Laura Yarnall Warren:
Founder of the El Paso Retired Teachers Association (EPRTA)
Laura Yarnall Warren (1874–1960) was a pioneering educator and advocate for retired teachers, best known as the founder, organizer, and first president of the El Paso Retired Teachers Association (EPRTA). Her vision and leadership established the foundation for teacher retirement organizations across Texas and the nation.
Early Life and Education
Laura Yarnall was born in Battlefield, Indiana, in 1874. She married Richard Warren, who worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad, and the couple moved to El Paso, Texas, in 1907.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree from North Texas State and a Master’s Degree from Columbia University—remarkable achievements for a woman in her era, and a reflection of her lifelong dedication to education and professional excellence.
Teaching Career in El Paso
Laura Warren began teaching in El Paso during a time of rapid growth in the city’s school system. Between the 1910s and 1930s, three major high schools were built: El Paso High (1916), Bowie High (1927), and Austin High (1930). She served as a teacher of American History and Sociology at El Paso High School, where she also chaired the History Department and served as Dean of Girls. During her tenure, she helped implement the policy of uniforms for girls in 1925.
Warren’s teaching went beyond the classroom. She taught summer school, sponsored student activities, and enriched her students’ learning with community engagement. Her leadership and influence made her a respected figure among both faculty and students.
Leadership and Community Involvement
A natural leader, Laura Warren was active in numerous civic and professional organizations. She was the first president of the local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma in 1930, an organization promoting the advancement of women educators. She also served as president of the El Paso Council of Social Studies and was a charter member of a businesswomen’s organization comprised of 45 members.
Advocacy and Founding of the EPRTA
Throughout the 1920s to 1940s, Laura Warren witnessed the economic struggles of teachers during the Great Depression and beyond. She saw staff layoffs—often targeting married women first—and salary reductions of up to 28 percent. The district also faced shortened school years and contentious debates over pensions. These experiences deeply affected Warren and inspired her to advocate for fair treatment of teachers and retirees.
She was not afraid to speak up. In a 1929 discussion with the school board, when officials insisted that funds be spent on buildings rather than salaries, Warren famously replied:
“Education is not a building. Education is the teacher and the pupil taught.”
After facing mandatory retirement in 1944, Warren took action. In 1945, she founded the El Paso Retired Teachers Association—the first organization of its kind in Texas. She served as its first president from 1945 to 1947, laying the groundwork for what would later become the Texas Retired Teachers Association and influencing the national movement.
Later Life and Legacy
Laura Yarnall Warren continued to be active in education and community service after her retirement. In 1959, the National Retired Teachers Association recognized her pioneering work, an honor she considered the greatest achievement of her career.
She passed away on April 5, 1960, at the age of 85, and was laid to rest next to her husband, Richard, in El Paso at Evergreen Cemetery on Alameda Ave. Her enduring legacy is the creation of a voice for retired educators—a movement that began with thirty teachers in El Paso and now includes thousands across Texas and the nation.
Through her dedication, courage, and leadership, Laura Yarnall Warren transformed the landscape for retired teachers and ensured that their contributions to education would be honored for generations to come.
