CONVENTION Themes of GSO Presidents
These themes have been used as a framework for the state convention.
At its inception, GSO conventions were held annually. Beginning with the
biennium led by Malissa Cox (1979-1981), conventions have been held at the
spring of the last year of the president's biennium.
The table below provides information about GSO Conventions from records available.
Themes
of Georgia State Organization Presidents
Number |
Year |
President |
Type/Theme |
Location |
1 |
1937 |
Eva Thornton |
|
|
2 |
1938 |
Eva Thornton |
|
|
3 |
1939 |
Melville Doughty |
|
|
4 |
1940 |
Melville Doughty |
|
|
5 |
1941 |
Dr. Mildred English |
|
|
6 |
1942 |
Dr. Mildred English |
|
|
7 |
1943 |
Margaret Blair |
|
|
8 |
1944 |
Margaret Blair |
|
|
9 |
1945 |
Margaret Blair |
|
|
10 |
1946 |
Margaret Blair |
|
Ralston
Hotel Columbus |
11 |
1947 |
Annette Highsmith |
|
Dempsey
Hotel Macon |
12 |
1948 |
Annette Highsmith |
|
Grady
Hotel Atlanta |
13 |
1950 |
Eva Gardner |
|
Columbus |
14 |
1951 |
Eva Gardner |
“Progress” |
Radium
Springs Albany |
15 |
1952 |
Maribel Richardson |
|
Piedmont
Hotel Atlanta |
16 |
1953 |
Leone Bates |
|
DeSoto
Hilton Savannah |
17 |
1955 |
Leone Bates |
|
Dempsey
Hotel Macon |
18 |
1954 |
Vera Wilson |
|
University
of Georgia Athens |
19 |
1955 |
Vera Wilson |
|
Biltmore
Hotel Macon |
20 |
1956 |
Eva Claire Brim |
|
Ware
Hotel Waycross |
21 |
1957 |
Eva Claire Brim |
|
DeSoto
Hilton Savannah |
22 |
1958 |
Lillian Wren |
|
University
of Georgia Athens |
23 |
1959 |
Lillian Wren |
“Teacher
Welfare: Building a Unified Profession” |
West
Georgia College Carrolton |
24 |
1960 |
Ethel Simmons |
“Strengthening
Our Educational Progress” |
Ralston
Hotel Columbus |
25 |
1961 |
Ethel Simmons |
“Understanding
Unfamiliar Cultures” |
Forest
Hotel Rome |
26 |
1962 |
Evelyn Dean |
“Developing
Human Resources” |
Richmond
Hotel Augusta |
27 |
1963 |
Evelyn Dean |
“Treasures
by the Sea” / “Progress is the Activity of Today” |
Wanderer Jekyll
Island |
28 |
1964 |
Evalee Burdette |
Convention
Speech: “We do Have a Launching Pad” |
DeSoto
Hilton Savannah |
29 |
1965 |
Evalee Burdette |
“What
Shall We Put into the Time Capsule?” |
Biltmore
Hotel Atlanta |
30 |
1966 |
Annie Frances Flanagan |
“Down
Bright and Better Ways” |
Gordon
Hotel Albany
High School Albany |
31 |
1967 |
Annie Frances Flanagan |
“Creativity:
Vision -Fulfillment |
Dempsey Hotel Macon |
32 |
1968 |
Ruby Turner |
“A
Better World Begins with Me” |
Callaway
Gardens Pine
Mountain |
33 |
1969 |
Ruby Turner |
“Today’s
Memories—Tomorrow’s Challenge” |
Sheraton
Biltmore Atlanta |
34 |
1970 |
Isabel Kinnett |
“Information
is Inspiration” |
University
of Georgia Athens |
35 |
1971 |
Isabel Kinnett |
“But
where is what I started for so long ago? And why is it yet unfound” Walt
Whitman |
Hilton Macon |
36 |
1973 |
Mary
Crooks |
“…tomorrow’s
splendid story is ours now to write” Elsie Lindgren |
Desoto
Hilton Savannah |
37 |
1975 |
Blanche Threatte |
“Reach
Up Pluck a Star” |
Holiday
Inn Callaway
Gardens |
38 |
1977 |
Joan
Cordell |
“I am
Committed to Love and Dedication” |
Downtowner
Hotel Albany |
39 |
1979 |
Georgia
Youngblood |
“Golden
Anniversary: Golden Opportunities in the Golden Isles” |
Holiday
Inn Jekyll
Island |
40 |
1981 |
Malissa
Cox |
“When
love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece,” John Ruskin |
Augusta
Hilton Augusta |
41 |
1983 |
Mavis
Johnson |
“There
Are Many Paths to the Top of the Mountain” |
Ponisle Stouffer’s Resort Lake
Lanier Islands Buford |
42 |
1985 |
Josephine
Hicks |
“Leadership,
Fellowship, Service: Our Golden Heritage” |
Waverly
Hotel Atlanta |
43 |
1987 |
Janie
Smallwood |
“A
Golden Heritage Provides a Vision of Hope” |
DeSoto
Hilton |
44 |
1989 |
LeAnna Walton |
“Let
Your Light Shine” |
Columbus
Hilton & Ironworks Columbus |
45 |
1991 |
Dr.
Corinne Daniel |
“Weave a Tapestry of Fellowship, Professionalism and
Honor” |
Augusta |
46 |
1993 |
Jean
Barber |
“Hands
Around the Circle Make Dreams Come True” |
Atlanta |
47 |
1995 |
Jean
Barber |
“Key
Women Educators Chart a Course for Excellence” |
Callaway
Gardens Pine
Mountain |
48 |
1997 |
Quida Richardson |
“Lighting
the Way Today and Tomorrow” |
Marriott Savannah |
49 |
1999 |
Page Loyd |
“A
Kaleidoscope for the Future” |
University
of Georgia Athens |
50 |
2001 |
Dr.
Gloria Bienstock |
“Reflection
in Mirrors in Time Where Tomorrow Meets Yesterday” |
University
of Georgia Athens |
51 |
2003 |
Sylvia
Daughtry |
“Together
We Aspire Dream, Design, Develop, Celebrate” |
Marriott
Perimeter Atlanta |
52 |
2005 |
Becky
Avera |
“Footprints
from Past, Footprints into the Future” |
Lake
Blackshear Resort Cordele |
53 |
2007 |
Dr.
Hanna Fowler |
“Living
the 7 Purposes” |
Augusta
Marriott Augusta |
54 |
2009 |
Patti
Newman |
“Anchored
By the 7 Purposes” |
Sea
Palms Resort St.
Simons Island |
55 |
2011 |
Jo Davis |
Growing—Our
Vision, Our Mission” |
Lake
Blackshear Resort Cordele |
56 |
2013 |
Peggy
McCall |
“Forward
Moving – Forward Thinking” |
Marriott Macon |
57 |
2015 |
Gail
Ford |
“Georgia
Gold: Setting the Gold Standard in DKG” |
Marriott Macon |
58 |
2017 |
Gail Springstead |
“Impacting
Members … Impacting Communities” |
University
of Georgia Athens |
59 |
2019 |
Virginia
McChesney |
“Leading
Women Educators YOU are the Key” |
Jekyll
Island Club Jekyll
Island |
60 |
2021 |
Dr.
Kathy Brown |
“The
Power of Sisterhood” |
Virtual |
61 |
2023 |
Missy
Collins |
“Construction
Plan: Building on the Purposes” |
Historic
Ironworks Columbus |
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