AboutVera Jo Henegar researched and wrote the following history of Pi Chapter:
According to Pi Chapter lore, it was a cold, snowy day in the winter of 1943 when Lucille Hill, Anderson County Supervisor of Elementary Education, went to Shinliver Elementary School where she met with Elizabeth and Virginia Holt, Vera Hightower, Irene Wallace, and perhaps others about the possibility of forming an Anderson County chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. She found them in the school cafeteria making candy to send to soldiers overseas fighting the battles of World War II. Mrs. Hill had been contacted by Dr. Mildred Dawson of the University of Tennessee, who was working on the expansion of East Tennessee chapters under the direction of Dr. Maycie K. Southall, Xi State’s first President, 1935-38, and the fourth International President, 1938-40. An interesting fact about Dr. Dawson is that she was the only Xi State president to serve two terms in that office. Dr. Dawson installed Pi Chapter on June 5, 1943. The following women are listed as charter members according to the Pi Chapter Yearbook: Greta Beets Margaret King; Carolyn Bowling Alma Lowrance; Ida Inez Gamble; Frances McMaughton; Carrie Lee Goddard; Kathleen Pressley; Frances Grubb; Virginia Rogers; Elizabeth Holt; Leola Sharp; Virginia Holt; Irene Wallace; Dora Humphrey; Rubye Wallace; Vera Whitlock |