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Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon (ΤΚΕ), commonly known as ΤΚΕ or Teke, is a social college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, making the Fraternity an international organization. Since its founding in 1899, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity has never had an exclusionary or discriminatory clause to prevent individuals from joining and has instead admitted members based on their "personal worth and character". As of spring 2024, there are 209 active ΤΚΕ chapters and colonies with over 301,000-lifetime members.
While Tau Kappa Epsilon is primarily mentioned as a collegiate fraternity, the organization emphasizes that it is a "Fraternity for Life". Many chapters have active alumni associations that support philanthropic causes, mentor collegiate members, and host social events. Famous Teke alumni that continued their involvement with the Fraternity include NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw, country music singer Willie Nelson, and U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
On January 10, 1899, Charles Roy Atkinson, Clarence Arthur Mayer, James Carson McNutt, Joseph Lorenzo Settles, and Owen Ison Truitt met at 504 East Locust Street in Bloomington, Illinois, to draw up the first constitution for a new fraternity at Illinois Wesleyan University. The purpose of the new organization was to be an "aid to college men in mental, moral and social development". The founders sought to be a different organization than the other fraternities at the time by establishing a fraternity where membership would be based on personal worth and character rather than wealth, rank, or honor. Mental development would be emphasized by the study of classic literature at weekly meetings, and thus the new fraternity became known as the Knights of Classic Lore. The first public announcement of the Knights of Classic Lore appeared in the February 1, 1899, issue of the Argus, which is the student publication of Illinois Wesleyan University.
During formation, the Knights of Classic Lore were trying to get the Illinois Epsilon chapter of Phi Delta Theta restored. Prominent Phi Delt alumnus Richard Henry Little became a persistent sponsor for the Knights to petition Phi Delta Theta for a charter. The Knights first petitioned Phi Delta Theta at its 1902 convention in New York, but efforts were unsuccessful. After renting rooms at several locations beginning in the spring of 1899, the Knights of Classic Lore finally acquired its first fraternity house, known as The Wilder Mansion, in September 1902. Simultaneously with the acquisition of the new house, the Knights also adopted the name Tau Kappa Epsilon. The name change was expected to create a better impression in future petitions to Phi Delta Theta. The second petition was presented at the Indianapolis convention of 1904, but it was withdrawn to gain unanimous support from all chapters in Phi Delta Theta's Zeta Province, which included Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. If this support was achieved, then the charter would be granted to the group without any action from the convention. The Knights of Classic Lore gained the support of all Phi Delta Theta groups in the province, except for Wisconsin Alpha, Illinois Beta, and Missouri Alpha. The Knights in turn unsuccessfully presented the petition at the 1906 convention in Washington, D.C. During the continuing struggle for acceptance from Phi Delta Theta, ΤΚΕ continued to grow stronger in its existence.
In late 1907, ΤΚΕ was preparing to petition Phi Delta Theta once again at the 1908 convention when an event took place that would forever change the course of history for the fraternity. At the annual initiation banquet on October 19, 1907, speeches were made that both advocated and questioned the continued petitioning of Phi Delta Theta. At the banquet, Wallace G. McCauley delivered a blistering speech known as "Opportunity Out of Defeat". The powerful address called for an abandonment of the petitioning initiative and a new campaign to make ΤΚΕ into a national fraternity itself. While there was some opposition at the time, the movement ultimately took hold, and by 1908, ΤΚΕ was well on its way to becoming a national fraternity in its own right. The speech was published in the first issue of The Teke in January 1908, and by November of that year, work was beginning on a new constitution. At the chapter meeting held on Monday, February 15, 1909, the new constitution became official. The first Conclave of the Grand Chapter of the new national fraternity of Tau Kappa Epsilon convened on February 17, 1909.
In 1909, ΤΚΕ approached the Chi Rho Sigma local fraternity at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. There were no national fraternities at Millikin at this time, and ΤΚΕ had just established its intentions to become a national fraternity. Representatives from ΤΚΕ presented their case, and after thorough consideration, Chi Rho Sigma voted to accept ΤΚΕ's offer. On April 17, 1909, Chi Rho Sigma was installed as the Beta chapter of ΤΚΕ. In November 1911, the Beta Rho Delta local fraternity was founded at the University of Illinois. ΒΡΔ petitioned Tau Kappa Epsilon in January 1912, and they were installed as the Gamma chapter of ΤΚΕ on February 3, 1912. Following the installation of the Gamma chapter, The Teke magazine noted that the triangle was completed. The geographic location of ΤΚΕ's first three chapters form a perfect equilateral triangle. The equilateral triangle was at that time, and continues to be, the primary symbol of Tau Kappa Epsilon.
The national fraternity Sigma Mu Sigma merged with ΤΚΕ in March 1935. The merger resulted in the new Alpha-Pi chapter of ΤΚΕ at George Washington University and additional members for the Gamma chapter at the University of Illinois and the Alpha-Zeta chapter at Purdue University.
Before 1939, ΤΚΕ chapters were installed after local fraternities petitioned ΤΚΕ for approval. In 1939, a colonization process was established to promote expansion and to ensure that potential chapters met all requirements before installation. The first two ΤΚΕ colonies were the Eta colony at the University of Kansas and the Chi Beta colony at the University of Missouri.
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Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon (ΤΚΕ), commonly known as ΤΚΕ or Teke, is a social college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, making the Fraternity an international organization. Since its founding in 1899, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity has never had an exclusionary or discriminatory clause to prevent individuals from joining and has instead admitted members based on their "personal worth and character". As of spring 2024, there are 209 active ΤΚΕ chapters and colonies with over 301,000-lifetime members.
While Tau Kappa Epsilon is primarily mentioned as a collegiate fraternity, the organization emphasizes that it is a "Fraternity for Life". Many chapters have active alumni associations that support philanthropic causes, mentor collegiate members, and host social events. Famous Teke alumni that continued their involvement with the Fraternity include NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw, country music singer Willie Nelson, and U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
On January 10, 1899, Charles Roy Atkinson, Clarence Arthur Mayer, James Carson McNutt, Joseph Lorenzo Settles, and Owen Ison Truitt met at 504 East Locust Street in Bloomington, Illinois, to draw up the first constitution for a new fraternity at Illinois Wesleyan University. The purpose of the new organization was to be an "aid to college men in mental, moral and social development". The founders sought to be a different organization than the other fraternities at the time by establishing a fraternity where membership would be based on personal worth and character rather than wealth, rank, or honor. Mental development would be emphasized by the study of classic literature at weekly meetings, and thus the new fraternity became known as the Knights of Classic Lore. The first public announcement of the Knights of Classic Lore appeared in the February 1, 1899, issue of the Argus, which is the student publication of Illinois Wesleyan University.
During formation, the Knights of Classic Lore were trying to get the Illinois Epsilon chapter of Phi Delta Theta restored. Prominent Phi Delt alumnus Richard Henry Little became a persistent sponsor for the Knights to petition Phi Delta Theta for a charter. The Knights first petitioned Phi Delta Theta at its 1902 convention in New York, but efforts were unsuccessful. After renting rooms at several locations beginning in the spring of 1899, the Knights of Classic Lore finally acquired its first fraternity house, known as The Wilder Mansion, in September 1902. Simultaneously with the acquisition of the new house, the Knights also adopted the name Tau Kappa Epsilon. The name change was expected to create a better impression in future petitions to Phi Delta Theta. The second petition was presented at the Indianapolis convention of 1904, but it was withdrawn to gain unanimous support from all chapters in Phi Delta Theta's Zeta Province, which included Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. If this support was achieved, then the charter would be granted to the group without any action from the convention. The Knights of Classic Lore gained the support of all Phi Delta Theta groups in the province, except for Wisconsin Alpha, Illinois Beta, and Missouri Alpha. The Knights in turn unsuccessfully presented the petition at the 1906 convention in Washington, D.C. During the continuing struggle for acceptance from Phi Delta Theta, ΤΚΕ continued to grow stronger in its existence.
In late 1907, ΤΚΕ was preparing to petition Phi Delta Theta once again at the 1908 convention when an event took place that would forever change the course of history for the fraternity. At the annual initiation banquet on October 19, 1907, speeches were made that both advocated and questioned the continued petitioning of Phi Delta Theta. At the banquet, Wallace G. McCauley delivered a blistering speech known as "Opportunity Out of Defeat". The powerful address called for an abandonment of the petitioning initiative and a new campaign to make ΤΚΕ into a national fraternity itself. While there was some opposition at the time, the movement ultimately took hold, and by 1908, ΤΚΕ was well on its way to becoming a national fraternity in its own right. The speech was published in the first issue of The Teke in January 1908, and by November of that year, work was beginning on a new constitution. At the chapter meeting held on Monday, February 15, 1909, the new constitution became official. The first Conclave of the Grand Chapter of the new national fraternity of Tau Kappa Epsilon convened on February 17, 1909.
In 1909, ΤΚΕ approached the Chi Rho Sigma local fraternity at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. There were no national fraternities at Millikin at this time, and ΤΚΕ had just established its intentions to become a national fraternity. Representatives from ΤΚΕ presented their case, and after thorough consideration, Chi Rho Sigma voted to accept ΤΚΕ's offer. On April 17, 1909, Chi Rho Sigma was installed as the Beta chapter of ΤΚΕ. In November 1911, the Beta Rho Delta local fraternity was founded at the University of Illinois. ΒΡΔ petitioned Tau Kappa Epsilon in January 1912, and they were installed as the Gamma chapter of ΤΚΕ on February 3, 1912. Following the installation of the Gamma chapter, The Teke magazine noted that the triangle was completed. The geographic location of ΤΚΕ's first three chapters form a perfect equilateral triangle. The equilateral triangle was at that time, and continues to be, the primary symbol of Tau Kappa Epsilon.
The national fraternity Sigma Mu Sigma merged with ΤΚΕ in March 1935. The merger resulted in the new Alpha-Pi chapter of ΤΚΕ at George Washington University and additional members for the Gamma chapter at the University of Illinois and the Alpha-Zeta chapter at Purdue University.
Before 1939, ΤΚΕ chapters were installed after local fraternities petitioned ΤΚΕ for approval. In 1939, a colonization process was established to promote expansion and to ensure that potential chapters met all requirements before installation. The first two ΤΚΕ colonies were the Eta colony at the University of Kansas and the Chi Beta colony at the University of Missouri.