DELTA KAPPA GAMMA SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL. TAU STATE (MINN.):

Delta Kappa Gamma Society International was established in Austin, Texas, on May 11, 1929, under the leadership of Dr. Annie Webb Blanton, a professor of rural education at the University of Texas. Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) was founded to promote female educators' professional and personal growth and educational excellence. In addition to Blanton, the other founding twelve female educators included a grade school teacher, a dean of women, three high school teachers, three elementary school principals, and three other college professors. By January 1996 DKG had more than 151,000 members belonging to over 3,100 chapters located in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Iceland, Mexico, Norway, Puerto Rico, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

DKG consists of a national/international organization, state organizations, and local chapters. Membership is by invitation and is extended to female educators who have made outstanding contributions to and achievements in education and to their communities. Members include classroom teachers, college and university professors, administrators and supervisors, librarians, and educational specialists. International conventions are held biennially and alternate with regional conferences. State organization conventions and workshops are held annually. The International Society awards a number of scholarships to members who are enrolled in advanced study programs, an annual Educator's Award for female authors, and world fellowships for women from nonmember countries for graduate study in the United States and Canada. Many state organizations and chapters also award scholarships and study grants.

The Minnesota organization, Tau State, was organized May 15, 1936, in Minneapolis. Founders included Ellen M. Anderson, Mary S. Byrnes, Gertrude Coleman, Eleanor M. Daugherty, Emma C. Dumke, Louisa Farner, Lillian Jasperson, Effie MacGregor, Edna I. Murphy, Mercedes L. Nelson, Margaret O'Farrell, Erba E. Pouliot, Mayme J. Schow, Stella L. Wood, Dorothy Smith, and Nyda Ehlert. Edna I. Murphy was elected the first president. By 1944, Tau State membership had expanded to 275 individuals in seven local chapters; in 2002 there were more than 1,600 members; by 2009, membership had declined to 898 members.

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The collection includes executive board minutes, correspondence, biographical sketches of Minnesota teachers, membership directories and yearbooks, committee files, convention materials, historical materials, newsletters, necrology reports, presidents' reports, scrapbooks, local chapter files, and a few photographs.

Administrative records include articles of incorporation, bylaws, executive board minutes, and some financial information. Convention files include programs from and reports and other material relating to International, regional, and state conventions. Historical files are in large part made up of biographical sketches of early Minnesota teachers. There are files on more than forty local Minnesota chapters. Subject files include information about International founder Annie Webb Blanton, member publications and articles, newspaper clippings and press releases, some Tau State newsletters (Bulletin and North Star News), and several folders of material relating to nominees for Tau State's Women of Achievement award.

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These documents are organized into the following sections:

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. Tau State (Minn.) Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 12,890; 12,977; 13,121; 13,266; 13,327; 13,356; 13,707; 13,970; 14,145; 14,376; 14,830; 14,961; 15,228; 15,456; 15,678; 15,833; 16,217; 16,357; 16,375; 16,565; 16,727; 17,005; 17,167; 17,255

Processing Information:

Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Processed by: Bonnie Palmquist, 1981; additions by Bonnie Palmquist, 1982-1994; additions by David B. Peterson, 1997-1999; reprocessed with additions by David B. Peterson, September 2002; additions by Christopher G. Welter, August 2009; Shelby Edwards, January 2012; David B. Peterson, April 2013 and July 2015.

Catalog ID number: 990017133790104294

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This group of files includes minutes, correspondence, histories (the date the chapter was formed is used as the beginning date for each folder), newsletters, membership booklets and yearbooks, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous material. Additional information about some chapters can be found in the scrapbooks (below). Information about additional activities of the chapters can be found in the state convention reports. The Tau State directories list all members in Minnesota.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Career development.

Congresses and conventions -- Minnesota.

Education -- Minnesota -- Societies, etc.

Professional associations.

Women -- Biographies.

Women -- Societies and clubs.

Women educators -- Minnesota -- Societies.

Women in education -- Minnesota.

Women teachers -- Minnesota.

Persons:

Blanton, Annie Webb, 1870-1945.

Ross, Birdella.

Organizations:

Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, author.

Types of Documents:

Photographs.

Yearbooks.

Occupations:

College teachers -- Societies, etc.

Educators -- Societies, etc.

Teachers -- Societies, etc.

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