Alpha Gamma State History

The Beginning
Legend
Most Recent
Links to Documents

The Beginning

In 1936, Miss Mary Browning of Louisville attended a meeting of the Department of Superintendents in Atlantic City and heard Delta Kappa Gammian Mrs. Norma Smith Bristow Salter of Alabama speak. While engaging in conversation later, Mrs. Salter sparked an interest in Miss Browning concerning the purposes, especially the first of Delta Kappa Gamma. The result was the organization of Alpha Gamma State. On March 24, 1937, at the Brown Hotel in Louisville twelve pledges were initiated by the National President, Miss Mamie Bastian of Austin, Texas. The following women were initiated (following their name is the name of the school where they spent most of their careers):

 

Initiates	School
Ms. Emma Y. Case	Eastern Kentucky University
Mrs. Naomi Claypool	Morehead State University
Miss Alice Keyes	Murray State University
Miss Nan Lacy	Fayette County School System
Miss Ethel Lovell	Louisville Pre-Vocational School
Miss Roselyn Lowenstein	Louisville Public Schools
Dr. Ethel Lee Parker	University of Kentucky
Miss Nell Pearson	University School at University of Kentucky
Miss Mary E. Ransdell	Lexington Public Schools
Miss Sara Rives	Covington
Miss Mary Browning	Louisville Public Schools
Miss Clara Rimmer	University of Florida

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Legend

According to legend the twelve women were divided into two groups--those living nearer Louisville and those living nearer Lexington. It was agreed that a flip of a coin would determine which chapter would be named the first chapter, Alpha, and the first state president would be elected from the second chapter, Beta. Thus, Louisville became the Alpha Chapter and Dr. Ethel Lee Parker from Beta Chapter in Lexington was elected the first state president.

From the beginning of these two chapters in 1937, Alpha Gamma State has expanded to 37 chapters located across Kentucky. Initially, candidates for membership were generally identified with the Kentucky Education Association (KEA) District in which they resided or taught. expansion to a foreign country was accomplished in 1978 when Alpha Gamma State sponsored an Alpha Chapter of eighteen members in El Salvador in Central America. 

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Most Recent

Former state president Karen Martin has written a more recent history for Alpha Gamma State that chronicles from the beginning to the current organization.

Click here to read the file.

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Documents

Annie Award History List
Golden Gift Leadership Management Seminar
Alpha Gamma State Past State Presidents
30-50 Year Membership List

 

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