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Chapter History

Phi Delta Kappa was only twenty-six years old in 1936 when the first efforts were made to charter a chapter at the East Texas State Teachers College. The East Texas graduate program had been started in 1935 and with it came the need for a professional organization for education graduates. Dr. H.M. Lafferty wrote to PDK Executive Secretary, inquiring into establishing such a chapter; however, twenty years were to pass before the Kappans teachings at ET were to realize their goal of establishing the Delta Epsilon Chapter.

In 1954, Dean Frank Young and President James Gee both wrote Paul Cook in an effort to obtain approval to petition the Board of Directors for a chapter. Cook's response was more positive, although still very delayed, and Dr. Lafferty spearheaded efforts to start the chapter. In the Fall of 1956, Dr. Cook retired and Maynard Bemis was named his successor. From that point, efforts met with continuing success. Dr. Young attended the November 1956 district III conference in Austin and Dr. Bemis followed by visiting East Texas State as he returned to PDK Headquarters on November 13 and 14, 1956. The ET Kappans gathered at the Lafferty house in the evening to visit with Bemis who then recommended to the PDK Board acceptance of a petition from East Texas. Preliminary information sent to PDK in 1956 indicated there were then 330 graduate students during the academic year and 647 graduate students during the summer at East Texas State. Twenty-six ET faculty members were then members of Phi Delta Kappa.

Approval for the petition came from the PDK board in February, 1957, and efforts were already underway to assemble the petition and the necessary petitioners. Early responses indicated a large group of petitioners would be initiated. A Kappan selection committee of J.E. Franklin, chairman; Zeno Baily, Walter Klein, Carey Southall and Welcome Wright was appointed to screen those being recommended for membership. On July 19, 1957, the Delta Epsilon Chapter was chartered at East Texas State Teachers College. One hundred and one petitioners were initiated, the largest group ever to begin a new chapter. The North Texas College Chapter (Beta Beta) team performed the initiation ritual; dinner at the City Cafe followed.

Dr. Everett Shepherd presided at the program. After greetings by President Gee and Dean Young, the chapter was formally installed by Dr. Maynard Bemis, Executive Secretary, Ernest Anderson, National Recording Secretary, Robert Stricklen, District III Representative and Leonard E. Massey, Central Texas Coordinator. Don Holder, to be elected first Chapter President, responded to the charge given to the chapter members by Clifford Blackburn. The new chapter selected the following as the other charter officers: Vice President Jack Shackles; Corresponding Secretary Thomas McCormack; Historian W.J. Bell; and Faculty Sponsor J.E. Franklin.

Since the chartering ceremony the chapter has grown and developed as one of the outstanding chapters in Phi Delta Kappa. During the past two decades, more than seventeen hundred members have been initiated or transferred into the chapter.

The attitude of the chapter has always been one of acceptance to educators interested in membership rather than one of elitism. Women were welcomed to membership immediately upon the change of the constitution in 1974 and they made important contributions as officers and active members in the first years. Donna Hutcheson Cole was the first elected woman president of Chapter 101

Chapter meetings have often made important contributions to the campus community with all graduate students and guests being welcomed to hear outstanding speakers as John Goodlad, J. Lloyd Trump, Kimball Wiles, James Coleman, Lowell Rose, Gordon Swanson and others.

Important chapter projects have been undertaken to enhance the professional educator. Special conferences were held on "emergencies in the classroom" during two years. A colloquium series on the "Impact of World Shortages on Education" brought speakers as Dr. George Crawford, and H. Ross Perot to the campus under PDK's sponsorship. An all day workshop on "Creativity in Teaching and Learning" attracted over 300 area teachers and administrators in 1978. In 2006-07 Dr.Mike Moses, former state commissioner of education and recent superintendant of Dallas ISD, and former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr.Rod Paige, each spoke to chapter meetings with full house crowds at the Metoplex Center in Mesquite.

Also, financial assistance has been offered by the chapter in the form of scholarships to students as well as research funding for graduate students. This program has been ongoing for more than 25 years with an undergraduate student, a master’s student and a doctoral student receiving these awards.

Special recognition to outstanding educators is made annually through the Distinguished Educator Awards program. Each year several outstanding educators are presented the Distinguished Leadership award and the Distinguished Service Award by the chapter.

Since its founding, the chapter has transferred many Kappans to chapters elsewhere in the fraternity. The East Texas State Chapter was the 12th LARGEST chapter with 898 members as of July, 1978.

In 1978 a 27 minute color film entitled "Educational Directions: Where Do We Go From Here," brought nationwide attention to the chapter upon its completion. The film was named an outstanding educational film of 1979 by Instructor Magazine.

In 1979-80 the officers wrote a grant to initiate a Texas- United Kingdom Exchange with the UK Chapter membership. Six visitors from the UK Chapter arrived in Spring 1980 and spent two weeks with our chapter, hosted by members, visiting at the University and speaking at our chapter and also the San Antonio area chapters in a joint meeting. Five of our chapter members journeyed to the UK the following year and participated with a similar program.

The chapter has been the initiator in 2000 and 2001 of two literacy projects in both Commerce and Greenville Schools where many books have been provided to their libraries and Kappans have participated in reading to students.

In 2001-2003 a Family Literacy Project was launched at Tisinger Elementary School in the Mesquite ISD. This project brought families together at the school working on reading, computer literacy, and other activities. Also book bags were developed and supplied to the school, which enabled students to take books, tapes, and games home to experience literacy activities with their families. In 2004 conferences were initiated for graduate students and other interested individuals for developing leadership in educational programs, promoting achievement in educational positions, and in implementation of educational program improvements.

In fall of 2007 the chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary at A&M-Commerce with a special program honoring Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year nominees in the North Texas Area. Along with a reception for those being honored and their guests, Mr.Frank Winstead, nationally known speaker, was the keynoter honoring teachers everywhere for the difference they make in the lives of their students.

Since the founding, the chapter has transferred many Kappans to chapters elsewhere in the association. The Texas A&M-Commerce Chapter is now approximated at 225 members.

PAST PRESIDENTS of Texas A&M-Commerce
Chapter 101 (Formerly East Texas State University Chapter and also Delta Epsilon Chapter)

1957-58 Don Holder
1958-60 Marvin Kirkman
1960-63 Bruce Prior
1963-64 L. Doyne McNew
1964-65 Dee Cunningham
1965-66 Jarrell Gray
1966-67 John Moss
1967-68 J. Monroe Lanmon
1968-69 M. B. Nelson
1969-70 Bill Bryant
1970-71 Harold Murphy
1971-72 Stuart Chilton
1972-73 Bill Webb
1973-74 Robert Titus
1974-75 Alton Goddard
1975-76 Ronny Barnes
1976-77 James Vornberg
1977-78 Donna Hutcheson
1978-79 Pati Meyer & Gordon Thomas
1979-80 Bruce Ledford
1980-81 Ron Johnson
1981-82 Joyce Miller
1982-83 Leon Harney
1983-84 Michael R. Sampson
1984-85 Dean Ginther
1985-86 Sheryl Santos
1986-87 Karen Feathers
1987-88 Fred Klaus
1988-89 James Norwood
1989-90 Frances VanTassell
1990-91 Ruth Ann Stephens
1991-92 David L. Brown
1992-93 Loretta Kibler
1993-94 Anita Pankake
1994-96 Alonzo Sosa
1996-98 Madeline Justice
1998-99 Michael Crawford
1999-2001 David L. Brown
2001-02 James Vornberg
2002-03 Diana Freeman
2003-05 Sherion Jackson
2005-06 Casey Brown
2006-07 Caroline Vornberg

Members awarded the PDK Service Key

William E. Truax
Webb Jones
L. Doyne McNew
M.B. Nelson
James A. Vornberg
Alonzo Sosa
Joyce Miller
L. D. Briggs
Madeline Justice
Susan Weaver
Frank Lutz
Geraldine “Tincy” Miller
Arnold Oates
Charles Blanton
Barbara Hammack

Recipients of the Distinguished Educator Awards