About The Southwest District of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma

Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau beta Sigma have several districts throughout the United States and the SOuthwest is one of the most prominent. With the National Headquarters, several of the oldest chapters and the largest group of chapters in the Nation the Southwest is truly an amazing district. Both Tau beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi got their starts in the Southwest District, and the stories of their national beginnings are here.

About Kappa Kappa Psi
National History

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: A. Frank Martin, Raymond D Shannon, Clyde Haston, Clayton Soule, Carl Stevens, William Coppedge, Dick Hurst, Asher Hendrickson, and 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.

No person is so important to any organization as its constant companion, inspiration, and source of support. Such a man was Bohumil Makovsky, Director of Bands and Head of the Music Department at Oklahoma State University from 1915 until 1945. Affectionately referred to by all who knew him as "Boh," Makovsky provided the strength and encouragement needed by William Scroggs and those nine other bandsmen which saw them successfully through the establishment of a national fraternal society.

Founded by bandsmen for the band member, Kappa Kappa Psi was (and is) a tribute to the dynamic personality of one man. For around this personality there grew a core of student leaders committed to assist him in a program of developing the best college band with the highest performance standards possible. "Boh" was that man, and each incoming member of this Fraternity should be familiar with the man who was officially recognized by the Grand Chapter in Convention assembled as "The Guiding Spirit of Kappa Kappa Psi."

About Tau Beta Sigma
National History

The first practical idea for establishing a "band sorority" as a national entity to meet the expressed needs of the growing number of women in college and university bands was presented by band member Wava Banes (Henry), along with her classmates, Emily Surrell and Rosell Williams, to director D.O. Wiley of the Texas Tech University Band in the closing months of 1937. This discussion led to a group of bandswomen at Texas Tech University founding a local organization known as "Tau Beta Sigma," modeled in principle on the example of Kappa Kappa Psi. Much like the Fraternity, Tau Beta Sigma's purpose at Tech was to serve as an honorary service and leadership recognition society, but it was designed especially to provide the important additional social, educational, and other positive experiences needed by women in the band.

D.O. WileyIn June of 1943, the Tech women petitioned the Grand Council of Kappa Kappa Psi to become an integral part of the national Fraternity as an active chapter. Accepting the group under these circumstances, however, would have entailed a complete revision of the Kappa Kappa Psi constitution. Because of the war, doubt was expressed as to just when the next fraternity convention would be held so that the issue could be brought to debate. Rather than postponing action on the womenâs request indefinitely, a suggestion was made that Tau Beta Sigma form its own national organization, just as the National Fraternity had done in 1919. Until a national convention of Kappa Kappa Psi could be held and the matter clarified, Tau Beta Sigma could be considered the "sister organization" of the Fraternity. The Grand Council of Kappa Kappa Psi agreed that Tau Beta Sigma could share in all fraternal publications.

While applying for a national charter, the Tech Chapter encountered difficulties involving certain Texas state corporation laws. In 1945, A. Frank Martin, National Executive Secretary of Kappa Kappa Psi, was invited to meet with the women and work out a plan that would bring the Sorority the national status the Tau Beta Sigma women were seeking. Mr. Martin then suggested that the local band sorority currently in existence at Oklahoma State University apply for the charter, since fewer difficulties would be encountered in Oklahoma.

So, in January of 1946, the women of the Texas Tech Tau Beta Sigma Band Sorority, through their director, D.O. Wiley, graciously surrendered their name, "TAU BETA SIGMA," their constitution, ritual and jewelry designs to the local band club at Oklahoma State University, in order that the national organization could be established. By doing so, the Tech women understood that they were permitting the Oklahoma State group the title of "Alpha, the Mother Chapter," and accepted the status of "Beta Chapter," the second chartered chapter. On March 26, 1946, a charter was granted by the Department of State for the State of Oklahoma legally establishing "Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Band Sorority," later amended to "Tau Beta Sigma." On May 4 of 1946, the members of the Alpha Chapter traveled to Lubbock, Texas, to officially install the women of Texas Tech as the Beta Chapter of the National Sorority.