Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc.

The Southern Region

Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc. 39^th Annual Southern Regional Conference
Knoxville , TN – March 13–15 2009   

Past and Present Southern Regional Directors
Seated front Row: 3^rd chair Soror Junnie Craig, 4^th chair Dr. Gertrude Crum Sanders (deceased),
5^th chair Supreme Basileus Patricia A. Daniels, 6^th chair Soror Mary C. Williams Hardrick
(2009–2010 RD), and 7^th chair Soror Rosa R. Cochrane (Regional Director Emeritus).
Standing back row: 7^th chair Soror Jo Jean Sherman and 8^th chair Soror Mary B. Blankenship.
Soror Kay Davis was the first appointed Southern Regional Director. 
All others listed above were elected by the Southern Region.
 

The first appointed Southern Regional Director of Gamma Phi Delta Sorority was Dr. Kay Davis. She accepted the task of expanding the sorority. She sat in her Willard High School classroom in Dayton, Ohio in the Northern Region, wondering how she would accomplish her goal of organizing a chapter in the Southern Region. On the spur of the moment, she walked across the hall to her co–worker’s classroom and asked her if she knew anybody in the south. The reply was “Yes, Mrs. Susie B. Whetestone, Montgomery, Alabama".

At the close of the school day, she placed a long–distance call to Mrs. Whetestone, explaining who she was and how she had obtained information about her. Continuing the conversation, she told Mrs. Whetestone the purpose of her call was to secure a contact person who would recruit potential members with two or more years of college education to join Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, a national organization of business and professional women, with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. Mrs. Whetestone accepted to serve as the contact person, and in two weeks she telephoned to Dr. Davis saying that there were eighteen eager professional young women ready to accept the challenge. One week later, Dr. Davis arrived in Montgomery on a late Friday night flight. She spent the night in the home of Mrs. Whetestone, who then rolled out the red carpet welcoming mat of southern hospitality. The time spent was memorable.

Saturday evening eighteen ladies gathered at the residence of Mrs. Whetestone to be introduced to Dr. Kay Davis. The group was given explanation of phases of Gamma Phi Delta Sorority in the organizing of a Pledge Club. The material was distributed to the group for learning, getting a transcript for college and two letters of recommendation with joining fee payment.

Saturday, March 10, 1956 marked an important date for eighteen professional women who assembled in the Campus Center of Alabama State College (now Alabama State University) for the initiation ceremony into Gamma Phi Delta Sorority. Presiding at the Installation was Dr. Kay Davis, first appointed Southern Regional Director. The first Basileus of newly–formed Alpha Alpha Chapter was the late Mrs. Susie Whetestone.

Alpha Alpha Chapter, in the state of Alabama was the first chapter organized in the South Region which later included the state of Florida, until the split in 1988. These historical facts were gathered by the late Soror Empsie G. Cummings of Alpha Alpha Chapter.

Past Southern Regional Directors: Soror Dr. Kay Davis; Regional Director Emeritus Soror Rosa R. Cochrane, (Beta Nu) served 13 years; Soror Dr. Gertrude C. Sanders (Alpha Xi); Soror Junnie Craig (Alpha Pi); Soror Mary C. Williams, (Beta Nu); Soror Jo Jean Sherman (Alpha Alpha); Soror Mary B. Blankenship (Gamma Rho); and 2nd term Soror Mary C. Williams Hardrick (Beta Nu).