BUFFALO, N.Y. — Philip Rumore's office inside a former funeral parlor at the corner of Porter Avenue and Niagara Street was about half emptied by Tuesday, void- for perhaps the first time -of many of the usual piles of folders, papers, and mementos.
Friday will mark a milestone as the long-time Buffalo Teachers Federation president will enter into retirement after an astonishing 42 years at the helm of the union which represents Buffalo's public school teachers.
Keep the Seat Warm, Pal...
With just a few items left to attend to among the remaining plastic toy ducks, wizard sculptures, and Albert Einstein memorabilia that anyone who ever visited the office would have become familiar with, Rumore pointed to a scrapbook assembled by a friend of when he first became the head of the union in 1981.
He also recalled being told he probably wouldn't be in office long.
"As a matter of fact I had a meeting that was with somebody that was on the team that ran against me," Rumore recalled. "He's deceased now, but he was a good guy and he said, 'You know what, Phil? You're going to be one of those one-term presidents."
Rumore ended up serving 21, two-year terms over which time there have been 13 individuals who served as Superintendent of the Buffalo Public Schools, many of whom Rumore butted heads with.
He's seen 'em all...
Asked who was the best superintendent during the past 42 years, Rumore said, "It would be hard to pick one but I would say Eugene Reville was a super, superintendent."
Reville, one of the longest-tenured school superintendents in the city's history and who was widely credited with successfully desegregating Buffalo's schools, held the post when Rumore became union president. Reville left Buffalo in 1989, only to die a year later in a car accident at age 58.
Rumore also had high praise for the district's current superintendent Tonja Williams, under whose leadership the most recent teacher's contract was worked out.
"This superintendent has turned out to be excellent as well," said Rumore. "We can disagree and she can be strong, but she is at least willing to find a common ground."
Asked to name the worst superintendent over the last 42 years, Rumore didn't hesitate. "Kriner Cash started out okay, but I think he kind of checked out at the end. But I'd say (James) Williams was the worst. He just didn't care about kids," Rumore said.
Convicted for his Convictions
"My mom always told me if you believe something then you need to stick to it," said Rumore.
Such conviction lead him to a conviction in 2000 for defying a court order and leading a teacher's strike in violation of the Taylor laws.
Sentenced to two weeks in jail, Rumore was released after a week for good behavior and recalled phoning his mother to tell her.
"I called her up and said, Mom, I'm out. And you know what she said to me? She said I'm glad you are out...but that you got out for 'good behavior' actually surprises me."
It will probably never leave him
Rumore took stock of some of the accomplishments made during his tenure, listing smaller class sizes, more help for students with school counselors, and "getting teachers paid appropriately" among them.
However, for someone leaving, it's apparent he still has a lot to say.
"We have to be teaching more critical thinking...and the educational system now has so many more challenges with resources and discipline issues than when I started. I mean, just look at what's happening in the world around us...more school shootings, and more issues making it more difficult for educators, parents, and students."
Rumore also still worries about the future of education and educators.
"I think the thing that’s changed the most is that it's now more difficult to find teachers to go into the profession. It used to be that people wanted to come in and wanted to be involved in teaching...but things have changed," he said.
However, those will be issues for the next generation of BTF leadership and Rich Nigro, who will succeed Rumore as president on July 1.
Time to Go
"I'm 81 now," said Rumore, regarding his decision to retire which he announced in April. "I thought that with the new contract approved, maybe it's time for me to start enjoying the rest of my life."
Rumore then joked, "I heard a rumor that they were bringing caseloads of champagne into the Board of Education offices to celebrate my no longer being here."
In retirement, Rumore plans to spend more time pursuing his passion for physics and reading more about his self-described hero, Albert Einstein.
"Ever since seventh grade I’ve been interested in relativity theory," said Rumore. "The book Evolution of Physics is one I've given out to everybody."
Thanks for the Memories
Eschewing award ceremonies to mark his retirement, Rumore will take with him what he described as more meaningful mementos.
Reaching into a folder crammed with cards near his desk, he said, "it really makes me feel good when I get these cards from teachers saying, thank you. It kind of chokes me up to read them. I'd rather get a card than get any kind of award."
He'll pass to the new union leadership advice passed to him by his mother when he was much younger.
"You have to be strong," he said. "But you have to be patient, you have to be open, and you have to realize you're not so smart that you know everything. You need to listen to people and then be willing to say, well you know something? Maybe you're right."