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The History of Phi Delta Kappa
A chronological list of selected historical highlights
     
1906 January 24 Phi Kappa Mu, Bergstrom Chapter, organized at Indiana University.
1908 May 13 Phi Delta Kappa, Alpha Chapter, organized at Columbia University.
1909 February 23 Nu Rho Beta organized at University of Missouri.
1910 March 1-2 Amalgamation Conference at Indianapolis, IN.
    Membership limited to graduate students or undergraduates in the senior year or last half of junior year with associate membership for faculty members.
1911 March 16 Phi Delta Kappa chartered at Indianapolis, IN, and incorporated in the state of Indiana.
1912 November Forerunner of field chapters emerged with formation of Stanford Alumni Association.
1914 February Alumni charters granted to petitioning group of seven or more with non-voting representation at council meetings.
1915   National Newsletter of PDK, edited by Abel J. McAllister.
1916 July National magazine designated the Phi Delta Kappan.
1920 June Created five districts headed by district deputies.
    National dues established at $1 per year.
1923 February Kappan became a bimonthly with an advisory board.
    Executive Secretary and Editor authorized for PDK,
Paul M. Cook (Dec. 1927 - July 15, 1956).
    Life membership defined.
1929 December Converted district deputies into district representatives.
1933 December Gave alumni chapters same representation at council as campus chapters.
1937 December Took over publication of Educational Abstracts.
    Decided to publish a dictionary of educational terms.
1938 April 22 Established national office at Homewood, IL.
    District Conferences started.
1942   "White" clause eliminated from constitution.
    State coordinators defined.
1945   First Dictionary of Education published.
1946   Officer handbooks started.
    Council authorized formation of chapters outside of the United States.
1947 December Added territories outside the U.S., including all of Canada, to existing districts.
    Defined emeritus membership.
1948 February Defined groups carrying out projects as "commissions" and those carrying out fraternity business as "committees".
    Encouraged organization of officer training schools.
1949 December Authorized funds for district projects.
1951 August Executive committee redesignated the board of directors.
  December Created a committee to study permanent housing of the
national headquarters .
    Authorized a major study of the structure of the fraternity.
1953 December Authorized publication for annual Doctoral Studies in Education.
    Authorized dual membership.
    Authorized board to acquire a site and construct a headquarters building.
1954 February Board selected Bloomington, IN, as site of headquarters building.
1955 August Board approved petition leading to formation of the first international chapter at the University of Toronto.
  November 9 International headquarters occupied in Bloomington, IN.
1956 July 1 Stanley M. Elam appointed Editor of the Phi Delta Kappan
(July 1, 1956 - December 31, 1980).
  July 15 Maynard Bemis appointed Executive Secretary
(July 15, 1956 - July 31, 1970).
  August District representatives started meeting with board, but non-voting.
    Established newsletter News, Notes, and Quotes.
1957 December Approved two-year experiment in the initiation of
members by field chapters.
    Provided for coordinators to attend council meetings
without right to vote.
1961 August Approved professional staff position of Director of Special Services.
  November Co-sponsored first PDK Comparative Education Seminar to
Europe and USSR.
  December Coordinators given right to vote in council.
1962 February Established a Research Advisory Committee.
   April Started national billing for dues.
1963 August Increased number of issues of the Kappan to 10 per year.
  December Approved international associate and courtesy memberships with dues waivers.
    Approved a study of fraternity structure to be directed by Edgar L. Morphet.
1964 February Created a Past President's Advisory Committee.
1965 August Approved plans for addition to headquarters building.
  December Approved automatic transfer of membership.
    Dropped the Greek letter chapter designation.
    Funded a research department for headquarters.
1966 July 1 William J. Gephart appointed first Director of Research Services
at headquarters (July 1, 1966 - June 30, 1980).
  October 13 PDK Educational Foundation created by George H. Reavis.
1969 December Created an Advisory Panel on Commissions.
    Added the seven district representatives to the board of directors.
    Approved new election procedures including nomination for vice presidents at district conferences, publication of qualifications in NN&Q, and election at council.
1971 September 1 Lowell C. Rose appointed Executive Secretary
(September 1, 1971 - November 30, 1995).
  December Authorized a major addition to the headquarters building.
    Changed the fiscal year to July 1 through June 30.
    Authorized new chapter funds to use for expenses of delegates to its first district conference and/or council.
    Created a senior membership category.
1972 January First foundation monograph published.
  February Transferred responsibility of book publication to associate editor with new title of Director of Special Publications.
    Designated staff of PDK as the staff for the foundation.
  August Asked each chapter to designate a foundation representative.
    Terminated Research Studies in Education.
1973 October Limited coordinators and district representatives to three consecutive elected terms.
    Made charters granted to chapters conditional for a two-year period.
    Eliminated distinction between campus and field chapters.
    Occupied addition to headquarters building.
1974 February 13 Women became eligible for membership in PDK --
Bessie F. Gabbard - first woman member.
  August Created a Center for Dissemination of Innovative Programs.
1975 January Coordinators met for the first time as a legislative committee.
1977 February Abolished Past President's Advisory Committee.
  October Limited vice presidents to three elected terms.
1979 October Approved Immediate Past President as voting member of board.
    Approved an alternate mailing address for member's publication.
    Approved billing for dual membership by headquarters.
1980 July Past Presidents became eligible to vote in council.
    Chapters required to select a foundation representative and a research representative.
1983 July Changed to an annual membership in lieu of a fiscal year membership.
1984   CEDR began publication of Hot Topics Series.
1985 October First council to be held outside the United States met in Toronto, Ontario.
1986 November District VII divided in to two districts to be numbered District VII and District VIII
1987 September Howard Hill assumed responsibilities as the first Director of Chapter Programs.
  October Approval given for a major expansion to the headquarters building.
1989 October Dedicated a major addition to the headquarters building and International Conference Center.
1990 January Referendum ballot creating Coordinator Legislative Committee approved.
1991 October Silver Anniversary of Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation celebrated.
1993 November Chapter membership committees given final authority for approving new members.
1994 March Accepted responsibility for Future Educators of America.
1995 July The Center on Education Policy, supported by Phi Delta Kappa, was established in Washington, D.C.
1995 October District IX (International District) created effective July 1, 1996.
  November International conference center renamed Rose International Conference Center.
  December Ronald J. Joekel appointed as Phi Delta Kappa's fourth Executive Director.
1996 February Referendum ballot creating international at-large, associate, and undergraduate student memberships approved; ballot also provided for self-nomination and extended eligibility to student teachers, beginning graduate students, and persons in educationally-related fields.
1996 July Approved establishment of the National Center for Curriculum Audit and the National Center for Effective Schools under the auspices of Phi Delta Kappa.
1997 February Revised PDK's vision and mission statements and approved goals for the year 2006.
  February 1

Interim amendment approved changing the biennial council to a smaller legislative council consisting of the board and area coordinators.
    Approved reducing from three to two the number of vice presidents on the Board of Directors.
    Approved primary election of president-elect candidates by chapters.
  July Bill Hyman appointed as first Director of Management Information Systems and Billie Spellman appointed as first Director of Membership Development.
  October PDK's first International Conference, Forum, and Legislative Council held in Indianapolis, Indiana.
    Council approved a two-year pilot program for direct membership.
1998 July

Approved completion of third floor of Rose International Conference Center.
    Changed automatic withdrawal for nonpayment of dues from three to two years.
1999 July George Kersey, Jr. appointed PDK's fifth executive director.
  February Amendment changing "fraternity" designation to "association" passed on chapter referendum.
  April Scott Hutchinson appointed first development officer for Educational Foundation.
2000 July PDK Constitution amended to include direct membership category and to standardize membership eligibility requirements.
2001 July Board of Directors began association-wide strategic planning process.
    PDK awarded $13,009,051 by Lilly Endowment Inc. for Community Alliances to Promote Education (CAPE) grant for Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington Counties in Indiana.
  October Beth Sluys appointed as director for three-year CAPE grant.
2002 January Office space in the Rose International Conference Center rented to Indiana University School of Music on a three-year lease.
  July Constitution amended to allow post-baccalaureate students pursuing initial licensure to join PDK as student members at half dues; to require special district representative election if position vacated more than 90 days before term expires; and to change six-meeting requirement for chapters to six meetings/activities.
  July 6-12 First PDK Constitutional Convention held in Bloomington, Indiana.
2003 March Constitution and Bylaws revised and approved by chapter referendum to include all member vote; professional, associate, institutional membership categories; International Board designation; regional restructuring; coordinators replaced by chapter/member liaisons; annual budgeting; and four required chapter officers.
  April Jo Ann Fujioka elected president-elect in first all-member election.
  November 20-23 First annual professional development conference in St. Louis, Missouri.
2004 July 1 New regional alignment implemented with elected regional representatives.
  October William J. Bushaw appointed PDK's sixth executive director.
Area Coordinators designated as Chapter/Member Liaisons.
2005

July 1

Bylaws amended to create new international electronic membership category, require chapter affiliation for life membership category and annual payment of full chapter dues, and merger/transfer options for suspended chapter.
2006 July 1 First statewide chapter established in Washington state.
  January PDK's Centennial Year begins.
  January Bylaws amended to allow for formation of Student Clubs.
  October
19-21 		First annual Summit held in Washington, D.C.

 

 

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