A∆K California Beta Pi
The California Beta Pi chapter of A∆K (or ADK) is a group of women educators, made up of both current and retired teachers. We dedicate ourselves to the support of teaching, fundraising for community organizations, and the development and wellbeing of women and children in the South Bay Area, and beyond.
Read on to learn about how our chapter formed. See our pages on Altruistic Projects and Scholarships to learn about some of the ways we contribute to making San Jose a better place. Interested in becoming a member? See our Members and Membership pages.
Above: Ruth Chapin (Left) with Sister Addie DeMedeiros
Our History
The California Beta Pi Chapter was chartered on March 30, 1968, 21 years after the founding of Alpha Delta Kappa: Honorary Sorority for Women Educators. 16 members were initiated at Beta Pi’s chartering. One of those founding members was Ruth Chapin, who remained an active and devoted member until well into her nineties in 2014. She was the chapter’s first Chaplain.
In a 2013 interview with Ruth, a jewel in our crown, she reminded us that the first president was Roberta Whitney. Recruiting was difficult and once the chapter was formed, the focus was on social activities so as to build the feeling of fraternity.
The early 1980’s were a huge challenge for the chapter in view of the fact that school districts were facing serious financial problems and were laying off teachers and closing schools. As a consequence, Beta Pi lost members and its numbers were reduced to nine or ten! It would take another decade to grow the membership to 25 sisters.
Ruth affirmed that the focus on altruism has always been at the heart of Beta Pi’s existence.
One notable Beta Pi sister, Belle Goldstein, was ADK California State President in the 1991-1993 biennium.
Beta Pi has kept up with signs of the times. During the 2002-2004 biennium, sisters decided that email would be the mode to replace hard copy mailings of newsletters and minutes, in an effort to save on costs. In the same manner, during the covid pandemic, Beta Pi embraced Zoom as a way to continue monthly meetings and attendance at virtual conferences and conventions.
The history of Beta Pi has always been safeguarded in its yearbooks and other records, but it wasn’t until 2017 that the measure of that history’s significance in local women’s history was entrusted to the City of San Jose’s Historical Archives with "History San Jose."