Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

 Introduction

The records of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Nu Chapter of Bowling Green, Ohio, were donated to the Center for Archival Collections by Amy Rahmel on June 23, 1998. The collection primarily consists of membership records, including directories, financial forms, and membership cards. Correspondence and financial records also dominate the collection.

No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. This register was prepared by Jessica Schmidt, graduate assistant, in March 2009, with an addition in 2010.

 Agency History

Nu, the Bowling Green, Ohio chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, is a professional honorary society of female educators from the area. It was organized on January 16, 1939 with an installation of 34 charter members at the Women’s Club in Bowling Green.

Delta Kappa Gamma was founded on May 11, 1929 at the University of Texas in Austin. In 1938, Ohio became a state sponsored branch of the organization. The main objectives and goals of Delta Kappa Gamma are to further the status of female educators and offer advanced opportunities of scholarship, fellowship, and professionalism. Membership is offered by invitation only to women who distinguish themselves both in the education profession and in their personal community.

The Nu Chapter is still in existence today, with occasional new donations.

 Scope and Content

The collection of the Nu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma consists of member directories, membership dues reports, individual financial records, transfer notices, membership cards, constitution, by-laws, handbook, correspondence, financial ledgers, annual and monthly reports of the treasurer, budget/audit forms, income tax material, and various printed materials. The most comprehensive materials are membership records and also financial documents.

The membership records consist of directories, individual dues and financial reports, transfer notices, and membership cards. Most of these documents exist for the organization’s entirety from 1939-1982. These records offer complete member lists, positions, addresses, financial status within the chapter, and whether they are current members (as opposed to being on leave, honorary, or transferred members).

The financial records also provide a comprehensive account of the chapter’s expenses from 1939-1982. The ledgers are all bound and handwritten and provide current account balances for various funds and scholarships within the chapter. Additionally, annual and monthly treasurer reports from 1979-1982 indicate where money was being spent and transferred throughout each fiscal year.

Other materials of particular interest include correspondence between chapter members and also the umbrella state and national organization, Delta Kappa Gamma.

Unlike the other local northwest Ohio chapter, Delta Rho, the Nu Chapter does not include meeting minutes, social/special event descriptions, or newsletters. Researchers can develop an inclusive perspective of the internal workings of the chapter, but not necessarily how the chapter functioned with the outside.

 Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORIES.
1939-1949, 1955-1965, 1969-1970, 1973-1976, 1986-1988
Arranged chronologically.
Includes annual membership directories (or, “yearbooks”) for each year listed. Books contain biographical information, such as positions and addresses for each current member.

MEMBERSHIP & DUES REPORTS.
1939-1982
Arranged chronologically.
Includes complete member lists and whether or not each member paid chapter, national, and scholarship dues.

INDIVIDUAL MEMBER FINANCIAL RECORDS.
1939, 1941-1953
Arranged chronologically.
Each member is listed on individual account form. Forms indicate address, chapter, date of initiation, and year dues records.

“BULLETIN” AND “NEWS” CARDS LISTS.
1950-1963
Arranged chronologically.
Complete annual lists of members and which type of membership they hold (i.e. life, honorary, regular, or retired). These lists were shared with the national headquarters.

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF TRANSFER.
Various 1970-1981
Arranged chronologically.
Carbon copies of notices sent to the national headquarters indicating a member’s transfer from Nu Chapter to another chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma.

MEMBERSHIP CARDS.
1949-1961.
Arranged chronologically within 3 smaller index boxes.
Tri-color membership cards indicating member status and issue date of each annual membership card. Pink cards indicate lifetime membership; blue indicate honorary membership; yellow indicate regular annual membership.
Box 1: 1949-1954
Box 2: 1954-1960
Box 3: 1961-1962

CONSTITUTION, BY-LAWS, & HANDBOOK.
1937, 1938, 1956, 1962
Arranged chronologically.
Include bound copies of constitution and by-laws (1937), handbook of policies, rulings, and customs (1938-1939), circular of information (1956-1957), and revised constitution (1962).

CORRESPONDENCE

CHAPTER CORRESPONDENCE.
1952-1954, 1960-1980
Arranged chronologically.
Includes correspondence between members of the chapter to one another regarding specific organization business.

TREASURER CORRESPONDENCE.
1948, 1951-1960
Arranged chronologically.
Correspondence between the treasurer and other members of the chapter and various other recipients.

TREASURER CORRESPONDECE BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE HEADQUARTERS.
1952-1964, 1974-1983
Arranged chronologically.
Includes correspondence between the current chapter treasurer and the national and state headquarters. Most of this correspondence deals with membership.

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

HISTORY OF NU CHAPTER.
1979
Brief written personal history of a former member/president of Nu Chapter. It was written in 1979 at the 40th celebration of the chapter’s organization.

RESEARCH CHAIR/MEMBERSHIP SURVEY.
1982-1983.
The first part of this survey is the actual results circulated amongst the members of the chapter, state, and national headquarters. It was conducted by Delta Kappa Gamma to establish the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. The second part is a collection of actual survey forms mailed out to chapter members.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

GUIDEBOOK FOR TREASURER.
1974
Describes the duties, responsibilities, and procedures for the current chapter treasurer.

FINANCIAL LEDGERS.
1939-2005
Arranged chronologically.
Four bound volumes which include dues, expenses, and standing balances of the chapter’s bank account.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TREASURER.
1949-1982
Arranged chronologically.
Includes annual budget information, how chapter financially faired, fiscal year statements, expenses, membership dues and financial statuses, and bank account balances.

MONTHLY REPORT OF THE TREASURER.
1961, 1964-1976, 1980-1982
Arranged chronologically.
Includes monthly financial reports by the treasurer regarding balances, expenses, deposits, and member dues.

CHAPTER BUDGET/AUDIT.
1951-1952, 1963-1964
Arranged chronologically.
Annual chapter budget and where expenses were approved.

INCOME TAX MATERIAL.
1965-1969
Arranged chronologically.
Income tax information and forms for non-profit organization status.

PRINTED MATERIAL

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORT.
1965-1969
Pamphlet describing current organization financial situation throughout all chapters around the world.

WOMEN EDUCATORS: ARCHITECTS OF THE FUTURE – DEVELOPING GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES, PROGRAM MANUAL
1982-1986
Multi-year program sponsored by the national Delta Kappa Gamma organization. This program was implemented in all chapters.

HISTORIES AND MISCELLANEOUS
1979, n.d.
History from Golden Anniversary and songbooks of various dates

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

MISCELLANEOUS PHOTOGRAPHS.
1979
Photographs from the 1979 40th anniversary celebration depicting charter members attending the banquet.

 Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Member directories 1939-1945
2. Member directories 1945-1949
3. Member directories 1955-1962
4. Member directories 1962-1965, 1969-1970
5. Member directories 1973-1976, 1986-1988
6. Membership and Dues Report 1939-1949
7. Membership and Dues Report 1950-1960
8. Membership and Dues Report 1961-1969
9. Membership and Dues Report 1970-1982
10. Member Individual Financial Records 1939
11. Member Individual Financial Records 1941-1953
12. Bulletin and News Cards Lists 1950-1963
13. Official Notice of Transfer 1970-1981 (various)

Box 2

1. Membership cards, Box 1: 1949-1954
2. Membership cards, Box 2: 1954-1960
3. Membership cards, Box 3: 1961-
4. Constitution, with new initiates list, 1939-2005
5. Constitution, By-Laws, Handbook, 1937, 1938, 1956, 1962

Box 3

Folders

1. Constitution and International Standing Rules, 2006
2. Correspondence, 1952-1954
3. Correspondence, 1960-1972
4. Correspondence, 1973-1980
5. Treasurer Correspondence, 1948, 1951-1960
6. Treasurer Correspondence between National & State, 1952-1960
7. Treasurer Correspondence between National & State, 1960-1964
8. Treasurer Correspondence between National & State, 1974-1977
9. Treasurer Correspondence between National & State, 1977-1983
10. Ceremonies Handbook, 1984
11. Delta Kappa Gamma Guidelines for Chapter Presidents, 2006-2008
12. History of Nu Chapter, 1979
13. Research Chair/Membership Survey Results, 1982-1983
14. Research Chair/Membership Survey Forms, 1982-1983
15. Guidebook for Treasurer, 1974
16. Financial Ledger, 1939-1954
17. Financial Ledger, 1954-1961

Box 4

Folders

1. Financial Ledger, 1962-1974
2. Financial Ledger, 1974-1981
3. Financial Ledger, 1985-1993
4. Financial Ledger, 1993-2005
5. Annual Report of the Chapter Treasurer, 1949-1960
6. Annual Report of the Chapter Treasurer, 1960-1969
7. Annual Report of the Chapter Treasurer, 1970-1982
8. Monthly Report of the Chapter Treasurer, 1961, 1964-1970
9. Monthly Report of the Chapter Treasurer, 1970-1976, 1980-1982
10. Chapter Budget/Audit, 1951-1952, 1963-1964
11. Income Tax Material, 1965-1969
12. International Financial Report, 1957-1967
13. Delta Kappa Gamma Song Book 5, 1965
14. Women Educators: Architects of the Future, Developing Global Perspectives Program Manual, 1982-1986
15. Delta Kappa Gamma: Our Golden Anniversary, 1929-1979 1979
16. Alpha Delta State Reprint and Update of the Founders Day Bulletin of 1940, April 1997
17. Delta Kappa Gamma Songs: Lyrics and Accompaniment, various dates
18. Miscellaneous Photographs, n.d.
19. Artifact: Holy Bible, n.d.

Manuscripts by Subject | Education Collections | Women's Studies Collections