DKG: An International Society for Key Women Educators

“Nine years after women won the right to vote in the United States of America, Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Society was founded to fill the needs of women in the educational profession. At that time, women teachers were offered few leadership positions, promoted rarely, fired easily, and paid less than male colleagues.” Dr. Annie Webb Blanton, a university professor and a former Texas Superintendent of Education, dreamed of and planned for an organization in which women teachers could support one another and recognize themselves as leaders in their chosen profession. She and 11 other women educators, representing different disciplines and under assumed names for fear of losing their jobs, founded the Society on May 11, 1929.

From its beginning with 12 Texas women educators, DKG has grown into an international organization with over 2,000 chapters in 79 state organizations in 18 countries (Handbook of the DKG Society International 2015).

Members of Delta Kappa Gamma Society will celebrate DKG’s 100th Anniversary at the 2029 International Conference in Austin, Texas (July 25 - 28, 2029).

“Chapters are the heart of the Society, and it is at the chapter level (local level) of the Society where a woman educator begins her membership journey. In order to retain members, a chapter must meet the needs of its members.” (Handbook of the DKG Society International 2015) Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Beta Nu Chapter in Marlin, Texas, was organized on November 2, 1935, by Dr. Annie Webb Blanton, making it an Alpha Chapter. The chapter was formed from Beta Beta Chapter and was ceded Falls, Milam, Robertson, Leon and Madison Counties as membership territory. Miss Agnes Peyton was Beta Nu’s first President. Beta Nu’s first chapter meeting was held February 8, 1936, in the Falls Hotel.

For 90 years, the Beta Nu Chapter centered in Marlin has continued its focus on promoting professional and personal growth of women educators, supporting community education, and advancing women in education.

What does that look like? Members are provided scholarship and grant opportunities, leadership training, community programs, worldwide projects, conferences, networking contacts, technological opportunities, face-to-face learning, and support from and for fellow members.

Generous scholarships available to DKG members cover graduate studies, continuing adult education, and educational travel. DKG Society International has awarded over $5.6 million in international scholarships since 1940.

Throughout the year, Beta Nu Chapter members participate in the “Getting to Know You” program, have FUN fellowship, exercise Bragging Rights, make crafts, and play games. Leading community professionals such as auto mechanics, law enforcement, health, and estate legal professionals, and more, add valuable information for personal growth.

Beta Nu Chapter members attend DKG Texas State Organization Regional Area Workshops and State Conventions. There, projects like the Emergency Fund are highlighted and achievement award winners are recognized. These gatherings also provide opportunities to train chapter leaders, discuss legislation impacting education, and facilitate personal development through workshops and, in most cases, international speaker interactions.

Who is a DKG woman? “A DKG woman is a leader at work. Leadership is about influence, impact, and innovation.” (dkg.org) She leads the way to a future brighter than ever before, because she believes in the greatness within each student.

A DKG woman is an educator who “shares her passion for learning and teaching. Educators from all walks of life, ‘a teacher educates the future’. Here’s to those dedicated to teaching, who are working hard in classrooms, day in and day out.⁣” (dkg.org) A DKG woman is a conceptual thinker. She “manages to find the perfect solutions to everyday problems! Her creative mind knows no bounds.” (dkg.org) On January 31, 2026, the Beta Nu Chapter Executive Board, comprised of elected officers and the immediate past president, met to plan programs, discuss service projects, and review the budget. In attendance were Chapter Treasurer Dr. Marlene Zipperlen, Chapter President Shirley Wilson, Chapter Member Monalisa Matthews, Chapter Member Cynthia Berry, Immediate Past President and Current Secretary Letitia Estep, New Member Dr. Chelleye Crow, Chapter Parliamentarian and Publisher Phyllis Macmillan, and TSO Area 8 Coordinator Dr. Michele Cox. Chapter Vice President Rhonda Milton and Chapter Members Peggy Clark and Sheila Lawson were in absentia.