The National Delta Kappa Gamma Society was nine years old when Dr. Annie Webb Blanton, the National Founder, made the long trip by train from Austin, Texas, to Lansing, Michigan, to officiate at the ceremonies which would initiate the Michigan Founders and install the first two chapters of the state. The Hotel Olds was the site where, on Saturday, May 28, 1938, fifteen of the nineteen women* from Michigan colleges and universities who had accepted the invitation of Dr. Blanton to be Founders were initiated along with those they brought with them. Each city was allowed to choose key women teachers from its area for the initiation, with a minimum of twelve members needed to form a chapter.

Effie Downer, first Alpha Iota State President remembered:
Alpha and Beta Chapters were organized on the same day that Michigan was founded. As soon as we were initiated and had elected state officers, Annie Webb Blanton asked all the Detroit people to go to one side of the room. Those from Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor also met and because these two groups had twelve members or more, they were installed as Chapters Alpha and Beta. Several other cities lacked only a few of the required number. Much interest was aroused by the other towns represented, and Gamma Chapter was installed early in 1939. Dr. Blanton was present and supervised the whole thing. We were all so green she had to direct each move.

State Officers were elected and installed. Miss Effie Downer became the first State President. The two chapters also selected their officers with Maude E. Fiero of Detroit as the president of Alpha Chapter and Marion F. Stowe of Ypsilanti as president of Beta Chapter.

* Only nineteen were considered founders because Dr. Blanton had made a rule that no more than eighteen were to be listed as Founders in any one state. Laura B. Millar, the only public school representative from the public schools, was leaving for Europe on the day set for initiation so Dr. Blanton decided to initiate her the night before the event at the official initiation. Dr. Butler had carried on long correspondence with Dr. Blanton, but three weeks before the initiation she was taken to the University Hospital and died there of cancer June 16 without ever having been discharged. Dr. Watson was absent with a conflicting commitment and was initiated later. Dr. Ruth Barber had been invited to go to Atlantic City in February to be initiated in order that she might assist Dr. Blanton with organizing the new state in May.