The years immediately following World War II saw a dramatic rise in inflation after wartime federal price controls were lifted. U.S. workers everywhere in private industry reacted by striking. During the first six months of 1946, nearly 3,000,000 workers went on strike. But public employees were not among the striking workers. Buffalo teachers changed that one week in 1947.

Teachers everywhere worked under similar conditions, and the Buffalo Teachers Federation, which represented 2,400 teachers in the Buffalo School system, attempted to negotiate a a new contract beginning in October, 1946. They were asking for a $500 cost of living adjustment for 1946-47 and a $2,000 - $4,000 salary schedule effective in September. On February 4, 1947, the BTF warned the Buffalo Mayor, Bernard J. Dowd, that it was prepared to take action on February 24 if no resolution was forthcoming. None came.

BTF president Raymond J. Ast announced on Sunday, February 23, 1947, that "teachers firmly are determined to absent themselves from duty to seek a living wage." The union struck on Monday, February 24.

In their eight-point list of reasons why they were absenting themselves from duty, the teachers pointed out that "with the cost of living at an all time high, the take home pay of teachers is less than it was in 1932 and for some teachers less than it was in 1922. Low salaries have forced many of the best teachers to resign." Their annual salaries ranged from $1,775 to $2,975.

Additionally, the city had seen a population growth of 39,000 in the previous year, creating overcrowded classrooms in buildings that were deteriorating.

Superintendent of schools, Robert T. Bapst, announced the first day that 77 schools would be closed, leaving only 18 elementary schools and 2 high schools open, Lafayette and Technical. 768 non-striking teachers reported for duty. Other unions in the city began urging parents to keep their children home in solidarity with the strikers.

The first day, 2,434 teachers did not report to work, and 64,000 of the 71,000 students stayed away from school.

By Tuesday, Lafayette students were dismissed by 10:30 because they were roaming the halls unsupervised and creating a noisome presence.

The Buffalo Teachers Federation, with offices in the Statler Hotel, began receiving a virtual avalanche of telegrams from other organizations in the country urging them to hold firm. One read, "We have voted to offer you moral and financial support in your strike because we recognize the fight of upstate teachers is the fight of all teachers." The New York State Teachers Association, which had repeatedly opposed strikes, sent its support to the BTF.

Doris Cook, aged 8, sits at the back of her classroom at P.S. 17. She showed up at the school to find nine teacherless classmates so she read to them.

The Courier-Express, Tuesday, February 25, 1947:
"In contrast to the noisy demonstrations at Lafayette and Technical High schools, students at the 18 elementary schools which opened yesterday were reported as 'very quiet,' although a few principals said some children were 'restless and upset' because of strange teachers and because of envy of the vacations of students at the 61 closed schools."

By Wednesday, Superintendent Bapst, faced with fewer students attending each day, attacked the city for failing to address the teacher's demands which would require additional funds from the city coffers. The city responded by criticizing the state education department and legislature.

Teamsters Union truckers refused to cross picket lines to deliver milk or groceries to the open schools, preventing lunch from being served. And they refused to deliver coal to schools with picket lines, leaving Lafayette with a one-day supply of coal.

On Thursday, Superintendent Bapst closed all schools. By then, the Buffalo Teachers Federation represented 97 percent of the system's teachers.

On Saturday, March 2, Mayor Dowd had a conference in his office during which no solution was found to the crisis. Afterwards, he made a statement to reporters: "The teachers are under the direct supervision of the Board of Education,' he said. 'We are not making any commitments on salary raises until such time as new taxes are authorized by legislation and same can be implemented into cash.'

"Meanwhile, the biggest public school disruption in the history of the United States neared its seventh day with a flickering hope of settlement growing still dimmer." Courier-Express, Saturday, March 1, 1947.