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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION OF DECA
The actual organization of the Tennessee Association of DECA dates from the adoption of a State Constitution on November 18, 1943.
The Tennessee DECA organization was originally set up as an Association of Local Distributor's Clubs and was named the Associated Distributor's Clubs of Tennessee. It maintained the name until the 1950-51 Annual State Convention at which time its name was officially changed to the Tennessee Association of the Distributive Education Clubs of America, to conform in name to that of the national organization which Tennessee is a charter member.
The national organization was formed at the first Interstate Conference of Distributive Education in Memphis at the Peabody Hotel in April 1947. At that meeting, delegates from 12 states unanimously adopted a resolution to form a national organization. Memphis, Tennessee is known as the birthplace of DECA.
The second National Leadership Conference held in St. Louis, Missouri in 1948, saw the adoption of the Constitution and the official name. The Distributive Education Clubs of America. These charter states were: Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
Membership in the local chapter is purely voluntary, but since the phase of training is an integral part of the instructional program, over 97 percent membership has been a matter of record for years. Local Chapters are entirely autonomous and operate under a charter issued by the state association and a local constitution which is restricted only to the extent that its provisions are not in conflict with the State and National Constitution.
At the annual State Leadership Conference in the spring, a President, three Vice-Presidents, and a Secretary are elected to lead the association.
Tennessee has been represented at every National Leadership Conference. Its entries have consistently placed in the top ten (10) percent in the Awards Competition. In addition, Tennessee has had numerous national officers.
From its humble beginning in 1943 with nine (9) local chapters, the membership of the Tennessee Association has grown to 143 active local chapters in 2004-2005 with over 6800 members. Tennessee is the 7th largest association in the 55-member National Association. |
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