The first Literacy Council of Fredericton was founded in 1978. The Laubach style of teaching was founded by literacy pioneer and missionary, Frank Laubach whose materials incorporated vocabulary development and comprehensive exercises. Dr. Laubach’s challenge “Each one teach one” continues as a challenge today.
While the Laubach Way to read was the initial program used by the Council, in the mid 1980’s three new programs (Challenger, Endeavor, Voyager) were added to challenge more advanced learners. In the meantime a demand for English as a Second Language
(ESL) tutoring grew and after volunteers were trained, the program was introduced in 2004.
The first President was Joyce Astle (1978-1983) and the first Student-Tutor Co-Ordinator was Dib Watson (1978-1979). There was no Office Manager; however, there was a Librarian who coordinated all the literacy materials and established the Literacy Council Library in 1986. When long time Librarian Juanita Fowler retired in 2002, the first “part time” Office Manager/Librarian was hired in 2003. In 2005 the position of Librarian was dropped and Student-Tutor Co-Ordinator and Office Manager were combined. In 2016 the title was changed to Executive Director.
The LCF office was established at the Charlotte Street Centre of the New Brunswick Community College (now Charlotte Street Art Centre) from 1978 until it closed in 1998. It was moved to the Victoria Health Centre where it remained until 2024. In the beginning the room was used for an office until 2004 when the Board opted to occupy two rooms with one of them to be used as a Student-Tutor room. In 2015 the United Way’s “Day of Caring” provided assistance when the Student-Tutor room underwent a major renovation which added greatly to the learning atmosphere.
In 2015, the Board made the decision to change the name to Adult Literacy Fredericton (ALF). Laubach Literacy Fredericton Inc. was to remain the official title while ALF would be the “public face”.
President - Dan Horsman
Vice President - Mo Kinlad
Secretary - Lisa Oblenis
Treasurer - Kaely Scott
Director - Vivian Farrar
Director - Joan Somerville
Director - Alexis LeFait
Director - Meghan Jagoe
Director - Vinita Achankunju