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On January 28, 1956, Mrs. Lottye K. McCall, XI State President of Delta Kappa Gamma , conducted the initiation of charter members into Alpha Lambda Chapter in Memphis. The ceremony took place at 5:30 o'clock in the afternoon at the Parkview hotel. Charter members were: Mrs. Sarah G. Boisen, Mrs. Mary L. Butler, Mrs. Virginia Caradine, Mrs. Audrey Epperson, Miss Rachael Everett, Miss Bess A. Fountain, Miss Frances Gandy, Miss Mildred Gattis, Miss Ruth E. Knowlton, Miss Helen Lowrance; Niss Ida Pearl Mann, Miss Mary Frances McCarley, Miss Alberta McIsaac, Miss Helen B. Moore, Miss Vivian Newman, Miss Estelle Patton, Miss Sara Printup, Miss Jane L. Richards, Miss Elma Roane, Mrs. Margaret Scott, Miss Elizabeth Sledge, Miss Elsie Stone, Miss Margaret Thompson, Miss Lorena Messon, and Niss Dorothy Wolf.
Miss Margaret Williams, president of Epsilon, the sponsoring chapter, presided as toast mistress at the banquet following the initiation ceremony. Other officers who assisted were: Miss Eliza Wellford, Miss Ruth James, Miss Nelle Moore, Mrs. Eunice Murray, Miss Susiebelle Wade, and Miss Louise Bee.
The society colors, crimson and gold, were featured in the decorations. Each table had a center piece of American Beauty roses arranged in a burnished brass bowl, with crimson tapers burning in brass candelabra.
Mrs. McCall was the speaker at the banquet. Her subject was "Recruitment - An Obligation And An Opportunity". Other state officers who attended were Miss Imelda Stanton, corresponding secretary, and Miss Margaret McCorkle, treasurer.
Mrs. L. W. Hughes, then state senator from the Tenth District, and an honorary state member and state chairman of legislation for Delta Kappa Gamma Society, was a special guest at the meeting and banquet. Other Epsilon officers who had charge of arrangements were: Miss Hattie Bius, Mrs. Hyrtle Cobb, Mrs. Mildred Seay, and Miss Rose Parkinson.During our first year of organization, our programs were instructive ones including the background, history, and purposes of Delta Kappa Gamma, and a study of the Handbook.
In 1956-57, the following were initiated: Miss Claire Cayce, Miss Claire Elliott, Miss Lucille Patton, Miss Dorothy Smith, Mrs. Carolyn McCalla, and Mrs. Inez Martin, a transfer.Professional Growth: Living a Productive Life was the program theme for the year 1957-58. One of the big events of this year was the Selective Recruitment of Teachers Conference. It was held at Southwestern University and included five speakers, well-planned and well-directed buzz sessions, and a movie dramatizing the joys and advantages of teaching. As a result of this conference one student from Messick High School attended the SNEA-FTA Conference in Nashville and three Messick students went to the FTA Initiation at Whitehaven High School. Mrs. Essie Boals Ray, Miss Myrtle Oliver, Miss Sara Lee Foster, and Mrs. Steele Ruble were initiated in 1957-58, all by transfer from chapters outside of Memphis.
During the year 1958-59, our programs followed the suggested topics given in the Program Manual. Initiates for this year were: Mrs. Mary Ann Burkhart, Miss Katherine Campbell, Miss Marcella Crump, Miss Margaret Gwin, Mrs. Rosa Nixon, Miss Mary Sanders, Miss Cary Rhea, Mrs. Elizabeth Seibert, Mrs. Ann Smith Lansden, and Miss Floy Beavers, a transfer.
Again in 1959-60, our programs followed the international theme and were most interesting. Only one member was initiated into Alpha Lambda this year - Mrs. Ruth O'Donnell.
Eight good programs on the international theme were given in 1960-61. A Founders' Day program was given. We had one local guest speaker who is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, and it was our pleasure and good fortune to have our state president as speaker at one of our meetings. Mrs. Ara Sanders came into our chapter by transfer.
In an impressive initiation ceremony our chapter received four members - Mrs. Lorena Elcan, Mrs. Priscilla Gavin, Mrs. Elizabeth Grimes, and Mrs. Earle Williamson. The 1961-62 program theme was followed in worthwhile and interesting programs. On March 17, our charter in cooperation with Epsilon and Alpha Sigma sponsored a most informative and inspirational meeting in Hardy Auditorium on Southwestern Campus. Mr. Halter P. Armstrong, Attorney, spoke on Teaching: Issues and Challenges. Mr. Shelby Counce, Memphis City Schools, discussed New Trends in Teaching, and Canon W. A. Dimmick, Dean Elect, St. Mary's Cathedral, talked on Opportunities for Contributing to Human Development. A beautiful and touching reading, Heaven in Her Hand, was given by Mrs. Frances Brown, secretary of Vollentine School. A special treat, Music on Glass, was given by Mrs. J. Q. Wolfe of Southwestern.
Opening Doors on Tomorrow's World with focus on Advancing with Women Leaders of the Modern World was the program theme for 1962-63. Worthwhile programs were presented at each regular meeting. Mrs. Betty Stimbert and Mrs. Anne Grinter were duly initiated into our chapter.
In 1963-64, the program manual gave pertinent suggestions which served as a springboard for planning our programs along the international theme. Mrs. Kay Rowland and Miss Marie Watkins became our newest members.
Initiated during the 1964-65 school year were Miss Nealya Burgess, Mrs. Ann Davis, Mrs. Mary Thomas, and Mrs. Ann Wood. Good programs were given on the theme, New Dimensions - New Goals, Cultures In Change with focus on Changing Patterns in Other Cultures. In December, we invited Nationals from foreign countries who are educators in their own countries and were living, studying, and working in Memphis, to attend our Christmas meeting and tea. We felt that this fully carried out the theme for the year and probably was our most successful meeting of the year.
In 1965-66, we received, all by transfer, Mrs. Julia Irby, Mrs. Virginia Ingram, and Mrs. Martha Kage. The theme for the year was Creativity - Its Nature and Its Nurture with focus on Creative Individuals, Their Value To A Society. All programs were good and three were most outstanding. One was Madonnas - Creativity, a talk and exhibition of Madonnas over the world. Another was Nurturing Musical Creativity, a recital by Dorothea Bonds, XI state Music Chairman. The third unusually interesting program was Working Creatively With Indian Women, an illustrated lecture including slides and followed by group discussion. The lecture was given by Miss Barbee who knew her subject well, having lived in India four years. Her color slides were excellent and her Indian fabrics, pottery and brass made an effective and educational exhibit.
For 1966-67, the program theme Creativity - Its Nature and Its Nurture was continued. It was difficult to decide between Treasure Trove of Classroom Creativity and Working Creatively in Guatemala as to which was the most successful chapter meeting of the year. In "Treasure Trove" creative art and craft work of elementary pupils in our Memphis Schools were displayed. A musical program was given by a third grade class of one of our members. For the other program, two of our members, dressed in native costume, gave talks on the American School in Guatemala and displayed handcraft of the students from that country. These members had been selected by the administrative staff of the Memphis Board of Education to represent them in the School-to-School project. Members received into our chapter were Miss Lorene Eddins, Mrs. Virginia Blackburn, and Mrs. Mary Rose McCormick.
Interesting programs were given in 1967-68 on The Critical Analysis of Values, A Basis For Action with focus on Value Patterns. Initiated into Alpha Lambda Chapter were Mrs. Rena Clay, Miss Irene Jones, Mrs. Carlee Whipple, and Mrs. James Etta Yarbrough. For 1968-69, programs were planned around the same theme as the year before with focus on Improving The Quality of Daily Living. Coming into our chapter in an impressive ceremony were Miss Barbara Branch, Mrs. Carmen Hatchett, Miss Jo Ann Roberson, and Mrs. Virginia Simonton
Received into our chapter in 1969-70 were Miss Hazel Pickens and Mrs. Virginia McLain. Programs for this year centered around the theme The Critical Analysis of Values - A Basis For Action with focus on Value Patterns As They Affect Our Culture. At the March meeting, a delightful and informative paper was given by Miss Tommye Russell, member of Epsilon, on "Memphis, Birth of a River Town."
The following have served as president of Alpha Lambda Chapter since its organization:
2016 - 2018 Debi Gray 2014 - 2016 Mary Jo Wilson 2012 - 2014 Cathy Meredith 2010 - 2012 Chris Allen 2008 - 2010 Mary Jo Wilson 2006 - 2008 Martha Bailey 2004 - 2006 Paula Marshall 2002 - 2004 Susan Hoback 2000 - 2002 Janice Enck 1998 - 2000 Linda Eller 1996 - 1998 Rebecca Sadowski 1994 - 1996 Camille Dolan 1992 - 1994 Kay Waddell 1990 - 1992 Judy Collins 1988 - 1990 Alice Chandler 1986 - 1988 Janice Sorbsy 1984 - 1986 Alice Davis 1982 - 1984 Nancy Biggs 1980 - 1982 Helen Smith 1978 - 1980 Virginia Wingo 1976 - 1978 Lorena Wesson 1974 - 1976 Peggy Scott 1972 - 1974 Mary Rose McCormick 1970 - 1972 Nealya Burgess 1968 - 1970 Dorothy Wolf 1966 - 1968 Audrey Epperson 1964 - 1966 Sarah Boisen 1962 - 1964 Rosa Nixon 1960 - 1962 Helen Lowrance 1958 - 1960 Frances Gandy 1955 - 1958 Ruth Knowlton