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Teaching Writing in a Decade of Change:
A Personal History of ITW

By Barbara Weaver and Beverley Pitts
Ball State University
1991

Coming into Being Creating an Institution Joining the National Agenda Collaborating and Cooperating Broadening the Base Creating Change

Coming Into Being

It can be said of Indiana Teachers of Writing, "If we say we exist, then we exist." That, in fact, is the way it all got started. The group may have modest beginnings, but it never looked that way to the public.

Several teachers of writing were talking in the fall of 1980 at an Indiana College English Association meeting about the need for a meeting which focused more on the problems of writing. From that beginning, Ron Strahl and Barbara Cambridge from IUPUI, and Joe Trimmer, Barbara Weaver, and Beverley Pitts from Ball State University decided to put together a conference for teachers of writing. It was the Lilly Foundation, through program officer H. Dean Evans, that broadened expectations and gave the support to include secondary and elementary teachers. The Indiana Humanities Council also supported that first conference with a grant. Thanks to Ron Strahl and Joe Trimmer, who wrote the grants, we had the money. So we went to work.

One of the first things we did was to contact an artist and create a logo. With the advent of the now-famous black and white pen, we came into being and the first conference, "Teaching Writing in the Eighties," was off and running. Actually, when we sent out the poster, got George Plimpton committed, and adopted a professionally designed logo, we looked as if we'd been around for awhile, but in reality, we were four or five teachers with a grant and a desk full of conference registrations.

The appearance of grandeur that first year may never be matched, however, thanks to Joe and Ron. Ron especially wanted ITW to look good. Attendance at the first conference - September 1981 - was terrific. We wondered if we could get 50 people there yet over 400 attended. However, Ron kept saying publicly that the number was above 500...above 600...close to 700, and we have had a hard time living up to those early numbers ever since.

We advertised Plimpton all over the state and held our breath because no one had actually met him. He arrived at the old Atkinson Hotel in the late afternoon on Friday. He was carrying a tennis racket, he looked lost, and he had a tear in his jacket. He wasn't sure which city he was in, but when he stepped up to the podium in front of more than 200 people, he was at home--a master story teller. With a big sigh of relief, we were off and running.

Thanks to the National Council of Writing Program Administrators, that first conference also featured Elaine Maimon, who had just published her writing across the curriculum book, and Harvey Wiener, author of Any Child Can Write. Top notch speakers became a draw, and the group began a strategy of identifying a Friday night speaker who would appeal to writing teachers yet still be entertaining.

Creating An Institution

For the second (now annual) convention, Ron Strahl booked Indiana writer and storyteller Jean Shepherd. He was another big draw. When he first appeared in the lobby in a green polyester jacket and turquoise string tie, we were even more w orried than with Plimpton. But Shepherd also rose to the occasion and gave one of the most entertaining performances the group has ever had. We were beginning to learn that off-camera oddities didn't matter if the performance was good.

By the second convention, which had a favorite theme, "Johnny and Jane Can Write," lTW was on the way to becoming an institution. Eleven book exhibitors showed up and the program was packed with good sessions. More than 400 teachers enjoyed sessions ranging from "Improving the Teaching of Writing in Elementary Schools," to "Teaching Kids to Write Poetry," "Consistency in Grading," and "Computers in Writing." The computer topic was introduced to us by Patty Carlson from Rose Hulman and Cathy Steele from Nicholson Elementary School. The program even included a workshop titled "Composition K-12: A Process-Based Curriculum," taught by Joanne Frye, Helen Hollingsworth, and Jan Strahl, high school, middle school, and elementary teachers from Bloomington. Barbara Weaver gave the plenary address, "Johnny and Jane Can Write If..."

That year, 1982, ITW really became official. The group ratified a constitution, elected a board and even named official committees. In addition to the founders, the new board included Marshall Gregory, Jan Guffin, Barbara Poore (then with the Peanut Butter Press), Ed Uehling, Kyle Hopkins, and Sonia Matthew. Ron Strahl was named executive director. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment was to initiate the Journal of Teaching Writing which published its first volume in the spring of 1982. Things were not all that systemized yet, though. In June 1983, Ron Strahl sent a letter to the board saying, "I must have help in stuffing envelopes and getting the mailing out. Last year I did it myself and it took two weeks." We did help, and it became a regular August activity for the board to come to Indy for a stuffing party.

By the fall of 1983, the checking account contained $10,000 and the minutes started looking official. Again Joe Trimmer helped obtain speakers. We enjoyed the Trillins Calvin at the Friday banquet and Alice at the Saturday luncheon. The theme that year was "Images and Reflections." Marshall Gregory was the program chair, and Jan Guffin and Beverley Pitts gave the plenary address titled "The Write Image." Connections seemed to be the underlying theme. Programs ranged from "The Reading and Writing Connection" to "Non-Academic Avenues to Language Stimulation for Children."

Just in case we were beginning to take ourselves too seriously, another great thing happened at the fall conference in 1983. Don Herring was elected secretary, and the minutes took a turn toward the creative. In the minutes of the July 9 meeting, Don wrote, "As Ed's eyes glazed over for the second time, the vice president sensed it was time for the lunch break. We broke at 12:24 to gather at 1:30. On the way down to the lobby, we noted with pleasure the number and speed of the Hilton's elevators." In that group enjoying the elevators was Vernell Fettig, who also joined the board. Helen Hollingsworth, Billy Kreigh, and Denise Walker were elected board members in1984.

Creative writing wasn't Don's only contribution to ITW. He was the treasurer, helped to obtain legal counsel, and drafted many of ITW's formal documents. By May of 1984, TTW had enough in the treasury to deposit $12,000 in an interest-earning account.

Barbara Cambridge was the program chair for the fall convention in 1984 on the theme, "The Write Kind of Competency." As the posters demonstrated, the stark, sharp, contrasting black and white scheme which was adopted to save money--had by now become the visual distinction for ITW.

The conference was big enough by then to move out of the old Atkinson Hotel to the Hilton. Barbara put together an excellent program with William Zinsser, author of Writing with a Word Processor, and Adrienne Bailey from ETS as the featured speakers. The issue of competency as defined by legislators, administrators, teachers, parents, and students was the focus of the conference. President Marshall Gregory gave the plenary address on "Writing, Literacy, and the Liberal Arts."

We must have been successful those first few years, because by May 1985, Helen Hollingsworth wrote in a recruiting letter, "Dear Indiana Teacher, I am writing to invite you to join one of the most popular and productive organizations in the midwest: ITW. "

Joining the national agenda

By 1985, teachers were faced with the national specter of E.D. Hirsch, and ITW responded with a conference focused on the theme, "Writing and Culture; Literacy and Culture." Ed Uehling developed that conference program.

A special feature was a panel discussion about media literacy with local television personalities Dick Wolfsie, Jim Scott, Susan Conner, and Tom Cochrun. The presentation later became an article for the journal. Response from the audience was very positive, except for one person who said the room was too crowded, always good news for ITW.

The plenary session also focused on literacy, especially on the public view of cultural literacy, and included State Representative Marilyn Schultz, local business leader Tom Binford, and Assistant Superintendent of South Bend Schools Lynn Miller. The session was convened by Paul Ranieri of Ball State University and Wanda Worley of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. The literacy theme extended to the Friday night banquet which featured Chicago-based political writer Garry Wills. On Saturday, Joseph Williams of the University of Chicago offered his views on language, literacy, and culture.

Perhaps the overall program was more diverse and comprehensive than it had ever been. Thirty-four different sessions involving 76 presenters were available to the more than 400 attendees. Subjects included "Stage Write," by Mary Clawson, Anne Henck and Denise Walker; "The Process on the Word Processor," by Carl Zager; and "Writing About Reading," by Debra Boes, Patricia Spencer, Judy Lucas, and Tom Kinzer.

That year, Ron Strahl moved west to California and Barbara Cambridge moved from president to executive director by unanimous vote of the board. New members Sandra Clark, Barbara Zimmer, Ed Kline, and Leslie Ballard joined the board. IUPUI became the permanent home base of ITW and was funding the journal with support of $12,500 per year.

In 1984, the Indiana Department of Education had begun to develop proficiency guidelines for all major curriculum areas. Through 1985 and '86 many Indiana Teachers of Writing helped to write the language arts standards that now undergird the Indiana Statewide Test for Educational Progress (ISTEP). ITW's Sheila Ewing guided this process for the state, and the ITW Board served as official reviewers for language arts proficiency guidelines.

We explored the implications of ISTEP and the "A+ Plan" for education at our sixth conference: "Indiana at the Crossroads: Classroom, Curriculum, Competency." Plenary speakers H. Dean Evans and Clyde Ingle talked, about connections between curriculum and competency in writing instruction before another full house. Several members led workshops to introduce the new language arts guides to our constituents. We almost matched Ron's past glories with an attendance of 525 teachers.

Collaborating and cooperating

ITW was becoming more visible and more collaborative. One session at the 1986 conference was "What's in a Name?" by student winners of the high school writing contest co-sponsored by ITW and the Indiana Humanities Council. Another spotlighted winners of the "Computers and Writing Instruction" contest conducted by ITW and the Indiana Clearinghouse for Computer Education.

The editors of College English, College Composition and Communication, and Indiana English joined ITW's editor for a discussion of publication in the field. Teachers from the Cummins Engine Writing Project shared the results of collaborative, interdisciplinary programs. Jim Pictor and Miriam Revel-Wood joined the board.

The 1986 meeting will be remembered most vividly as the night when featured speaker Joseph Epstein was grounded at O'Hare, and board member Steve Scheer, then a newcomer, gallantly repeated his "Fictitious Term Paper" for an appreciative dinner crowd. Epstein recently wrote about our refusal to pay his fee in an American Scholar essay called "Money is Funny."

Later that year ITW re-confirmed IUPUI's generous sponsorship of the Journal. Barbara Cambridge was elected to a four-year term as editor. Jan Guffin's tireless work with the publications committee led to a long-term affiliation with IUPUI and a professional journal staff, including managing editor Kim Lovejoy.

By August of 1987, we had $26,000 in the bank-to the delight of new treasurer Barbara Zimmer. Of course, we hadn't yet paid our fall conference bills which were running between $12,000 and $14,000 or settled our journal accounts. Still, the small cushion of capital helped to keep the costs of membership, journal subscriptions, and conference attendance at bargain rates.

Denise Walker chaired the fall conference whose theme, "Writing: An Interactive Activity," brought us back from political arenas to the personal worlds of ITW classrooms. The plenary session was an encore by Channel 13 anchor Tom Cochrun, with print media colleagues Jo Ellen Myers Sharp and Harrison Ullmann. Interactive presentations ranged from "The Rainbow Connection" to "WEEDS," or "Write an Essay Every Day." Karen Molter's middle school students presented their "Novel Assignment." We heard from principals, patrons, and dramatists. Librarian Jean Carr enchanted her audience with the origami project "One Thousand Cranes."

A dinner theatre of "Scribbles: A Writer's Dream," written and played by Lafayette School students and a spell-binding performance on "places of view" by the playwright Shirley Lauro maintained the dramatic flair. Denise installed "Stone Soup" and another episode of the widely popular "Ask Helen." New board members taking office after that conference were Deborah Corpus, Paul Ranieri, and Lois Vance.

For the eighth conference, engineer Ed Kline said "all aboard" for the first conference in the Holiday Inn at Union Station. In keeping with the locale, the conference theme was "Creative Connections: Writing and Literature." It reflected ITW's perennial focus on interactions, collaborations, integrations. How fitting for the first K-through-college writing teachers network in the United States! Some "hot topics" appeared on our membership survey: we cared about teaching critical skills and writing poetry and fiction. We wanted to learn about current theory and research, ways to use computers in the classroom, and advanced credit writing courses.

A pre-conference session on Thursday evening continued the traditional discussions of writing assessment, as Sheila Ewing, Jan Guffin, and Dennis Orwin considered "Writing Competency: Will Johnny and Jane Make the Grade?" The plenary speakers Sonia Gernes, Tom Koontz, and Ann Loux explored writing and literature connections. Featured speakers were syndicated columnist William Raspberry and Purdue's Jim Berlin, who spoke of the politics of "competency" and urged that we "resist the numbers crunchers."

Broadening the base

The professional tension among those who teach writing as a cognitive act, or as social action, or as political activism is always much in evidence at ITW meetings. But innovative teachers continued to share classroom ideas at the fall conference. For instance, Kathy Sherman presented "Astrologists and Advice Columnists Encounter MacBeth and Madame Bovary," Carlo Johnson offered "The Taming of the Abstract," and Faye Nelson discussed anecdotal history in "The Palace is Ours."

Board members for 1988-89 included Imy Rhule, Sharon Hamilton-Wieler, John Feaster, and Kathy Sherman. Under program chair Sheila Ewing, the ninth fall conference moved to the new Indianapolis Westin Hotel--the fourth downtown location. Another tradition--the pre-conference evening--introduced ITW to the latest and best in children's books. Reinforcing the theme, "Writing and the Other Arts," was plenary speaker Lucy McCormick Calkins, who spoke of "new frontiers" in the teaching of writing. Bloomington author Scott Sanders fascinated the dinner crowd with a show-and-tell about his collaboration with a photographer to produce the book Stone Country. Psychologist Howard Gardner wrapped up the conference with a talk on "Intelligence and Creativity in the Arts."

Other sessions ranged from the down-to-earth (curriculum development, writing portfolios, and teacher/research) to the head-in-the-clouds ("perspective" in writing and painting, "mind magic," and the advertiser as poet). Debbie Corpus lined up twenty-three exhibitors and, again with Nancy Conner's leadership, the Indiana Humanities Council and ITW kicked-off the 1990 high school essay contest on "Images of the S/ Hero." The service committee reported on new projects: the K-through-8 writing conference with the Indiana Computer Consortium, and yet another grant from the Indiana Humanities Council for the Middle School Writing Project in cooperation with the Indiana Newspapers in Education group.

Creating change

The history of ITW would be incomplete without a rundown of the Spring Seminar, the annual "R & R" attracting fifty to 100 members for serious study and socializing. Begun in l982, Spring Seminars have brought Nancy Summers on revision, Ken Bruffee on collaborative learning, William Strong on sentence combining, and Don McQuade on author ownership.

Participants won't forget Gabrielle Rico's slide show on clustering or honorary ITW member Hugh Burns talking about computers: the "empowering tools." Lee Odell on cognition, Lil Brannon on the teacher/researcher, and Robert Probst on literature and composition rounded out the decade. And we've found great country-and western music from Brown County to South Bend!

We have learned greater appreciation for our colleagues up, down, and across the curriculum. We have been forced to abandon the "trickle-down" theory of educational criticism: that is, to blame this year's writing problems on last year's writing teacher.

ITW has accomplished change; influenced state curriculum, textbook adoptions, and testing; offered useful educational opportunities for writing teachers; published a nationally recognized journal devoted to writing at every stage of development; and helped to educate our various "publics" about the principles and priorities of our work. We owe our financial beginnings to the Lilly Endowment and much of our long-term success to the consistent support of the Indiana Humanities Council. We owe our central office and our excellent journal to Indiana University at Indianapolis. We owe our thanks for years of logistical help to a fine staff of writing teachers at IUPUI. The home institutions--colleges, universities, agencies, and schools--of board members, program chairs, and presidents have made direct grants and countless in-kind contributions. We owe them our gratitude.

But we owe our spirit and our life-blood to the teachers who are the Indiana Teachers of Writing.

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