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Tau Kappa Epsilon history
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There were two fraternities already in existence at Illinois Wesleyan in 1899, both with more than 50 chapters nationally.
Through the persuasion and effort of Richard Henry Little, for columnist on the Chicago Tribune and one of the most prominent Phi Delt alumni, the Knights presented a petition to the Phi Delta Theta national organization at its convention in New York in 1902.
On April 6, 1909, Lester H. Martin, Arthur Heinlein, L.W. Tuesburg, and a delegation of actives from Alpha chapter paid a visit to Chi Rho Sigma, a local fraternity at Millikin University, in Decatur, Illinois.
Wallace G. McCauley, in the January 1910 issue stated: "TKE is bound to become the fraternity.
On February 11-12, 1910, the seven Grand Officers, plus two delegates each from Alpha and Beta chapters, were in attendance.
In the spring of 1910 it was announced that Alpha Chapter, after living 11 years in a rented house, had purchased the home of a Wesleyan professor at a cost of $8,500.
On February 10-11, 1911, the 3rd Conclave convened at Decatur, Illinois, with the Grand Officers and delegates from Alpha and Beta again in attendance.
Mainly through their efforts, a local fraternity known as the Campus Club petitioned Tau Kappa Epsilon for a charter on January 22, 1912.
The charter was granted and installation followed on February 3, 1912, not at Champaign, but at the Alpha chapter house in Bloomington.
When the Knights of Classic Lore was founded in 1899 there were no thoughts of ever leaving the bounds of Illinois. As a result, following the installation of Delta chapter in 1912, no new chapters were chartered for more than two-and-one-half years.
The 5th Conclave, held in Decatur, Illinois, on February 14-15, 1913, saw the election of L.W. Tuesburg as Grand Prytanis.
Voluminous correspondence was carried on with numerous prospects during this time, however, and a group at Iowa State College in Ames was determined, as early as 1913, to petition TKE for a charter as soon as faculty permission could be secured.
Frater Tuesburg, a loyal servant throughout the history of TKE, was re-elected Grand Prytanis at the 6th Conclave on April 17-18, 1914, held in Champaign, Illinois.
One of the first acts of the new Grand Prytanis, Lyle F. Straight, elected at the 7th Conclave in Galesburg, Illinois, April 16-17, 1915, was to receive a petition from this group, known as the Seminoles.
The Seminoles were installed as Epsilon chapter on May 28, 1915, as the leadership of the fraternity overcame any desire for provincialism.
The 8th Conclave convened at Bloomington, April 28-29, 1916, and Frater Straight was re-elected as Grand Prytanis.
On April 27-28, 1917, the month of America's entry into World War I, the 9th Conclave was held at Ames, Iowa.
Lambda Chapter was installed by National on Saturday, December 15, 1917.
The Akela Club, at the University of Wisconsin, had become Lambda chapter in 1918, the only wartime acquisition.
The strengthened Chapter moved to 10 Mendota Court, in the heart of the Fraternity district, in the fall of 1919.
The Chapter cemented ties with the Alumni during the school year of 1920-21 and the Alumni proved their loyalty and interest by often stopping at the Fraternity House.
The Karnak Club was formed in 1921 at Wabash College in Crawfordsville , Indiana , by C. O. Bicking, F.D. Hite, J.V. Starr, R.W. Roley, and E.P. Given.
During the 13th Conclave in 1921, the desirability of a headquarters was mentioned by several of the Grand Officers in their annual reports.
The period 1921-26 saw 10 new chapters installed, completing the first alphabet from Alpha to Omega.
The following year, 1921-22, found Lambda more active than ever.
By the fall of 1922, the Chapter, with alumni advice and aid, had purchased the beautiful mansion at 216 Langdon Street for $38,000.
Frater Reeve presided over the 14th Conclave in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was during this Conclave, in 1922, that hazing in fraternity initiation and pledging activities was soundly condemned.
The 15th Conclave was held in St Louis from October 24-25, 1923.
Around 1924, the Karnak Club noted that the then current chapters of Tau Kappa Epsilon seemed to value just what their fraternity embodied: a willingness to accept all people, regardless of race or socioeconomic class.
The Karnak Club was formed in 1921 at Wabash College in Crawfordsville , Indiana , by C. O. Bicking, F.D. Hite, J.V. Starr, R.W. Roley, and E.P. Given. Thus, the triangle first arrived at Wabash College in June of 1927.
In 1927, the men of the Karnak Club successfully petitioned to become a chapter of a new and fast-growing regional fraternity called Tau Kappa Epsilon.
By January of 1929, Lambda Chapter’s mantle held more athletic cups than any chapter in TKE; 35 big cups was their tally.
Eight new chapters had been installed by the 19th Conclave in San Francisco, September 3-5, 1930, bringing the total chapter roll up to 32.
The period from 1930-35 was one of challenges for the Fraternity, just as it was for people and organizations throughout the United States.
Tau Kappa Epsilon also absorbed the membership of a small national fraternity, Sigma Mu Sigma, in 1934, but this resulted in only one new chapter, Alpha-Pi at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
The 20th Conclave was held in 1935 at the Hotel Baker in St Charles, Illinois.
Unfortunately, though, the Depression years were a very difficult time for fraternities at Wabash , and due to a gradual decrease in enrollment, the Alpha Alpha chapter was forced to disband in 1936.
With war clouds on the horizon in 1939, Herbert Helble was elected Grand Prytanis.
In 1941, Grand Grammateus Tex Flint resigned his office after twenty years of service.
In October 1942, for example, TKE pledged 568 men as opposed to 475 men the preceding October.
They were the only two founders still alive as, sadly, Joseph L. Settles had passed away on February 15, 1943.
With so few chapters functioning during 1943-45, the income that the Fraternity needed to operate was drastically limited.
When Grand Prytanis Nieman was forced to resign because of professional and business activities in 1944, Frater Williams ascended.
When Doctor Williams assumed the office of Grand Prytanis in 1944, the United States was in the midst of its greatest military conflict.
In 1945 Frater Theiss tendered his resignation, and V.J. Hampton, Assistant Dean of Men at the University of Illinois, was hired as Executive Secretary.
On September 4-7, 1947, the 24th Conclave was held in Champaign, Illinois.
On December 14, 1947, 18 of these men traveled to Kappa Chapter at Beloit, where, on December 14, 1947, they were initiated into TKE. Lambda was reinstated and reactivated.
On January 27, 1948, 12 men met with TKE field secretary Herb Brown Chapter at the Georgia Tech YMCA on North Avenue in Atlanta to establish C
The first regular meeting of Beta-Pi Chapter was held in the house on Plum Street on June 7, 1948.
Lambda Chapter had on March 26, 1949, 31 actives, 5 inactives, five pledges and 15 men about to be pledged.
TKE Beta-Pi Chapter was accepted as a full member of the Georgia Tech IFC on May 3, 1949.
Specifically, at the close of 1949, fifty years after the founding of the Fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon had granted a total of 79 charters, 75 of which were active, and had initiated a total of 15,954 men.
So, during winter quarter 1951, TKE found itself again with no place of its own for meeting and housing members.
In 1951, Sophus C. Goth was selected as Grand Prytanis at the 26th Conclave held in Roanoke, Virginia.
In spite of this fraternity recession, however, Tau Kappa Epsilon granted its 100th charter to an undergraduate chapter on February 28, 1953, when Delta Delta Tau, a local fraternity at Colorado State College, Greeley, was installed as Delta-Delta chapter.
James C. Logan, a Kansas City attorney, was elected Grand Prytanis at the 27th Conclave held during September 1953, at the Hotel Savery, Des Moines, Iowa.
In 1953, the Chapter reached a milestone when Bill Fricke, scroll number 13 and the last of the Chapter Founders, graduated, having spent “more than the usual amount of time” at Tech.
In 1956, Richard R. Hall became Executive Secretary and the National Office was moved to Kansas City, Missouri.
In March of 1957, Frater Bruce B. Melchert helped establish the Canadian Alpha Affiliate at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg.
The 29th Conclave was held in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania, during August 1957.
In fall 1957, Dan Laird led a rush that pledged 30 men, the largest pledge class the chapter had gotten until that quarter.
In fall 1958, 20 more men pledged TKE and the Chapter entered the ranks of the large fraternities where it has remained ever since.
To make matters worse, in 1958, the Wesley Foundation completed plans to build on the two lots on 4th Street at the corner with Fowler Street.
The first meeting in the new houses was held on April 22, 1959.
Earlier in the school year, in an effort to get an edge on rush competitors, the Chapter had appointed a summer rush committee, which then rushed and pledged 10 men during summer 1959.
In summer 1959, the Chapter embarked on a radical departure from normal fraternity practice at Georgia Tech.
In spring 1960, the Chapter voted to give the members present during the Summer the full powers of the chapter and TKE Beta-Pi became a four-quarter fraternity–the first at Georgia Tech.
The 31st Conclave at the Roney Plaza in Miami Beach, Florida, September 1961, greatly aided the Fraternity's fiscal operations by eliminating the monthly dues procedure and adopting the single initiation fee.
In 1961, Yuri Gagarin of the USSR became the first human in space, followed a few months later by American Alan Shepard.
In November 1962, the price of $18,500 was agreed upon and the BOT bought what became known as The North House.
In 1962, the Alpha Alpha chapter returned to Wabash . Our fraternity quickly distinguished itself by being the first on campus to initiate an African-American member and one of only two on campus willing to accept Jewish members.
In 1962, the USA and the USSR came close to nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis and a USA military council was established in South Vietnam.
The 32nd Conclave, held in August 1963 at the Marrot Hotel in Indianapolis, marked the election of J. Russel Salsbury as Grand Prytanis, and the dedication of the International Headquarters building.
The 1963 NIC Yearbook listed Tau Kappa Epsilon as owning 165 houses, far more than any other national fraternity.
Frater Salsbury was re-elected Grand Prytanis at the 33rd Conclave held in Toronto, Ontario during 1965.
TKE leaders passed away in 1966.
In 1967, TKE went 20-1 in fast pitch softball and won its first school championship of a major league.
The name of the Teke Scholarship Fund, Inc. was changed to the Teke Educational Foundation, Inc. in 1967 and incorporated as an Indiana corporation.
At the 1967 Conclave, Grand Prytanis Becker was elected to the first of his two terms.
In the 1967-68 academic year fourteen new chapters were installed.
Then, in the 1968-69 school year, 22 new chapters were installed and two dormant chapters were reactivated - an accomplishment many believed impossible.
Chapter Advisor Conferences came into being in 1969 to give more information to Fraternity advisors.
In 1970 TKE reached another significant milestone with the installation of our 300th chapter (Nu-Mu) at the University of South Alabama.
At the 36th Conclave held in Asheville, North Carolina during 1971, Lenwood S. Cochran was installed as Grand Prytanis of our Fraternity.
A major goal was reached in January 1972, with the opening of the new TKE Headquarters at 8645 Founders Road in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In 1973, T.J. Schmitz from Iota-Omicron chapter at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater was confirmed as the new Executive Vice President, succeeding Bruce B. Melchert who left the professional staff after 15 years of service.
At the 1973 Conclave in Indianapolis, William A. Quallich was elected as Grand Prytanis.
Frater Schmitz had been the TKE Chief Executive Officer since 1973, and a nationwide search was held to select his replacement.
The Lake Geneva Playboy Club hosted the 1975 Conclave with the theme of "TKE Together," and William H. Wisdom became Grand Prytanis.
The TKE ritual was also further expanded, and 1976 saw the return of TKE to the National Interfraternity Conference.
One of the largest and most exciting Conclaves in the Fraternity's history was held in 1977 at the Fairmont Hotel in the French Quarter of historic New Orleans.
Tau Kappa Epsilon held its 40th Conclave in 1979 at the Sheraton Hotel and Country Club in French Lick, Indiana.
The 41st Conclave was held at the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, Virginia during 1981.
In 1983, the 42nd Conclave was held at the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana.
In 1985, Past Grand Prytanis Rodney Williams, Jr. was elected president of the National Interfraternity Conference.
The 44th Conclave was held at the Grand Hyatt on August 19-22, 1987 in Washington, D.C. The new Fraternity theme "For Winners Only" was unveiled and Fraters enjoyed the sights and sounds of our nation's capital.
The 45th Conclave was held at the Indianapolis Hyatt Regency Hotel in 1989, and James S. Margolin was elected Grand Prytanis.
In 1990, in accordance with their mission to live lives of Charity, Love, and Esteem, TKE International outlawed hazing in its Chapters, the first to do so on that level.
The 46th Conclave was held at the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1991, and Robert J. Borel was elected Grand Prytanis.
The Fraternity adopted another long-range plan in 1992, reacting to many of these financial and membership pressures.
In December of 1993, Executive Vice President T.J. Schmitz retired after 25 years of service to the Fraternity.
The 48th Conclave, held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. in 1995, saw Thomas M. Castner elected as Grand Prytanis.
By this time Fraternity finances and membership had become more stable and in 1996, Grand Council member Timothy J. Murphy, CFC, was selected to follow Frater Metzger as Executive Vice President.
In 1997, TKE held its 49th Conclave at the Westin Innisbrook Resort in Tarpon Springs, Florida, and Gary A. LaBranche was installed as Grand Prytanis.
In 1999, our 50th Conclave, known as the Centennial Conclave, was held in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Kevin M. Mayeux, an initiate of Gamma-Theta Chapter at the University of Florida, was selected as Executive Vice President/CEO on July 1, 2000 following an international search.
In 2003, TKE held its 52nd Conclave at the Omni Mandalay Hotel at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas and Mark C. Romig was elected Grand Prytanis.
The 53rd Conclave returned to The Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana, just weeks before Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the summer of 2005.
In 2007, TKE ventured back to the west coast for the 54th Conclave, held at the historic Riviera Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip.
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| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sigma Phi Epsilon | 1901 | $4.2M | 29 | - |
| Sigma Alpha Epsilon | 1856 | $11.0M | 275 | - |
| Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity | 1959 | $10.0M | 83 | - |
| Alpha Kappa Psi | 1904 | $1.6M | 14 | - |
| Alpha Sigma Phi | 1845 | $5.0M | 309 | - |
| Pi Kappa Phi | 1904 | $3.9M | 50 | - |
| Sigma Nu Fraternity | 1869 | $2.7M | 35 | - |
| Delta Sigma Phi | 1899 | $21.0M | 308 | - |
| Pi Kappa Alpha | 1868 | $18.0M | 754 | - |
| Delta Upsilon | 1834 | $5.0M | 198 | - |
Tau Kappa Epsilon history FAQs
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