Category: Timeline Stories

All timeline stories.

Eta chapter installed at the Ohio State University

The Eta chapter (#7) at the Ohio State University was installed April 26, 1923 with Grand President Scott Squyres serving as the installing officer. Charter members of the Eta chapter include: Ralph Bayles; Paul Benedum; Lester Bernhard; Capt. R. C. Birmingham; Gustav Bruder; Jenie Lee Burke, Jr.; Raymond Dachsteiner; Elvin Donaldson; Russell Gannon; Herschel Kautz; Walter Locke; Earnest Parker; Frank Schubert; and Robert Strub.

Zeta chapter installed at Pennsylvania State College

The Zeta chapter (#6) at Pennsylvania State College was installed April 25, 1923 with Grand President Scott Squyres serving as the installing officer. Charter members of the Zeta chapter include: Wilfred Thompson; Wesley Romberger; Roy Bittner; Archie Rockwell; William Auman; Daniel Pomeroy, Jr.; Granville Lane; Raymond Anderson; Raymond Fellows; Winton Reinsmith; Arthur Texter; Charles Scott; Elmer Maier; J. Lloyd Bohn; Erle Myers; Don Shovlin; Francis Wilkinson; and George Burnett.

1st Biennial Convention Held

The first biennial convention of Kappa Kappa Psi was held on the campus of Oklahoma A&M College. The following members were elected to the Grand Council and served until December 30, 1923:
Grand President: Scott P. Squyres (Delta)
Grand 1st Vice President: W.A. Nelson (Gamma)
Grand 2nd Vice President: John Wylie (Beta)
Grand Secretary: Dick Hurst (Alpha)
Grand Treasurer: Asher Hendrickson (Alpha)

Delta chapter installed at the University of Oklahoma

The Delta chapter (#4) at the University of Oklahoma was installed May 21, 1921 by the Alpha chapter. Charter members of the Delta chapter include: Fred Bullard, Oscar Lehrer, Alfred Lubovitz, R. H. McCurtain, Edward Mats, Leslie Meyers, Ben Parks, Kloster Powell, Scott Squyres, Edwin Smith, Philip McNeill, and William Dietz.

Beta chapter installed at Montana State College

The Beta chapter (#2) was installed at Montana State College on December 17, 1920. Raymond Shannon and William Scroggs served as the installing officers. Charter members include: Herbert Cashmore, Byron Rouse, Leonard Neuman, and John Wiley.

Gamma chapter installed at the University of Washington

The Gamma chapter (#3) was installed at the University of Washington on December 16, 1920. Raymond Shannon and William Scroggs served as the installing officers. Charter members include: Albert Adams, C. S. Baker, Edwin Benson, W. K. Berford, Newdall Clifford, I. Walter Hawkins, Jerald Heacock, Joseph Hicks, Kenneth Johnson, John Mickelson, E. Glen Morse, W. A. Nelson, Merrit Newdall, Peter Odegard, Thomas O’Neil, Col. Charles Phillips, Freeman Scharr, Robert Somerville, Robert Stewart, and Everett Wood.

Kappa Kappa Psi Founded at Oklahoma A&M College

In the years that followed World War I, a movement developed among college and university bands, searching for some motivating force that would create a greater interest in band music. This movement sought expression in an effort to develop good will, fellowship and understanding among bands and their members, and to recognize the value of dedicated leadership. Seizing upon this idea, ten members of the Oklahoma A & M College (later to be known as the Oklahoma State University) Band, led by William A. Scroggs and their director, Bohumil Makovsky, drew up a plan for a national honorary society for college bandsmen. Director Makovsky selected nine men to work with Scroggs to organize the first local club. These ten charter members were:

  • William A. Scroggs
  • A. Frank Martin
  • Raymond D Shannon
  • Clyde Haston
  • Clayton Soule
  • Carl Stevens
  • William Coppedge
  • Dick Hurst
  • Asher Hendrickson
  • Iron H Nelson.

Officers for the local club were elected and William Scroggs was selected as president. With the local organization complete, a corporation was formed which petitioned the Oklahoma Corporation Commission for a charter. The charter was granted November 27, 1919, and “Kappa Kappa Psi, Honorary Fraternity for College Bandsmen,” was established on the Oklahoma State University campus with the local group being known as the “Alpha Chapter.” During the first year of operation as an honorary society the members were kept busy working out and adopting a national constitution, creating and developing the Ritual ceremony, designing the jewelry needed to provide distinctive recognition for the organization, and setting up plans for the expansion of the Fraternity. The Greek name and symbols, “Kappa Kappa Psi,” were furnished by Dr. Hilton Ira Jones of the OSU Chemistry faculty, and assistance in the final organization was furnished by Col. F.D. Wickham of the OSU Military Department.