Kansas Chapter Reaches Out to Costa Rican Educators

The Pittsburg State University Chapter is working to increase Phi Delta Kappa's presence in Latin America. The chapter has initiated five Costa Rican teachers and is working to provide the support they need as Kappans.

Chapter President Penelope Armstrong reported that the Kansas chapter's effort grew out of her professional travel to Central and South America. Each summer she participates in the Instituto Profesional de Español para Extranjeros, a professional institute for language teachers in Costa Rica, where she has met outstanding teachers from that country. During the first year of the chapter's project, Armstrong took materials to Costa Rica to explain PDK to the teachers. The Costa Ricans are very interested in PDK, she reported.

"The country places a great focus on education," Armstrong explained. Although Costa Rica is not a wealthy country, it does not have an army and thus can devote a greater share of its resources to its schools. "These women are extremely proud of their association with Phi Delta Kappa," she reported. "They say they are part of a very professional organization."

Armstrong emphasized that the chapter has not recruited just any teacher in Costa Rica. The five women who have been initiated so far all have master's degrees and have demonstrated a high level of professionalism, she said. "All of these women are impressive educators, very talented teachers, witty, and fun to be with."

The chapter currently is working to build a better communication system with its Costa Rican members, Armstrong said. Because it can take two or three weeks to send mail to the country, the chapter currently is using e-mail to communicate. In addition, the chapter is establishing a "buddy" program between its Kansas and Costa Rican members to ensure better communication. The chapter also is exploring other means to facilitate communication between the Costa Rican members and the members in the chapter's home service area.

Armstrong also reported that the Kansas Kappans are helping support their members in Costa Rica in other ways. For example, because teachers in Costa Rica do not have much money, individual members in Kansas are helping by paying the dues for the members in Costa Rica.

The chapter, supported with a District III project grant, also is establishing two Reavis Reading Areas for its new members. The Reavis Reading Areas are a program of the PDK Educational Foundation by which chapters can establish special libraries of fastbacks and selected PDK books in places convenient for the teachers who use them. New publications from the Foundation are sent to each Reavis Reading Area twice each year. Each chapter can establish five Reavis Reading Areas free of charge, and additional areas can be established for a one-time fee.

The first Reavis Reading Area in Costa Rica will be established at the University of San José, the largest university in the region, Armstrong said. Although the national language in Costa Rica is Spanish, educators in Costa Rica depend heavily on education resources written in English, she said.

"The United States is the greatest source of education reference material in Costa Rica," Armstrong explained. "They use the Kappan very much. And the books in the Reavis Reading Area will be very important to them."

Chapter Encourages Service from the Start

When prospective members are involved in a chapter's projects, their commitment to PDK and to its ideal of service is strengthened. That is the experience of the Sinnissippi Illinois Chapter, vice president for projects Linda Cevene reported.

Cevene explained that the chapter requires all prospective members and their sponsors to participate in one of the chapter's service projects. The chapter conducts a variety of service projects, so there are many opportunities for prospective members to join in an interesting program at a convenient time. Cevene reported that working on these projects as initiates often instills a sense of service that influences members to continue to volunteer year after year.

For example, Kappans work with the girls at Trinity House, a home for teenage mothers, on projects for the girls and their children. "I did," Cevene said. "When I was an initiate, I wound up helping at Trinity House five times. That's how I ended up being on the projects committee."

The chapter also conducts projects to raise money for poor children to attend local summer enrichment programs, prepares teaching materials for the Rockford Area Literacy Council, sells bratwurst to support the McDonald's McBuddy program, and raises money for other worthy programs.

The chapter initiates from 30 to 40 new members each year. The initiates' sponsors not only join them in the service projects but also accompany them to six chapter meetings. "The sponsor serves as a kind of mentor," Cevene said. "And at the initiation, each sponsor stands up with his or her initiate."

Cevene reported that the service requirement and other activities help to bond the initiates with the chapter. "It shows the initiates the cohesiveness of our chapter," she explained. "It shows them how committed we are to high standards and to helping the community. And it also shows them that it is easy to be involved and it doesn't really take too much time."

"A strong organization is built on people who are willing to be there," Cevene said. "But it's not like work. It's fun. Besides, the meetings are not only a lot of fun; you learn a lot of good stuff."

Teacher Poll Can Be Chapter Project

The fifth "PDK Poll of Teachers' Attitudes Toward the Public Schools," published in the April Kappan, can be used as a chapter research project. PDK's Center for Evaluation, Development, and Research (CEDR) will help interested chapters replicate the poll in their own communities.

The first PDK national teachers poll was conducted by the Gallup Organization in 1984. PDK conducted the fifth poll last October in order to give teachers a voice in current education issues.

The instrument used in the latest teachers poll will be made available to participating chapters. CEDR staff will score and analyze the completed surveys and also will provide data from the two latest national polls so that chapters can make comparisons. Participating chapters will be asked to publicize their findings through local media. In this way, chapters can provide their communities with information about the local schools and also gain recognition for themselves.

Chapters interested in participating in this project should call Carol Langdon at the PDK International Office.

Two Kappans Named "Distinguished Staff Developers"

District III Representative Sandee Crowther and Dale Hair, a member of the Louisiana State University/Baton Rouge Chapter, were named "distinguished staff developers" by the National Staff Development Council in December. The 8,000-member nonprofit association based in Oxford, Ohio, recognized two individuals for exemplary practice in the field of staff development. Hair is coordinator for the Center for Educational Services and Research at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

Crowther, who is in her second year on the Board of Directors, is the division director of evaluation and standards for the 10,000-student school district in Lawrence, Kansas. In 1997 the district also won an award from the U.S. Department of Education for its results-oriented approach to teacher professional development.

Candidates for the NSDC honor must go through a three-step process that begins with gathering feedback from clients, colleagues, and supervisors and completing a self-assessment. They then compile a portfolio of their professional work, which is scored by a panel of experts. Finally, the candidates meet with reviewers to defend their work.

Honorees are expected to serve as coaches for others going through the process. NDSC membership includes teachers, principals, and school district and state officials who are responsible for designing staff development programs. This was the first year for the "distinguished staff developer" awards.

From Your Executive Director
Ronald G. Joekel

A Tale of Two Centuries

This is my last column for NN&Q. On 30 June 1999, I am retiring. As I approach that date, I am reminded of the line from Dickens that begins: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

It was the best of times because I had the opportunity to serve a great professional organization and to interact with outstanding educators from all levels. As PDK accepted advocacy for the public schools as a priority, we have built relationships with other organizations, particularly the National PTA, that allow us to collaborate in promoting high-quality universal education.

The worst of times have centered on the reluctance of members to embrace change and to assume leadership roles. If PDK's chapters are to survive, they will need a sufficient membership base, a pool of leaders to carry out chapter activities, and an array of programs and benefits that are relevant to all of their members. Change is inevitable, if only because new generations of members bring new attitudes and ideas. In other words, each generation of members needs to be able to find something useful in their membership. We cannot exclude new members by wrapping ourselves in visions of the "good old days."

In 2006, Phi Delta Kappa will celebrate 100 years of dedication to leadership, service, and research in education. It is not too early to ask what the next 100 years will bring to PDK. Will new generations step forward to provide the leadership that will keep PDK viable? And what are all of us willing to do to make sure that future generations see PDK as something worthwhile?

Finally, I want to thank you for the privilege of serving Phi Delta Kappa, both as international president in 1985-87 and, more recently, as executive director.

Districts Choose Winners of Dissertation Awards

Five Kappans are among the eight winners of the 1998 Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards. The winners were selected from more than 100 dissertations nominated by local chapters and judged at the district conferences last fall. Each winner received $500 and a certificate of recognition.

The Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards were established in 1984 as a way to strengthen PDK's commitment to education research by honoring the best among the new researchers. Each nomination must be made by a PDK chapter, but the nominee does not have to be a member of PDK. Winning dissertations are judged on their scholarship and the promise they hold for improving education.

Each district may choose one winner from the dissertations nominated in that district. District IX chose not to make the award.

The eight winners, their district, and their chapter or sponsoring chapter are:

District I: Teresa J. Kennedy, University of Idaho

District II: Donald Tetreault, University of Southern California

District III: Nora Cruikchank, University of Kansas (sponsor)

District IV: Theodore S. May, Moorhead Minnesota-Fargo North Dakota

District V: S. Yvette Jenkins, University of Michigan

District VI: William F. Geiser, St. John's University (sponsor)

District VII: Tracie B. Ellerman, Dugdemona-D'Arbonne Louisiana

District VIII: Patricia Jordan Rea, College of William and Mary (sponsor)

The next series of Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards will be presented in the fall of 2000. For more information about applying for future Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards, visit PDK's website or contact Carol Langdon at the PDK International Office.

2nd Legislative Council to Meet in Bloomington

PDK's 2nd Legislative Council will meet October 21 to 24 at the Convention Center in Bloomington, Indiana. At this council, the 102 area coordinators will deal with legislation from the nine district conferences held last fall, will consider items referred by the Board of Directors, and will approve a two-year budget for 2001-2002. The coordinators also will elect the international president-elect and two vice presidents from the candidates elected by the chapters this spring.

Legislative councils are held in odd-numbered years and district conferences in even-numbered years. The district conferences held last fall approved 231 items of legislation, including 32 proposed amendments to PDK's Constitution and Bylaws. Any amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws approved by the Legislative Council will be sent to the chapters for ratification.

Kappan Is Principal of the Year

Michael J. Pladus, a member of the Lehigh University Chapter, has been named the 1999 National Principal of the Year. Pladus is principal of Interboro High School in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania, where he has been credited for leading the school to a significant improvement.

"There has been a dramatic change in school climate," Pladus reported. "The Pennsylvania state assessment scores went from very low to significantly above average. There were a lot of curricular changes. For example, we went from having no AP courses to having a full complement." The school now has pilot programs with the community college for at-risk students, he said.

"Hand in hand with the improvements in the academic climate was the unprecedented success in our co-curricular program, from league championships in a number of sports to our much-heralded music program," Pladus said.

Pladus' father died when he was seven, and he grew up poor in the coal-mining regions of Pennsylvania. That experience has made him a strong believer in the importance of public schools, he explained. "If there is one enterprise that helps people transcend social class and economic conditions, it is our public school system. I was able to be a success because of hard work and the public schools."

Pladus said that Phi Delta Kappa has been a significant factor in his success in two ways. "First, I rely heavily on the Kappan. It is the most useful resource for remaining up to date on what is going on in our profession."

"Second, education is a profession," Pladus said. "In fact, it is the noblest profession. And it requires a way of networking and maintaining professional relationships. Phi Delta Kappa is a way of doing that."

The National Principal of the Year program is sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Pladus was chosen as national winner from 53 principals who were named principals of the year from the states, New York City, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools.

Kappans have been well-represented among the National Principals of the Year, a program sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Michael Pladus, the 1999 national winner, is a Kappan, as are 15 of this year's state winners. Last year's winner, Elaine Sullivan, also is a Kappan, a member of the St. Leo Florida Chapter. In addition, Kappans were honored as 1999 Assistant Principals of the Year. Nine of the 50 winners of that award are Kappans. Seven of last year's winners also are Kappans. The Assistant Principal of the Year Awards are sponsored by NASSP and McDonald's Corporation.

Member Recruitment Is Every Kappan's Job

"Don't be stingy with PDK," says one chapter membership vice president. "Share it with your colleagues!"

Last year Phi Delta Kappa chapters initiated 2,436 new members. That averages out to only 3 or 4 newcomers per chapter. In fact, the work on member recruitment fell disproportionately on some Kappans. More than 100 chapters -- about one-sixth of all chapters -- did not initiate a single new member in 1998.

Whether the membership of Phi Delta Kappa grows or shrinks depends directly on every Kappan's willingness (or reluctance) to extend the hand of friendship to colleagues and other qualified educators, to offer them the opportunity to join one of the world's leading professional organizations for educators at all levels.

Membership grows one handshake at a time. Every Kappan is encouraged to invite worthy individuals into the PDK family. That can be done locally by contacting chapter officials, or a nomination can be submitted to the Membership Development Department by calling Billie Spellman at the PDK International Office.

Another way to nominate potential new members is to mail in or fax the form on page 8 of the Spring issue of NN&Q.

Page 13 of the spring issue of NN&Q is a briefing sheet about Phi Delta Kappa that highlights advocacy, colleagiality, and professionalism and includes resources to help Kappans answer the critics of public schools. Phi Delta Kappa is a leader among educator organizations because of these features that convey Kappans' dedication to the PDK ideals of leadership, service, and research. Feel free to photocopy this page and share it.

Consider this: If only one member in every 10 extends the hand of friendship and brings in a new member, PDK will grow by 10,000 new members this year. If more Kappans take an active role in member recruitment, that figure can rise even higher.

Arliss Roaden Honored by Tennessee Tech and PDK Foundation

Tennessee Technological University honored a long-serving member of the PDK Educational Foundation Board of Governors in naming its student center for Arliss Roaden. Roaden served for a number of years as president of Tennessee Tech and later was executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Executive Director Ronald Joekel and Associate Executive Director George Kersey attended the naming ceremony in Cookeville, Tennessee, on Saturday, December 12.

Roaden's long career also includes elementary school teaching, professorships at several universities, and a variety of positions at Ohio State University, including vice provost and dean of the Graduate School, prior to the presidency of Tennessee Tech that began in 1974.

It was while Roaden was assistant dean of the Ohio State University College of Education that he participated in the early talks with George H. Reavis that resulted in the PDK Educational Foundation. Roaden was appointed to the Foundation's Board of Governors in 1969, making him the longest-serving member of that board. In addition, Roaden is the only member of the Board of Governors to be appointed by both Ohio State University and PDK. The conditions of the trust established by Reavis provide for three members of the board to be appointed by PDK and two to be appointed by the dean of the Ohio State University College of Education. Roaden served by appointment of Ohio State from 1969 to 1983 and by appointment by PDK from 1983 to the present. At the Board of Governors' July meeting, Roaden was reappointed for another three-year term, from August 1998 to August 2001. He currently serves as secretary of the Board of Governors, a post to which he was re-elected in January.

At its January meeting, the Board of Governors of the PDK Educational Foundation also took action to honor Roaden with a Distinguished Service Award for his years of service to the Foundation. An engraved image of Roaden will join those of George Reavis, Bessie Gabbard, Edgar Dale, and others that are displayed on a special plaque that hangs in the lobby of the Rose International Conference Center at the PDK International Office.

Looking for Data?

Can't remember where you read that one piece of information you now need? Working on a dissertation? PDK's Center for Evaluation, Development, and Research has developed a database listing all PDK publications, including Kappan articles since 1970, fastbacks, Research Bulletins, books and monographs, and other materials distributed by Phi Delta Kappa. The CEDR staff will search this database for you at no charge.

To request a search, contact CEDR at the PDK International Office. The staff will need some information about your quest, such as a few key words or other information that will help them to find the information you want. Searches usually are completed in a day or two, and the CEDR staff will send you the results, including a printout of full citations and abstracts for each item found. E-mail: cedr@pdkintl.org

Subsidiary Rights Sales Make PDK Books Available in Other Languages

Special Publications, the book publishing division of PDK under the auspices of the Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation, is looking to members for help. Special Publications editors would like to find more non-U.S. publishers willing to purchase subsidiary rights to PDK books that can be translated into other languages and sold to educators abroad.

Last year PDK member Youn-Ock Kim in Korea was instrumental in getting Hot Buttons, an anthology of fastbacks on controversial issues, translated into Korean and published by the Wonmi Publishing Company in Seoul. The sale of subsidiary rights to John Goodlad's book, What Schools Are For, is now permitting the translation of that book into Chinese for publication in Taiwan.

Subsidiary rights sales are a way to put PDK books into the hands of educators -- Kappans and non-Kappans alike -- who live outside the United States and for whom English may be a second language. However, subsidiary rights sales do not have to include translation. Publishers outside the United States also can purchase rights to republish PDK books in English, a practice that can eliminate some of the import-export problems that currently arise when PDK books are shipped abroad.

Kappans who have publisher contacts abroad can assist the Special Publications editors by providing information that might lead to more opportunities to see PDK books published outside the United States. Areas of particular interest are Quebec, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. But all opportunities will be considered. Information should be sent to Donovan Walling, Editor of Special Publications, at the PDK International Office.

Fastback Sponsorships Available

Eight chapters sponsored fastbacks in the spring 1999 series. The PDK Educational Foundation is encouraging other chapters to sponsor fastbacks in future series.

Many chapters sponsor fastbacks as a focal point for a chapter project, to commemorate an important milestone such as a chapter anniversary, or to honor an individual whose work has affected the chapter. Sponsoring chapters are acknowledged in the publication, receive 150 free copies of the sponsored fastback, and may invite the publication's author to present a seminar-lecture at a future chapter meeting. The author's honorarium and travel expenses for the chapter visit will be paid by the PDK Educational Foundation.

Sponsors for the spring 1999 fastbacks, which will be published in April, include:

Ohio State University: fastback 442 Corporate Culture and the Attack on Higher Education and Public Schooling by Henry A. Giroux

Evansville Indiana: fastback 443 Teaching Aesthetics by Sandra L. Bryan

University of North Dakota: fastback 444 Integrating Science and Mathematics in the Elementary Curriculum by David M. Davison, Kenneth W. Miller, and Dixie L. Metheny

State University College/New Paltz: fastback 445 Project-Based Multimedia Instruction by John D. Foshay

Kennesaw Mountain Georgia: fastback 446 Building the School-to-Work System by Barbara J. Hopkins, Darl Naumann, and Frederick C. Wendel

Southeastern Indiana: fastback 447 Making Student Teaching Work: Creating a Partnership by Mary A. Lowenhaupt and Corinne E. Stephanik

Tulsa Oklahoma: fastback 447 Improving K-8 Reading Using Multiple Intelligences by Louisa Melton, Winston Pickett, and Gail Sherer

South Central Iowa: fastback 448 Tech Prep Taiwan-Style by Douglas C. Smith

Interested chapters may obtain a brochure about the sponsorship program by calling Terri Hampton at the PDK International Office.

Book Notes

THE YAMI TEACH LESSONS ABOUT "PROGRESS" · Asia scholar Douglas C. Smith's new book is The Yami of Lan-yu Island: Portrait of a Culture in Transition. Smith examines the culture of the aboriginal Yami, living on their island some 60 miles off the coast of Taiwan. He explores how that culture is being changed as the islanders become less isolated as a result of modern transportation and tourism. This book lists for $13; the member discount price is $9.75.

A PEACEABLE SCHOOL URGES NONVIOLENCE · Vicky Schreiber Dill believes that confident, caring educators who believe in nonviolence are the key to creating schools that foster an attitude of nonviolence in children. Dill explores the issues in her new book, A Peaceable School, which lists for $12. The member discount price is $9.

YOUTH SUICIDE TACKLES DIFFICULT ISSUES · Wanda Y. Johnson takes a proactive stance in her new book, Youth Suicide: The School's Role in Prevention and Response. Johnson notes that student suicide attempts occur at the rate of one every minute. Some 5,000 students kill themselves each year. Educators who are knowledgeable about teen suicide issues can help prevent these tragedies. Youth Suicide lists for $10.50; the member discount price is $7.50.

MATHEMATICIAN SHOWS HOW TO TEACH MATH IN ALL SUBJECTS · Math is boring and you'll never use it. At least, that is what many students think. In Mathematics Across the Disciplines, mathematician Dan Wishnietsky explains in concise, jargon-free language how math is employed in science, music, fine arts, English, and philosophy. He uses specific examples to illustrate how secondary teachers can integrate mathematics into the curriculum and connect it to students' everyday lives. Mathematics Across the Disciplines lists for $9.50; the member discount price is $7.

SATURDAY SCHOOL EXPLORES PREJUDICE IN SCHOOL SCHEDULING · In his fascinating history of the Decatur, Georgia, public schools, Tom Keating examines a 30-year period during which Jews were discouraged from settling in the town. Saturday School: How One Town Kept Out "The Jewish," 1902-1932 lists for $10; the member discount price is $7.50.

LEGAL RESEARCH GUIDE OFFERS HOW-TO TIPS · Educators, journalists, and students will appreciate PDK's new guide, Legal Research, by Colleen Pauwels, Linda Fariss, and Keith Buckley. The authors include the director, the associate director, and a research librarian at the Law Library of the Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington. Legal Research lists for $12; the member discount price is $9. (Available in June)

"HOT TOPIC" EXAMINES SCHEDULING · Time and Learning: Scheduling for Success, edited by Robert L. Kennedy and Ann E. Witcher, is the latest volume in PDK's popular "Hot Topics" series. It includes 21 carefully screened, research-based articles and professional opinion pieces on five themes, including class scheduling options, modifying starting and ending times of the school day, the length of the school week, the length and configuration of the school year, and multi-year grouping or "looping." The cost for each volume in the "Hot Topics" series is $25 plus $3 shipping and handling. A discount is available for three or more copies.

GIFT IDEA · Kappans can show their PDK spirit by giving The Phi Delta Kappa Books of Days: Fraternity and Foundation -- to graduates, new initiates, or retiring colleagues. This book tells the PDK story from 1906 to the present and includes many historical photographs from the fraternity's archives. This handsome hardcover volume also features a perpetual datebook, which can be used as a "birthday book" or an appointment calendar -- and there also are an address book and ample space for notes. The cover in the fraternity's official red color features gold-stamped crests on front and back. (See special offer on page 19.)

Membership Forum by Billie Spellman, Director of Membership

Q: Are PDK scholarships available for graduate students?

A: The Phi Delta Kappa Graduate Fellowships in Educational Leadership are designed to support Kappans who are pursuing master's, specialist, or doctoral degrees. There are six fellowships, including five Howard M. Soule Fellowships and one Emory Stoops Graduate Fellowship. Applicants must be good-standing members of PDK and full-time students during the year the tuition and fees are awarded. Applications for these fellowships are mailed to all Kappan graduate students and also are available from local chapter foundation representatives. The deadline for submitting applications this year is May 1.

Q: Explain the difference between a life membership and an emeritus membership.

A: A life membership may be purchased by any member at any time upon payment of a fee of $1,000 or upon the completion of five annual payments of $210 each. A fully paid life member is exempt from international dues but continues to pay chapter dues at a rate that is $3 less than for regular members.

Applications for emeritus membership must come from that member's chapter. A chapter may apply for emeritus membership for any member who has reached age 65, retired from active service, and has at least 20 years of good-standing membership. Emeritus members are exempt from International and chapter dues.

Life and emeritus members must re-certify their status annually by responding to a form that is sent to them from the International Office.

Q: Can a member enter upon inactive status and return to good-standing status at a future date?

A: Yes, it is called "demitted status." Any member in good standing who has extenuating circumstances may submit a written request for demitted status. Once the request has been approved, the International Office will issue a demit card to place the member in inactive status. Demitted status can exist for a maximum of three years; however, the member is contacted annually concerning his or her desire to return to regular membership status.

Q: I understand that PDK has honor cords and medallions for members who are graduating from college. How can I get these?

A: Either item may be ordered by contacting our Order Department. The honor cord is $5 and the medallion is $20. The cord or medallion may be worn by graduating college seniors or graduate student members.

Have a question about membership? Send it to Billie Spellman at the Phi Delta Kappa International Office.

CEDR Director Larry Barber Retires

Larry Barber, director of PDK's Center for Evaluation, Development, and Research (CEDR), retired in February. Barber will remain to work on special assignments until July.

Barber was only the second director of CEDR in its 32-year history. He joined the PDK International Office staff in 1982, replacing William Gephart, the center's first director. During his tenure, Barber was instrumental in developing the center's focus on practical research that can be used by schools. For example, he developed the popular "Hot Topics" series and the Research Bulletin.

Before joining the PDK staff, Barber was assistant superintendent for research, development, and evaluation for the Eugene, Ore., public schools. He began his career as a special education teacher in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Willard Duckett, the assistant director under Larry Barber, currently is serving as interim director of CEDR.

Past Presidents' Obituaries

Charles Foster died on 2 November 1998 in Gainesville, Florida. He was 97 years old.

Foster, a 70-year member, was the president of PDK International in 1960-62. Foster was a professor emeritus of the University of Florida College of Education. Previously he was the dean of the School of Education at the University of Miami.

Foster was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, in 1901. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh and his master's and doctorate from Harvard University. He also worked as a reporter for the Pittsburgh Sun and the Miami Daily News.

A.G. (Woody) Clark died on 18 December 1998. He was 93 years old and had been a Kappan for 56 years.

Clark was the president of PDK International in 1962-64. Clark was an assistant county superintendent in Pennsylvania. He began his career as an elementary teacher in White Township, Pennsylvania, in 1923, the year he graduated from high school. He also served as a high school teacher and coach, principal, and supervising principal.

Clark's bachelor's degree was from Muskingum College, where he was selected for the All-Ohio Conference Teams for both football and basketball. His master's and doctorate were from the University of Pittsburgh.

PDK to Train Public School Advocates

Phi Delta Kappa is conducting a special week of training in July to help educators and others become advocates for their public schools. The special five-day program is being conducted as part of the 1999 Gabbard Institutes, held at PDK's Rose International Conference Center in Bloomington, Indiana.

Public school advocacy has become a special focus for Phi Delta Kappa. This institute is designed to show participants how to become advocates, how to get the information needed to be effective advocates, and how to encourage others in their school districts to join the advocacy effort.

The institute presenter is Lowell Rose, former executive director of Phi Delta Kappa International. Rose has been a leader in PDK's advocacy efforts. He serves as the national director for PDK's Forums on the Public Schools, which have brought together educators, business leaders, politicians, parents, and other stakeholders to discuss the need for public schools, the state of those schools, and what must be done to achieve excellence in the schools.

"The Why and How of Public School Advocacy" will be held from July 12 to 16. The institute is actually three sessions, each focusing on a separate aspect of advocacy. The first session is a one-day workshop to provide an overview of what is needed to be an advocate. The second session will provide sources of information, materials, and techniques for being an advocate. The final session will focus on specific techniques for promoting advocacy in local school districts. Participants can register for one, two, or all three sessions.

"The Why and How of Public School Advocacy" is just one of more than 45 Gabbard Institutes offered this summer. The PDK Educational Foundation provides scholarships to all Kappans in good standing who participate.

For more information about this institute, or for information about other institutes in the Gabbard series, contact the Center for Professional Development and Services at the PDK International Office.

Explore the World with PDK This Summer

Six travel seminars are scheduled for this summer. Spaces on these tours still are available for those who are looking for an exciting and educational experience.

Each year hundreds of Kappans participate in these adventures. Below is a list of the travel seminars offered this summer, accompanied by testimonials from other Kappans who have traveled to these destinations in past years.

Israel-Jordan, June 27-July 9, $3,001
Imagine leaving the bustling New York Kennedy Airport and traveling back in time to a place rich in history and biblical traditions, yet very modern. Israel and Jordan are very diverse countries, as seen by their lush valleys and barren plains, their ornate churches and Bedouin tents. You will return with a richer understanding of life as it must have been more than two thousand years ago. Marian Latham

Russian River Cruise, July 1-16, $3,100
Outstanding! This cruise provides the opportunity to see the countryside, the dachas, the people, and the industry, and land tours of the old historic cities and cathedrals, as well as three days in St. Petersburg and three days in Moscow. The ship was an ideal hotel, no need to move luggage daily. It was one of the best trips we've ever taken; the opportunity of a lifetime! Chloe Coffman

South Africa and Victoria Falls, July 4-21, $5,169
As a native of South Africa, I envy those who will enjoy this tour. This is a country of history and beauty. You will travel along beautiful seascapes and visit lush vineyards. Victoria Falls is breathtaking; and until you have seen it, you cannot comprehend its magnificence. This may be the most memorable trip you'll ever take. Bobbie Robertson

Voyage of the Midnight Sun, July 7-20, $4,600
Norway is a country beautiful beyond belief. The crystal clear streams and scenery are breathtaking. Photographs do not adequately prepare you for the crisp, sharp beauty. Our tour was well organized with a wonderful guide and excellent service. Eve Proffitt and Sherry Morgan

France! Luxury Hotel Barge Cruise, July 9-18, $4,199
From the Parisian Cabaret to the small shops, France was an extraordinary experience. Rolling vineyards, imposing castles, and elegant chateaux are everywhere. In Dijon, lunch at a sidewalk café and shopping were wonderful; and seeing the tiled roofs in this area was a feast to the eyes and mind. Rosalie Norris

Costa Rica and Jungle Odyssey, August 5-16, $2,449
What a wonderful vacation and travel experience! Costa Rica appealed to all of my senses! I was captured by the beauty and diversity of the countryside, the rain forest, volcanoes, and the jungle (my favorite). My emotions were stirred. I cannot wait to return. This trip is a must do! Brenda Youngblood

For a schedule of PDK's summer travel programs, contact Connie McCoy at the PDK International Office.

News, Notes, and Quotes is published three times a year by Phi Delta Kappa International, P.O. Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789.

NN&Q Staff
Donovan R. Walling, Editor
David M. Ruetschlin, Managing Editor
Debbie Webb, Graphic Designer
Terri Hampton, Secretary