North Coast (Ohio) Chapter

Chapter #1512, Established 1986

History

At the May 1984 Leadership Conference of District V, Area 5H, Dr. Daniel Drake, Coordinator of Area 5H and Lucrezia Wood, Past President of Phi Delta Kappa’s Greater Cleveland Chapter, were asked to spearhead the formation of a new chapter in the Greater Cleveland area.  The request was made by Dr. Lowell C. Rose, Executive Director of Phi Delta Kappa international, and Leodis V. Arburtha, District V representative.  The rationale for the new chapter formation was the broad geographical base of the Cleveland area.  A new chapter could be formed from non-affiliated and potential new Kappans.

Dr. Drake and Lucy Wood explored possible locations and a decision was made to establish a field chapter at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.  Letters were sent to non-affiliated Kappans in the area inviting them to a meeting at the Holiday Inn on East 22nd Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio.  This meeting was scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2985.  At this meeting, Royden Garland volunteered to accept the presidency of this new club.  Dr. Drake appointed Lucy Wood as the club’s advisor and Dr. John Buckner as the Secretary-Treasurer.

On September 30, 1985,  President Garland, Mrs. Wood, and Dr. Buckner held the first general membership meeting at Baldwin-Wallace College in its Colony Dining Room.  The speaker was Dr. Patrick Cosiano, Chairman of the Division of Education at Baldwin-Wallace College.  On October 23, 1985, a general meeting was held.  Speaking at this meeting was John R. Andrisek, Superintendant of the Berea board of Education.  Joan Sonnenshein, of Psychology Corporation, was the guest speaker at the November 19, 1985 general meeting.

On January 8, 1986, a goal-setting meeting was held.  Present at this meeting were Roy Garland, Lucy Wood, Dr. John Buckenr, Nancy Hagan, and Alfred Taylor.  Mr. Taylor, newly appointed Area V Coordinator, replaced Dr. Dan Drake, who retired from his participation in the Cleveland Public Schools to take a position out-of-state.  On January 27, 1986, a general membership meeting was held at the Colony Dining Room with Strongsville City School’s Superintendant, John Brown, as the speaker.  For the remainder of the 1985-1986 Kappan year, Executive Board Meetings were held on the following dates:  February 5, March 18, April 23, and May 28.

Phi Delta Kappa By-laws indicated that a club may become a Chapter when twenty (20) Kappans and ten (10) educators applied for membership in Phi Delta Kappa.  This club applied and became a Chapter on February 23, 1986,.  The installation of officers and initiation of members was held at Baldwin-Wallace College’s Pit.

The first order of business, on February 23, 2986 was the Chapter’s Installation.  The Installation Team consisted of:

The Chapter was presented by Leodis U. Arburtha.  Following the installation, the first official business meeting of the North Coast of Ohio Chapter was held.  Current officers were elected for the remainder of the year ending June 30, 1986.

The initiation followed with Area 5H Coordinator, Alfred Taylor, as leader.  Other members of the Initiation included Nancy Hagan, First Reader, William Deal, Second Reader, and Paula Deal, Third Reader.  Dr. Kenneth Osicki narrated the orientation slide presentation entitled, “This is Phi Delta Kappa.”  Nineteen  (19) Kappans sponsored the first group of new initiates to the Chapter.  The charter was then signed by fifty-four (54) members.  After the ceremony, refreshments were served.

The general membership meeting was held at Mountain Jack’s Restaurant on March 25, 1986.  Nancy Oakley of Project Learn was the main speaker.  David Anghilante, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, reported for the committee.

On April 30, 1986, a dinner meeting was held at Baldwin-Wallace College in the Colony Dining Room.  Patricia Hammond of the American Yoga Association spoke on the topic of stress management.  Officers for the 1986-1987 year were elected.

President Garland made the following appointments:

The Leadership Conference, held at Deer Creek State Park, on May 2 - 4, 1986, was the first to be attended by North Coast Chapter officers.  Representing the Chapter at this event were Royden Garland, Dr. John Buckner, Lucy Wood and Mary Maul.

This brief history of the North Coast of Ohio Chapter was constructed using the original notes provided by Historian, Nancy J. Hagan, revised in July, 2009, by Christine Birney.