History of NAMLE

The Birth of an Organization

During the school year 1986-87, Marlin Spellmeyer, Ogallala

Middle School Principal, and Dick Meyer, Holdrege Middle School

Principal, were invited to serve on the External Evaluation Team for

the Broken Bow Public School system.  These two principals were

assigned to study and report on the Broken Bow Middle School

operation which was under the leadership of Louie Stithem, Principal.

During the evening these three principals sat in Louie Stithem’s

office and began discussing the status of middle schools in the

State of Nebraska.  At that time, middle schools were not very

plentiful throughout the state and the philosophic concept of middle

school operations was in its early stages, but gaining strength.  The

idea of having a statewide middle school organization serving

principals, teachers, parents, and students was suggested.  Other

surrounding states had such  organizations, so why not Nebraska?

This would provide a “vehicle” for those involved in, and committed

to, the middle school philosophy to network and further promote

the concept.  This is where “NAMLE” (as it would eventually be

named) was actually “conceived.”

These three middle school principals wrote letters to principals

currently working in middle and junior high schools in the state

inviting them to a meeting in Kearney, Nebraska, to put forth the

idea and feasibility of formulating such a statewide organization.

Also invited was Rex Reckaway, a University of Nebraska at

Lincoln Professor who was commonly known as the “guru” of junior

high school operations in the State of Nebraska, and Dean O’Hanlon

also representing UNL.  Approximately 35-40 professionals

attended that first meeting.  The general concept received

support and further meetings were scheduled to begin the task of

formulating an organization.

A “groundwork” committee continued to search for by-laws and

constitutions of other organizations for study.  Dick Meyer of

Holdrege made contacts with a lawyer in his community who

provided legal information surrounding the formulation of a non-

profit organization.  Eventually, all the necessary “ingredients”

were put together.  A set of by-laws and a constitution were

adopted, the very first officers were elected from this groundwork

committee, and NAMLE was born.