History 

Hisotry of CSU East Bay-Diablo Chapter of PHI DELTA KAPPA

Effective July 1, 2006, the California State University Hayward and the Diablo Chapters have merged into one chapter. They bring together the strengths of a university-based chapter and a community-based chapter, and expand the area covered by the new chapter. The Cal State Chapter has covered Hayward, Castro Valley, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Fremont, Newark, and Union City. The Diablo Chapter covered Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, the southern part of San Ramon, and Sunol.

All members of the Diablo Chapter (#1350) were offered the opportunity to transfer to the Cal State Hayward Chapter (#0189). This could mean up to 40 new members (depending on how many transferred from the Diablo Chapter) for the new CSU East Bay - Diablo Chapter, bringing the membership of Chapter #0189 to about 110 members.

With the merging of the two chapters, our theme this year will be Linking the University and Community . Our programs and activities will reflect this theme as we build on each other's strengths to better meet the needs of educators and schools and their students and families in our area.

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History of Diablo Chapter of PHI DELTA KAPPA

On March 20,1974, a group of educators from the Tri-Valley Area wrote to Lowell Rose, the executive secretary of PDK International expressing an interest in starting a "field chapter " . After operating as a club for two years they received a charter dated October 7,1976, containing the names of fifty men and women. The purpose of the chapter was, as the organization specifies, LEADERSHIP, RESEARCH, and SERVICE , in the field of education. Over the next thirty years some of the activities of the chapter are recorded below.

PROGRAMS AND MEETINGS:

Each year about five or six meetings were held featuring speakers from PDK Inte rn ational, authors of booklets called “Fastbacks” of educational subjects, research by educational organizations, and other speakers of interest to the chapter board and membership (such as time management, colors and personality, etc.). Each year the Gallup Poll on public attitude toward education as printed in the Kappan was analyzed and debated. Programs regarding political action on ballot propositions affecting education were presented.

ACTIVITIES:

Other activities were a visit to the Eugene O'Neill home in Danville, a walking tour of historical San Francisco Chinatown, and visits to several LivermoreValley and Sunol wineries. One of our members, Krustina Mathesen, joined the Peace Corps and was sent to teach in Macedonia March 25- June 25,1998. We collected and sent educational materials to her before she was quickly evacuated from the area as it became involved in the Croatian-Serbian conflict.

We became interested in education in neighboring Mexico. Under our President Mary Jane Hyde, we attempted a teacher exchange program with a Mexican community which included much planning but failed to materialize due to governmental red tape in Mexico.

In 1997, Jan Humphreys went to the Indiana University Campus to observe how Inte rn ational PDK put on a summer camp for prospective teachers which led to our own area 2-D teachers' institute at Dominican College in Marin County called "PICTURE ME TEACHING". Six chapters of area 2-D, includind Diablo, held this three - day institute in the summers of 1998,1999, and 2000 for highschool juniors and seniors who were interested in becoming teachers.

SCHOLARSHIPS:

Each year highschool seniors in the Tri-Valley Area were solicited to enter the scholarship competition sent out by PDK International. From two to five scholarships per year were presented in the years from about 1978-2006. Checks from $100 to $500 and award plaques were given to winners who were prospective teachers to be used for college expenses.

FUNDRAISING: :

Each year the chapter raised money to fund scholarships by selling RADA Cutlery to members and friends, holding raffles, holding garage sales, and other money raisers, including encouraging monetary gifts as memorials for family and friends with acknowledgment of the gift in the newsletter and cards to the family of those honored.

NEWSLETTER:

Each month printed newsletters were sent to all members and to other chapter newsletter chairpersons in our area. An award for Outstanding Newsletter was received by Pat Wheeler.

HISTORIAN:

Each year pictures were taken by the historian and others at all meetings and a scrapbook-album of activities and photos was put together for the preced i ng year and made available at meetings to be viewed by membership and guests. Nine of these scrapbooks will be available for viewing in the library where the chapter meets at the college after the merger.

AWARDS:

Each year Outstanding Chapter Awards and 20/20 Membership Awards were given by PDK International and Diablo accumulated a number of these which are mostly found in the scrapbooks of the historian. Also in the yearly books can be found awards given to members for service and excellence in the form of pictures of the giving of the pin or plaque.

MERGER:

In 2006 Diablo Chapter and CSU East Bay applied to International PDK to merge in order to better serve the cause of both chapters. The board of the new chapter will be made up of members from both chapters, continuing to work toward our goals in: LEADERSHIP, RESEARCH, and SERVICE in Education.

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History of CSU East Bay Chapter of PHI DELTA KAPPA