Our History - Celebrating 80 Years!
SIGMA CHAPTER
CUYAHOGA COUNTY
Sigma Chapter had its beginning when one hundred candidates, representing every section of Cuyahoga County and nearly every kind of educational position, were initiated into the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, January 27, 1939, at Hotel Cleveland. The initiation took place at 5:30 P.M. and was conducted by the State Founders with Margaret White, StatePresident, presiding.
Following initiation, the group was divided into four chapters: Tau, Upsilon, Rho and Sigma. The twenty-seven Charter Members of Sigma, under the direction of one of the Founders, elected officers. Mary Lightell was chosen president, and through her able leadership Sigma members learned and began to carry out the purposes and plns of the organization. Interesting meetings were held during her tenure, at which pertinent topics were discussed; such as, “Unjust Salary Discrimination,” Retirement,” Teacher Training,” “Teacher Contracts,” and “The Community and the Courts.”
Dinner meetings, teas, parties, joint meetings with another chapter or chapters, and now and again a picnic at Science Lodge, or an afternoon like the one spent at the Chagrin River home of Margery Lockhart, brought the members together and made for closer friendships.
It was with a feeling of pride that Sigma members attended State Conventions in Dayton and Cleveland, and took an active part in the work of the society.
At the end of the two and a half years of dynamic leadership under Mary Lightell, membership had grown to forty-two and we no longer felt strange in the ways of Delta Kappa Gamma. We felt we had progressed rapidly and were marching in the front line with an advance in our attitudes toward our society.
Marie Howes was chosen second president and served during the years 1941-1943. Marie’s dramatic ability, poise and graciousness made her the leader to carry forward the fine work Mary Lightell had begun.
Meetings continued to be interesting. ‘Better Selection of Teacher Candidates,” “Pioneer Women in Education of Children,” “Service to My Community’” “Educational Leadership and the Crisis,” were timely subjects studied by the group.
Numerous innovations were made; a committee on transportation and attendance was appointed. Elsa Albrecht served as chairman and if acceptance cards were not returned to her on time, Elsa made it her business to phone us to find out just why.
Two war bonds were bought by the group from proceeds of an auction held at Science Lodge. Helen Russell acted as auctioneer and eager buyers stepped up to buy every article: vegetables, fruits, flowers, jellies, vases, hand-painted bridge sets, hand-made copper trays, etc. Over fifty dollars was collected in no time at all.
At one meeting our listening abilities and alertness were cleverly checked by a quiz sheet – in the shape of a little red slate. (Grades were surprisingly low if one hadn’t read one’s last Delta Kappa Gamma bulletin.)
War Service was another important part of these two years. Cookies were taken to the USO each Saturday on a time schedule arranged by Hilda Stocker and Bertha Clendenen. Members at one meeting dramatized the war services in which they were engaged.
Bertha Clendenen became president in 1943 and has just finished her term in office. Because of war restricted transportation, no National or State Conventions were held. Without the inspiration and help they would have afforded, she held the group to real effort and achievement. Six regular meetings have been held each year.
Our chapter during her presidency joined with the other Delta Kappa Gamma chapters in Cleveland in presenting the monograph, “Better Selection of Better Teachers,” to High School Principals in Cuyahoga County, and also joined their effort, along with that of other Women’s Clubs, to bring Margaret Bourke White to Cleveland as a lecturer. We were sorry this lecture had to be cancelled after all plans had been made for it.
Panel groups made up of our own members have discussed, ‘Recruiting Young People in our Community for Teachers,” and ‘Conditions of Teachers at Home and Abroad.”
Members of the group have been awakened to legislation that is pending in Ohio and which should be of vital concern to every member. And their attention has been directed to proposed changes in our retirement system.
Our group no numbers sixty-two. Three are Honorary Members, and we have one serving as an ensign in the service of our country.
The impressive initiation meetings have inspired us and fixed our purposes, and the friendly Tea that ended each year, cemented our friendships. We look forward to our continued association and greater accomplishment.
Author unknown. Sigma Archives. 1945.
CUYAHOGA COUNTY
Sigma Chapter had its beginning when one hundred candidates, representing every section of Cuyahoga County and nearly every kind of educational position, were initiated into the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, January 27, 1939, at Hotel Cleveland. The initiation took place at 5:30 P.M. and was conducted by the State Founders with Margaret White, StatePresident, presiding.
Following initiation, the group was divided into four chapters: Tau, Upsilon, Rho and Sigma. The twenty-seven Charter Members of Sigma, under the direction of one of the Founders, elected officers. Mary Lightell was chosen president, and through her able leadership Sigma members learned and began to carry out the purposes and plns of the organization. Interesting meetings were held during her tenure, at which pertinent topics were discussed; such as, “Unjust Salary Discrimination,” Retirement,” Teacher Training,” “Teacher Contracts,” and “The Community and the Courts.”
Dinner meetings, teas, parties, joint meetings with another chapter or chapters, and now and again a picnic at Science Lodge, or an afternoon like the one spent at the Chagrin River home of Margery Lockhart, brought the members together and made for closer friendships.
It was with a feeling of pride that Sigma members attended State Conventions in Dayton and Cleveland, and took an active part in the work of the society.
At the end of the two and a half years of dynamic leadership under Mary Lightell, membership had grown to forty-two and we no longer felt strange in the ways of Delta Kappa Gamma. We felt we had progressed rapidly and were marching in the front line with an advance in our attitudes toward our society.
Marie Howes was chosen second president and served during the years 1941-1943. Marie’s dramatic ability, poise and graciousness made her the leader to carry forward the fine work Mary Lightell had begun.
Meetings continued to be interesting. ‘Better Selection of Teacher Candidates,” “Pioneer Women in Education of Children,” “Service to My Community’” “Educational Leadership and the Crisis,” were timely subjects studied by the group.
Numerous innovations were made; a committee on transportation and attendance was appointed. Elsa Albrecht served as chairman and if acceptance cards were not returned to her on time, Elsa made it her business to phone us to find out just why.
Two war bonds were bought by the group from proceeds of an auction held at Science Lodge. Helen Russell acted as auctioneer and eager buyers stepped up to buy every article: vegetables, fruits, flowers, jellies, vases, hand-painted bridge sets, hand-made copper trays, etc. Over fifty dollars was collected in no time at all.
At one meeting our listening abilities and alertness were cleverly checked by a quiz sheet – in the shape of a little red slate. (Grades were surprisingly low if one hadn’t read one’s last Delta Kappa Gamma bulletin.)
War Service was another important part of these two years. Cookies were taken to the USO each Saturday on a time schedule arranged by Hilda Stocker and Bertha Clendenen. Members at one meeting dramatized the war services in which they were engaged.
Bertha Clendenen became president in 1943 and has just finished her term in office. Because of war restricted transportation, no National or State Conventions were held. Without the inspiration and help they would have afforded, she held the group to real effort and achievement. Six regular meetings have been held each year.
Our chapter during her presidency joined with the other Delta Kappa Gamma chapters in Cleveland in presenting the monograph, “Better Selection of Better Teachers,” to High School Principals in Cuyahoga County, and also joined their effort, along with that of other Women’s Clubs, to bring Margaret Bourke White to Cleveland as a lecturer. We were sorry this lecture had to be cancelled after all plans had been made for it.
Panel groups made up of our own members have discussed, ‘Recruiting Young People in our Community for Teachers,” and ‘Conditions of Teachers at Home and Abroad.”
Members of the group have been awakened to legislation that is pending in Ohio and which should be of vital concern to every member. And their attention has been directed to proposed changes in our retirement system.
Our group no numbers sixty-two. Three are Honorary Members, and we have one serving as an ensign in the service of our country.
The impressive initiation meetings have inspired us and fixed our purposes, and the friendly Tea that ended each year, cemented our friendships. We look forward to our continued association and greater accomplishment.
Author unknown. Sigma Archives. 1945.
