Bethany MacLeod
2019-2023 Aldene Smallman
2023-2025 Andy Doran