Kappa Kappa Psi
Encyclopedia
Kappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity
for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma
. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A. Frank Martin, began the fraternity under the guidance of band director Bohumil Makovsky
.
Kappa Kappa Psi primarily operates as a recognition society that provides service, leadership opportunities, and social programming for band members. Members of Kappa Kappa Psi are referred to as "Kappas." Tau Beta Sigma
, National Honorary Band Sorority, has been recognized as a sister organization since 1947, and the two organizations share National Headquarters in Stillwater Station, a converted historical Santa Fe rail depot that was purchased by the fraternity and sorority in 1991.
Since 1919, more than 66,000 men and women have been initiated into Kappa Kappa Psi, with nearly 6,000 collegiate members active today. Members of Kappa Kappa Psi include President Bill Clinton
; Neil Armstrong
, the first man to set foot on the moon; chancellor and eleventh president of Indiana University
, Herman B Wells
; composer and the "American March King," John Philip Sousa
; conductor William Revelli
; and jazz pianist and bandleader Count Basie
.
The fraternity was officially chartered in the state of Oklahoma on November 27, 1919. A meeting was held shortly thereafter and elections were held, which saw Scroggs unanimously elected to serve as the President of the fraternity; Martin was elected Vice President, Soule was elected as the Secretary-Treasurer, and Coppedge was elected Sergeant-at-Arms.
Dr. Hilton Ira Jones, a professor of chemistry at the college, knew Greek and suggested the Greek name and symbols, "Kappa Kappa Psi" and "Alpha Epsilon Alpha," which the charter members adopted. Jones, together with Clyde Haston and Carl Stevens, designed the fraternity badge and crest.
Ritual work was led by A. Frank Martin and Clayton Soule, with assistance from Col. Frank D. Wickham. Wickham was the driving force behind the plan and work of the first degree of ritual. After the first degree was completed, five band members were selected as pledges to test the ritual: Gilbert Isenberg, Herbert Dixon, Dean Dale, Clarence Shaw, and Carl Smelser. The first rituals were held in the attic of Morrill Hall on the campus of Oklahoma A&M. With the first degree successfully completed and administered, Clayton Soule was appointed chairman for work on the second degree of ritual and Martin for work on third degree.
The fraternity grew rapidly in its young years. Within ten years, there were twenty-seven chapters spanning from the University of Washington
in the west to Duke University
in the east. Only fourteen chapters were installed during the Great Depression
, and World War II
put a further damper on all fraternal activities.
At the 1939 National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, plans were set into action to make Kappa Kappa Psi an international fraternity. Invitations were sent to colleges and universities in Canada and South America, but no chapters were ever installed at those institutions.
, most college bands were military-style
and exclusively male. When the war began, most band members left to serve in the armed forces, which greatly strained the fraternity—to the point that 90 percent of chapters were forced to suspend activities. The Grand Council granted those chapters that were forced to suspend their activities "war furlough" so that instead of treating the chapter as inactive, their service would be honored. War furlough enabled a chapter to seal its records and keep its materials in safekeeping for the duration of the war. Petitions for war furlough required the signatures of all active members, the director of bands or other faculty member who was an honorary member of the fraternity, as well as the signature of the college or university president. Only five chapters remained active during the war: the Alpha chapter at Oklahoma A&M College, Alpha Beta at Butler University
, Alpha Iota at the University of Colorado at Boulder
, Alpha Omicron at Texas Technological College
, and Alpha Pi at the University of Tulsa
. With so many members serving overseas, including members of the Grand Council, the 1943 and 1945 national conventions were canceled.
Because of the number of men serving in the military, many band programs opened up to women during this time. At Texas Tech, a local sorority for women in the band was established as Tau Beta Sigma
. The women of Tau Beta Sigma petitioned Kappa Kappa Psi to be chartered as an auxiliary chapter of the fraternity, which was supported by founder A. Frank Martin, who was serving as National Executive Secretary, and Max Mitchell, Grand Second Vice President. On January 25, 1944, Martin wrote to fellow founder, William Scroggs, "If we do not meet this new situation and give recognition to the girls who are coming into the bands or make it possible to give aid or assistance to the many universities and colleges that have bands composed of both boys and girls, we will be playing second fiddle within the next five years to some band fraternity that will grant membership to boys and girls and their chapters will open up in the smaller schools where ours have died." The fraternity was unable to decide whether or not to accept Tau Beta Sigma's petition due to the severely reduced number of members and the cancelation of the 1943 and 1945 national conventions.
Ultimately, Tau Beta Sigma decided not to become an auxiliary chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi and chartered as a national organization on March 26, 1946. They were officially recognized and accepted as a sister organization of the fraternity at the first national convention following the war in 1947.
In the early years of the fraternity, part V, 7.02, of the National Constitution read, "All members of the Fraternity shall be of the male sex and of the Caucasian race." At the 1947 national convention in Stillwater, a constitutional amendment was presented and unanimously accepted to modify the wording to say, "All members of the Fraternity shall be of the male sex," removing any racial barrier to membership. May 1957 saw the first chapters at historically black universities
: On May 19, the Delta Alpha chapter at Langston University
was installed; three days later, the Gamma Omega chapter was established at Texas Southern University
. Both chapters lay claim to the title "first black chapter," due to the fact that Delta Alpha's charter was granted first, but Gamma Omega was installed first.
On September 1, 1967, the eleven districts were consolidated into nine. These districts would again be consolidated in 1987, to six districts with regional names: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, North Central, Midwest, and Western.
was enacted and had tremendous repercussions for the women's rights movement. Title IX prevented organizations from excluding members based on sex. Although social fraternities were exempt from the law, Kappa Kappa Psi, as a recognition society, fell under its purview. Rutgers University
's board of trustees decided that Rutgers should serve as a model for the rest of the United States in Title IX implementation and mandated that all organizations on campus become coeducational or face disciplinary actions. The men of the Alpha Phi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi regarded this issue as minor given the ongoing Vietnam War. With dwindling numbers, Alpha Phi looked to the new women members of the Rutgers band as potential members. The national constitution of Kappa Kappa Psi prohibited women from holding membership, so the Alpha Phi chapter explored the possibility of establishing a chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. This was unrealistic, as the undergraduate college for women prohibited the formation of or membership in any sorority.
On October 8, 1972, the men of Alpha Phi voted to admit women into their chapter. They alerted National Headquarters, and National Secretary Robert H. Rubin replied telling Alpha Phi not to administer any degree of ritual until the issue could be discussed in person. When Rubin arrived at Rutgers on November 11, 1972, he learned that the first degree of ritual had been administered, which began formal probationary membership. Alpha Phi's charter was immediately revoked and their chapter was placed on suspension. On November 13, the former Alpha Phi chapter formally reorganized as Mu Upsilon Alpha. In 2007, Mu Upsilon Alpha became a chapter of Mu Beta Psi
.
At the national convention of 1973, the issues presented by Title IX were discussed by the Grand Chapter. The jurisdiction committee considered several options that would bring the fraternity into compliance, but were not receptive of the general idea. At the insistence of committee chair Richard Adler, from the Nu chapter at the University of Michigan
, the jurisdiction committee presented the Grand Chapter with an amendment "without prejudice"—that is, without recommendation for or against the amendment—that would strike the section of the constitution that read, "All members of the Fraternity shall be of the male sex." The committee simultaneously recommended that the delegation take no action to change the constitution or consider a merger with Tau Beta Sigma. The amendment was defeated, and a separate amendment was proposed and approved that changed the wording to say, "All active, alumni, inactive, and life members of the Fraternity be of the male sex." This amendment was approved, allowing the fraternity to initiate women as honorary members.
During the 1973–1975 biennium, pressure was put on Kappa Kappa Psi chapters by their host institutions to admit women to comply with Title IX. The issue was again brought up at the 1975 national convention, and a joint committee consisting of an equal number of members from Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma was formed to explore the legal possibilities of a corporate merger of the two organizations, with the results of their investigation to be read at the 1977 convention. At the 1977 national convention, votes were cast by the Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma delegations for a merger—Kappa Kappa Psi voted 211 against, 9 for; Tau Beta Sigma voted 104 against, 4 for. With the idea of a merger soundly defeated, the delegation voted to remove all references to gender from the constitution, allowing women to become active members in full and regular standing.
The first women to join the fraternity were sisters of the Sigma chapter of Tau Beta Sigma at Arizona State University
, who merged with the Beta Omicron chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi after a unanimous vote of both organizations. These women were Patricia A. Childress, Lydia L. Lennon, Leslie A. Anderson, Mary L. Duffala, Mary M. Ketterer, Kristina M. Zipsnis, Clara M. Bertilson, and Toni Ryon, who were initiated into Beta Omicron on August 26, 1977. On August 27, Lea F. Fuller was initiated.
The first woman to participate in the formal probationary membership process and become a member of Kappa Kappa Psi was Darragh Hill Young, who was initiated into the Beta Tau chapter at Wichita State University
on September 1, 1977.
on February 24, 2001, fifty-six new chapters have been installed across the country in the twenty-first century. Expanding internet use led to the creation of three websites:
In 2008, a $12 million lawsuit was brought against the fraternity by Willie Dow, who had rushed the Theta Delta chapter at Central State University
. Dow accused members of the fraternity of paddling him repeatedly during the membership education process. The lawsuit was settled and the Theta Delta chapter had its charter revoked by the national office due to its violation of the strict national no-hazing policy. Also in 2008, Kappa Kappa Psi joined other Greek organizations in sponsoring HazingPrevention.Org, a national anti-hazing organization. Dr. Malinda Matney, past National President and current member of the Kappa Kappa Psi Board of Trustees, has served on the HazingPrevention.Org Board of Directors since 2009.
Beginning in 1933, the first intercollegiate band was established, with musicians from the University of Colorado
(home of the Alpha Iota chapter), the University of Denver
(Alpha Lambda), Colorado State College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts
(Kappa), Colorado State College of Education
(Alpha Theta), the Colorado School of Mines
(Xi), and the University of Utah
participating. In 1934, the University of Utah left the intercollegiate band and the University of Wyoming
(Alpha Nu) took its place. The concerts held by this intercollegiate band were sponsored by the local chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi and many members of the fraternity were involved with the ensemble, including F. Lee Bowling, who served as the band's manager.
F. Lee Bowling was elected Grand President of the fraternity in 1941 and presented a plan to hold a national intercollegiate band concert, modeled after the Rocky Mountain intercollegiate bands. The plan was endorsed by the delegation to be executed at the next national convention in 1943. However, due to World War II, the 1943 and 1945 national conventions were not held, and so the first National Intercollegiate Band was formed and gave a concert in 1947.
Today, participation in the National Intercollegiate Band is open to any college band member who auditions—membership in Kappa Kappa Psi or Tau Beta Sigma is not required.
In June and July 2002, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma sponsored the first National Intercollegiate Marching Band, which traveled to the French Riviera
, including the cities of Nice
, Grasse
, Aix-en-Provence
, Cannes
, Antibes
, and the Principality of Monaco
. The thirty-five member band performed at Le Suquet in Cannes, in Nice, and in front of the Prince's Palace of Monaco
. After the inaugural trip, the program was dissolved by the joint national councils due to its high cost and low attendance, which was believed to be caused by a fear of traveling abroad after the September 11 attacks.
's Symphonic Songs for Band and Karel Husa
's Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Orchestra. In the years following the start of the national commissioning program, local chapters have begun to commission new band works themselves, such as Frank Ticheli's An American Elegy, commissioned by the Alpha Iota chapter in memory of the Columbine High School massacre.
Most members wear the Membership Recognition Pin, a small gold pin in the shape of the fraternity crest, in place of the crown pearl badge.
Prospective members may wear a lapel pin that has a musical staff and bass clef of silver on a background of blue enamel. The notes A, E, and A are placed on the staff in silver, representing the Greek phrase "Alpha Epsilon Alpha." This is the only piece of regalia that prospective members are allowed to wear—all other jewelry is restricted to initiated members, and even the crest and letters (usually worn in the form of "blocks") are restricted unless there is a clear indication that the wearer is a prospective member or colony member.
. The idea of a national flag was brought up with the History and Traditions committee by Schaag at the 1987 national convention, but the committee ultimately decided not to take the idea to the national delegation. Schaag quickly drafted a motion to consider a national flag, which was presented by the chapter's delegate and passed. In 1989, Schaag presented his design for a flag, which won the committee's recommendation over other submissions, and was accepted by the national chapter. The top half of the flag is a white field on which the Greek letters "Kappa Kappa Psi" are inscribed in an arc. On the bottom half of the flag, three alternating stars of white, blue, and white appear on a blue field, with the top point of the bottom white star extending into the white field above it.
The Fraternity Hymn was written by brother Scott Jeffrey Heckstall Jr. when he was a pledge of the Eta Gamma chapter in 1977. Heckstall had wanted to be a charter member, but was not chosen. Heckstall was encouraged to rush, and he recalled that as part of his rush process, a couple of brothers took him to a piano and told him, "We know that you play [piano] in church. We need a fraternity hymn. We'll give you three hours, and you sit over there and come up with a hymn. We'll come back in three hours, and we expect a hymn." Heckstall recalled the hymn Someday (Beams of Heaven As I Go) by Charles Albert Tindley and changed a few words—for example, "Beams of Heaven as I go through this wilderness below" became "K K Psi, as we go through this wilderness here below." The brothers of Eta Gamma were satisfied with Heckstall's hymn. Years later, the hymn was presented to the brotherhood assembled at the 1995 National Convention and accepted as the national fraternity hymn. Traditionally, a singing of the hymn is concluded with the official cheer.
Blue and white are the fraternity's official colors.
The fraternity flower is a red carnation, so chosen because it was founder William Scroggs's favorite flower.
A member of Kappa Kappa Psi may not be initiated as an active member of Tau Beta Sigma and vice versa—if a member of Kappa Kappa Psi transfers to a school with a chapter of Tau Beta Sigma and no Kappa Kappa Psi, he or she may instead join the sorority chapter as an "associate member" after going through a short orientation process acclimating the member to the sorority.
Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi are not restricted from joining Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
or Sigma Alpha Iota
, except by the gender restrictions or other eligibility requirements of either organization. Joint statements between Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia have affirmed this at least as early as 1973, and have been reaffirmed as recently as 2005, when the organizations released a joint statement saying, "there are equally important roles for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Sigma Alpha Iota, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma to fulfill on any campus where our chapters mutually exist, now or in the future. Each organization possesses a distinct mission and, as a result, fulfills a unique and vital role in the musical environment of a college campus." Indeed, founder Raymond Shannon went on to join Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia after starting Kappa Kappa Psi.
was a member of the ROTC
band at Purdue University
in his sophomore year and was made an honorary member of the Gamma Pi chapter shortly after his graduation; Armstrong went on to become the first man to set foot on the Moon. He took his Kappa Kappa Psi badge with him to the Moon, and it is now on permanent display at the Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music
on Purdue's campus.
42nd President of the United States
Bill Clinton
was involved in bands as a saxophonist, including in a band conducted by current National Executive Director Alan Bonner, and was a member of the fraternity.
William Revelli
, director of bands at the University of Michigan
from 1935 to 1971, was an honorary member of the fraternity and was elected Grand Honorary President at the 1949 national convention.
Past Grand High Alpha (National President) of Lambda Chi Alpha
, Tozier Brown, was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi at the University of Denver
. Five of the ten founding fathers of Kappa Kappa Psi—William Coppedge, A. Frank Martin, Iron Hawthorne Nelson, Dick Hurst, and Clayton Soule—had been members of the Alpha-Eta chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha at Oklahoma A&M; Coppedge, Martin, and Hurst had served as charter members of the Alpha-Eta chapter of Lambda Chi.
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A. Frank Martin, began the fraternity under the guidance of band director Bohumil Makovsky
Bohumil Makovsky
Bohumil Makovsky was a band director and head of the Department of Music at Oklahoma A&M College from 1915 to 1945. He is considered "the Guiding Spirit" of Kappa Kappa Psi, a national fraternity for college bandmembers...
.
Kappa Kappa Psi primarily operates as a recognition society that provides service, leadership opportunities, and social programming for band members. Members of Kappa Kappa Psi are referred to as "Kappas." Tau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni...
, National Honorary Band Sorority, has been recognized as a sister organization since 1947, and the two organizations share National Headquarters in Stillwater Station, a converted historical Santa Fe rail depot that was purchased by the fraternity and sorority in 1991.
Since 1919, more than 66,000 men and women have been initiated into Kappa Kappa Psi, with nearly 6,000 collegiate members active today. Members of Kappa Kappa Psi include President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
; Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
, the first man to set foot on the moon; chancellor and eleventh president of Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Herman B Wells
Herman B Wells
Herman B Wells was the 11th president of Indiana University. He served the university in a variety of capacities, most notably as president and as chancellor. He was pivotal in the development of Indiana University into a world class institution of higher learning.- Early life :Herman B Wells was...
; composer and the "American March King," John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
; conductor William Revelli
William Revelli
William D. Revelli was the director of bands, including the Michigan Marching Band, at the University of Michigan for 36 years from 1935-1971. During his 36 years as director, the Michigan Marching Band won international acclaim for its musical precision...
; and jazz pianist and bandleader Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
.
Founding and expansion
Kappa Kappa Psi began as the brainchild of William Scroggs, who desired to establish a band organization that would "bind [dear] friendship together indefinitely" and unite band members across colleges and universities. Scroggs worked on the essentials of the fraternity and revealed his plans to band president A. Frank Martin over the summer of 1919. Martin promised his support, and after classes began in September, Scroggs approached Bohumil Makovsky, director of bands, with his plans. Makovsky saw the potential for such an organization and pledged his support. Makovsky selected ten members of the band based on their outstanding scholarship, character, musical ability, and organization ability: William Alexander Scroggs, Andrew Franklin Martin, Raymond David Shannon, Clyde DeWitt Haston, Clayton Everett Soule, Carl Anderson Stevens, William Houston Coppedge, Dick Hurst, George Asher Hendrickson, and Iron Hawthorne Nelson.The fraternity was officially chartered in the state of Oklahoma on November 27, 1919. A meeting was held shortly thereafter and elections were held, which saw Scroggs unanimously elected to serve as the President of the fraternity; Martin was elected Vice President, Soule was elected as the Secretary-Treasurer, and Coppedge was elected Sergeant-at-Arms.
Dr. Hilton Ira Jones, a professor of chemistry at the college, knew Greek and suggested the Greek name and symbols, "Kappa Kappa Psi" and "Alpha Epsilon Alpha," which the charter members adopted. Jones, together with Clyde Haston and Carl Stevens, designed the fraternity badge and crest.
Ritual work was led by A. Frank Martin and Clayton Soule, with assistance from Col. Frank D. Wickham. Wickham was the driving force behind the plan and work of the first degree of ritual. After the first degree was completed, five band members were selected as pledges to test the ritual: Gilbert Isenberg, Herbert Dixon, Dean Dale, Clarence Shaw, and Carl Smelser. The first rituals were held in the attic of Morrill Hall on the campus of Oklahoma A&M. With the first degree successfully completed and administered, Clayton Soule was appointed chairman for work on the second degree of ritual and Martin for work on third degree.
The fraternity grew rapidly in its young years. Within ten years, there were twenty-seven chapters spanning from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in the west to Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in the east. Only fourteen chapters were installed during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
put a further damper on all fraternal activities.
At the 1939 National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, plans were set into action to make Kappa Kappa Psi an international fraternity. Invitations were sent to colleges and universities in Canada and South America, but no chapters were ever installed at those institutions.
World War II
Before World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, most college bands were military-style
Military band
A military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
and exclusively male. When the war began, most band members left to serve in the armed forces, which greatly strained the fraternity—to the point that 90 percent of chapters were forced to suspend activities. The Grand Council granted those chapters that were forced to suspend their activities "war furlough" so that instead of treating the chapter as inactive, their service would be honored. War furlough enabled a chapter to seal its records and keep its materials in safekeeping for the duration of the war. Petitions for war furlough required the signatures of all active members, the director of bands or other faculty member who was an honorary member of the fraternity, as well as the signature of the college or university president. Only five chapters remained active during the war: the Alpha chapter at Oklahoma A&M College, Alpha Beta at Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
, Alpha Iota at the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, Alpha Omicron at Texas Technological College
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
, and Alpha Pi at the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
. With so many members serving overseas, including members of the Grand Council, the 1943 and 1945 national conventions were canceled.
Because of the number of men serving in the military, many band programs opened up to women during this time. At Texas Tech, a local sorority for women in the band was established as Tau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni...
. The women of Tau Beta Sigma petitioned Kappa Kappa Psi to be chartered as an auxiliary chapter of the fraternity, which was supported by founder A. Frank Martin, who was serving as National Executive Secretary, and Max Mitchell, Grand Second Vice President. On January 25, 1944, Martin wrote to fellow founder, William Scroggs, "If we do not meet this new situation and give recognition to the girls who are coming into the bands or make it possible to give aid or assistance to the many universities and colleges that have bands composed of both boys and girls, we will be playing second fiddle within the next five years to some band fraternity that will grant membership to boys and girls and their chapters will open up in the smaller schools where ours have died." The fraternity was unable to decide whether or not to accept Tau Beta Sigma's petition due to the severely reduced number of members and the cancelation of the 1943 and 1945 national conventions.
Ultimately, Tau Beta Sigma decided not to become an auxiliary chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi and chartered as a national organization on March 26, 1946. They were officially recognized and accepted as a sister organization of the fraternity at the first national convention following the war in 1947.
Post-bellum expansion
After the war, Kappa Kappa Psi began an ambitious expansion program to reactivate old chapters and install new ones. The fraternity had been divided into eleven districts since 1941, which were led by a Grand Counselor (now called Governors). With the revitalization of the fraternity, these districts were reorganized and pamphlets were printed detailing the fraternity's purposes and history. District governors were charged with giving information to potential chapters. The expansion program was quite successful—in the ten years following the fraternity's reorganization in 1947, Kappa Kappa Psi more than doubled the number of installed chapters, growing from forty-five chapters installed before the war to ninety-eight by the end of 1957.In the early years of the fraternity, part V, 7.02, of the National Constitution read, "All members of the Fraternity shall be of the male sex and of the Caucasian race." At the 1947 national convention in Stillwater, a constitutional amendment was presented and unanimously accepted to modify the wording to say, "All members of the Fraternity shall be of the male sex," removing any racial barrier to membership. May 1957 saw the first chapters at historically black universities
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
: On May 19, the Delta Alpha chapter at Langston University
Langston University
Langston University is an institution of higher learning located in Langston, Oklahoma, USA. It is the only historically black college in the state, and the westernmost historically black college in the United States...
was installed; three days later, the Gamma Omega chapter was established at Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
. Both chapters lay claim to the title "first black chapter," due to the fact that Delta Alpha's charter was granted first, but Gamma Omega was installed first.
On September 1, 1967, the eleven districts were consolidated into nine. These districts would again be consolidated in 1987, to six districts with regional names: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, North Central, Midwest, and Western.
Title IX
On June 23, 1972, Title IXTitle IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
was enacted and had tremendous repercussions for the women's rights movement. Title IX prevented organizations from excluding members based on sex. Although social fraternities were exempt from the law, Kappa Kappa Psi, as a recognition society, fell under its purview. Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
's board of trustees decided that Rutgers should serve as a model for the rest of the United States in Title IX implementation and mandated that all organizations on campus become coeducational or face disciplinary actions. The men of the Alpha Phi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi regarded this issue as minor given the ongoing Vietnam War. With dwindling numbers, Alpha Phi looked to the new women members of the Rutgers band as potential members. The national constitution of Kappa Kappa Psi prohibited women from holding membership, so the Alpha Phi chapter explored the possibility of establishing a chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. This was unrealistic, as the undergraduate college for women prohibited the formation of or membership in any sorority.
On October 8, 1972, the men of Alpha Phi voted to admit women into their chapter. They alerted National Headquarters, and National Secretary Robert H. Rubin replied telling Alpha Phi not to administer any degree of ritual until the issue could be discussed in person. When Rubin arrived at Rutgers on November 11, 1972, he learned that the first degree of ritual had been administered, which began formal probationary membership. Alpha Phi's charter was immediately revoked and their chapter was placed on suspension. On November 13, the former Alpha Phi chapter formally reorganized as Mu Upsilon Alpha. In 2007, Mu Upsilon Alpha became a chapter of Mu Beta Psi
Mu Beta Psi
Mu Beta Psi National Honorary Musical Fraternity is a service and music fraternity with chapters and colonies at universities throughout the eastern United States. Founded in 1925 at North Carolina State University by the director of bands, Major Percy Walter "Daddy" Price, this group began as a...
.
At the national convention of 1973, the issues presented by Title IX were discussed by the Grand Chapter. The jurisdiction committee considered several options that would bring the fraternity into compliance, but were not receptive of the general idea. At the insistence of committee chair Richard Adler, from the Nu chapter at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, the jurisdiction committee presented the Grand Chapter with an amendment "without prejudice"—that is, without recommendation for or against the amendment—that would strike the section of the constitution that read, "All members of the Fraternity shall be of the male sex." The committee simultaneously recommended that the delegation take no action to change the constitution or consider a merger with Tau Beta Sigma. The amendment was defeated, and a separate amendment was proposed and approved that changed the wording to say, "All active, alumni, inactive, and life members of the Fraternity be of the male sex." This amendment was approved, allowing the fraternity to initiate women as honorary members.
During the 1973–1975 biennium, pressure was put on Kappa Kappa Psi chapters by their host institutions to admit women to comply with Title IX. The issue was again brought up at the 1975 national convention, and a joint committee consisting of an equal number of members from Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma was formed to explore the legal possibilities of a corporate merger of the two organizations, with the results of their investigation to be read at the 1977 convention. At the 1977 national convention, votes were cast by the Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma delegations for a merger—Kappa Kappa Psi voted 211 against, 9 for; Tau Beta Sigma voted 104 against, 4 for. With the idea of a merger soundly defeated, the delegation voted to remove all references to gender from the constitution, allowing women to become active members in full and regular standing.
The first women to join the fraternity were sisters of the Sigma chapter of Tau Beta Sigma at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, who merged with the Beta Omicron chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi after a unanimous vote of both organizations. These women were Patricia A. Childress, Lydia L. Lennon, Leslie A. Anderson, Mary L. Duffala, Mary M. Ketterer, Kristina M. Zipsnis, Clara M. Bertilson, and Toni Ryon, who were initiated into Beta Omicron on August 26, 1977. On August 27, Lea F. Fuller was initiated.
The first woman to participate in the formal probationary membership process and become a member of Kappa Kappa Psi was Darragh Hill Young, who was initiated into the Beta Tau chapter at Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
on September 1, 1977.
Into the twenty-first century
Beginning with the installation of the Kappa Pi chapter at Claflin UniversityClaflin University
Claflin University is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. Claflin University was founded in 1869 and is the oldest historically black college or university in the state of South Carolina.-History:...
on February 24, 2001, fifty-six new chapters have been installed across the country in the twenty-first century. Expanding internet use led to the creation of three websites:
kkpsi.org for the fraternity, tbsigma.org for the sorority, and kkytbs.org for the joint National Headquarters.In 2008, a $12 million lawsuit was brought against the fraternity by Willie Dow, who had rushed the Theta Delta chapter at Central State University
Central State University
Central State University, commonly referred to as "C-State", is a historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio, United States. It is the only public HBCU in Ohio.-History:...
. Dow accused members of the fraternity of paddling him repeatedly during the membership education process. The lawsuit was settled and the Theta Delta chapter had its charter revoked by the national office due to its violation of the strict national no-hazing policy. Also in 2008, Kappa Kappa Psi joined other Greek organizations in sponsoring HazingPrevention.Org, a national anti-hazing organization. Dr. Malinda Matney, past National President and current member of the Kappa Kappa Psi Board of Trustees, has served on the HazingPrevention.Org Board of Directors since 2009.
National Intercollegiate Band
In 1922, plans were made to hold the first national intercollegiate band contest. A brief dispatch in the 1922 Baton explained, "Sometime within the next two years the Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity will hold a National Intercollegiate Band Contest. This enterprise will be the first of its kind ever attempted. As Music is becoming the foremost Art in America, our Fraternity aims to assist in so spreading the good work." Nothing came of these early plans, however, and the idea of a national intercollegiate band was not revisited until the 1940s.Beginning in 1933, the first intercollegiate band was established, with musicians from the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
(home of the Alpha Iota chapter), the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
(Alpha Lambda), Colorado State College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
(Kappa), Colorado State College of Education
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
(Alpha Theta), the Colorado School of Mines
Colorado School of Mines
The Colorado School of Mines is a small public teaching and research university devoted to engineering and applied science, with special expertise in the development and stewardship of the Earth's natural resources. Located in Golden, Colorado, CSM was ranked 29th, in America among national...
(Xi), and the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
participating. In 1934, the University of Utah left the intercollegiate band and the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
(Alpha Nu) took its place. The concerts held by this intercollegiate band were sponsored by the local chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi and many members of the fraternity were involved with the ensemble, including F. Lee Bowling, who served as the band's manager.
F. Lee Bowling was elected Grand President of the fraternity in 1941 and presented a plan to hold a national intercollegiate band concert, modeled after the Rocky Mountain intercollegiate bands. The plan was endorsed by the delegation to be executed at the next national convention in 1943. However, due to World War II, the 1943 and 1945 national conventions were not held, and so the first National Intercollegiate Band was formed and gave a concert in 1947.
Today, participation in the National Intercollegiate Band is open to any college band member who auditions—membership in Kappa Kappa Psi or Tau Beta Sigma is not required.
In June and July 2002, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma sponsored the first National Intercollegiate Marching Band, which traveled to the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
, including the cities of Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, Grasse
Grasse
-See also:*Route Napoléon*Ancient Diocese of Grasse*Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department-External links:*...
, Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
, and the Principality of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. The thirty-five member band performed at Le Suquet in Cannes, in Nice, and in front of the Prince's Palace of Monaco
Prince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the...
. After the inaugural trip, the program was dissolved by the joint national councils due to its high cost and low attendance, which was believed to be caused by a fear of traveling abroad after the September 11 attacks.
Commissioning Program
Since 1953, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma have commissioned a new work for wind band to be premiered at almost every National Intercollegiate Band concert. This program was begun to add to the wind repertoire under the direction of Grand President Hugh McMillen. A number of these commissioned compositions have garnered national acclaim, including Robert Russell BennettRobert Russell Bennett
Robert Russell Bennett was an American composer and arranger, best known for his orchestration of many well-known Broadway and Hollywood musicals by other composers such as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers. In 1957 and 2008, Bennett received Tony Awards...
's Symphonic Songs for Band and Karel Husa
Karel Husa
Karel Husa is a Czech-born classical composer and conductor, winner of the 1969 Pulitzer Prize and 1993 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Music Composition...
's Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Orchestra. In the years following the start of the national commissioning program, local chapters have begun to commission new band works themselves, such as Frank Ticheli's An American Elegy, commissioned by the Alpha Iota chapter in memory of the Columbine High School massacre.
Membership pins
The Crown Pearl Badge is considered the "official means of identifying oneself with the Fraternity." The fraternity badge is in the shape of an ancient Venetian harp, with a musical staff of gold lines on black enamel in the center of the badge, with the Greek letters "Kappa Kappa Psi" in gold across the staff. Five pearls adorn the bar across the top of the badge, and ten gems are set in the harp's semicircle. In the upper left corner, the Greek letters "Alpha Epsilon Alpha" appear in gold on black enamel. A golden baton penetrates the badge diagonally from right to left. Unlike most Greek organizations, however, purchase of the badge is optional for members of Kappa Kappa Psi.Most members wear the Membership Recognition Pin, a small gold pin in the shape of the fraternity crest, in place of the crown pearl badge.
Prospective members may wear a lapel pin that has a musical staff and bass clef of silver on a background of blue enamel. The notes A, E, and A are placed on the staff in silver, representing the Greek phrase "Alpha Epsilon Alpha." This is the only piece of regalia that prospective members are allowed to wear—all other jewelry is restricted to initiated members, and even the crest and letters (usually worn in the form of "blocks") are restricted unless there is a clear indication that the wearer is a prospective member or colony member.
Flag
The Fraternity Flag was created by G. R. Schaag, a member of the Eta Sigma chapter at the University of Central FloridaUniversity of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
. The idea of a national flag was brought up with the History and Traditions committee by Schaag at the 1987 national convention, but the committee ultimately decided not to take the idea to the national delegation. Schaag quickly drafted a motion to consider a national flag, which was presented by the chapter's delegate and passed. In 1989, Schaag presented his design for a flag, which won the committee's recommendation over other submissions, and was accepted by the national chapter. The top half of the flag is a white field on which the Greek letters "Kappa Kappa Psi" are inscribed in an arc. On the bottom half of the flag, three alternating stars of white, blue, and white appear on a blue field, with the top point of the bottom white star extending into the white field above it.
Other symbols
The official cheer of the fraternity is "two deep solo 'K's in rapid succession followed by the whole of the brotherhood replying 'Psi' with voice inflection rising."The Fraternity Hymn was written by brother Scott Jeffrey Heckstall Jr. when he was a pledge of the Eta Gamma chapter in 1977. Heckstall had wanted to be a charter member, but was not chosen. Heckstall was encouraged to rush, and he recalled that as part of his rush process, a couple of brothers took him to a piano and told him, "We know that you play [piano] in church. We need a fraternity hymn. We'll give you three hours, and you sit over there and come up with a hymn. We'll come back in three hours, and we expect a hymn." Heckstall recalled the hymn Someday (Beams of Heaven As I Go) by Charles Albert Tindley and changed a few words—for example, "Beams of Heaven as I go through this wilderness below" became "K K Psi, as we go through this wilderness here below." The brothers of Eta Gamma were satisfied with Heckstall's hymn. Years later, the hymn was presented to the brotherhood assembled at the 1995 National Convention and accepted as the national fraternity hymn. Traditionally, a singing of the hymn is concluded with the official cheer.
Blue and white are the fraternity's official colors.
The fraternity flower is a red carnation, so chosen because it was founder William Scroggs's favorite flower.
Membership
A member of a college or university band who has completed one term in such a band may be offered membership in Kappa Kappa Psi. First-term freshmen may only join the fraternity if an exception is made by that chapter's sponsor or director of bands. Certain chapters may establish stricter guidelines for membership, including GPA restrictions or participation in a band for all terms as an active member.A member of Kappa Kappa Psi may not be initiated as an active member of Tau Beta Sigma and vice versa—if a member of Kappa Kappa Psi transfers to a school with a chapter of Tau Beta Sigma and no Kappa Kappa Psi, he or she may instead join the sorority chapter as an "associate member" after going through a short orientation process acclimating the member to the sorority.
Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi are not restricted from joining Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
or Sigma Alpha Iota
Sigma Alpha Iota
Sigma Alpha Iota , International Music Fraternity for Women. Formed to "uphold the highest standards of music" and "to further the development of music in America and throughout the world", it continues to provide musical and educational resources to its members and the general public...
, except by the gender restrictions or other eligibility requirements of either organization. Joint statements between Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia have affirmed this at least as early as 1973, and have been reaffirmed as recently as 2005, when the organizations released a joint statement saying, "there are equally important roles for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Sigma Alpha Iota, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma to fulfill on any campus where our chapters mutually exist, now or in the future. Each organization possesses a distinct mission and, as a result, fulfills a unique and vital role in the musical environment of a college campus." Indeed, founder Raymond Shannon went on to join Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia after starting Kappa Kappa Psi.
Notable members
Neil ArmstrongNeil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
was a member of the ROTC
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
band at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
in his sophomore year and was made an honorary member of the Gamma Pi chapter shortly after his graduation; Armstrong went on to become the first man to set foot on the Moon. He took his Kappa Kappa Psi badge with him to the Moon, and it is now on permanent display at the Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music
Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music
The Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music is located on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. With a seating capacity of 6,025, it is one of the largest proscenium theaters in the world, and is about 100 seats larger than Radio City Music Hall. The facility is named after Edward...
on Purdue's campus.
42nd President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
was involved in bands as a saxophonist, including in a band conducted by current National Executive Director Alan Bonner, and was a member of the fraternity.
William Revelli
William Revelli
William D. Revelli was the director of bands, including the Michigan Marching Band, at the University of Michigan for 36 years from 1935-1971. During his 36 years as director, the Michigan Marching Band won international acclaim for its musical precision...
, director of bands at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1935 to 1971, was an honorary member of the fraternity and was elected Grand Honorary President at the 1949 national convention.
Past Grand High Alpha (National President) of Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
, Tozier Brown, was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
. Five of the ten founding fathers of Kappa Kappa Psi—William Coppedge, A. Frank Martin, Iron Hawthorne Nelson, Dick Hurst, and Clayton Soule—had been members of the Alpha-Eta chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha at Oklahoma A&M; Coppedge, Martin, and Hurst had served as charter members of the Alpha-Eta chapter of Lambda Chi.
National Presidents of Kappa Kappa Psi
- A. Frank Martin, 1919–1922
- Scott P. Squyers, 1922–1926
- Dr. J. Lee Burke, 1926–1927
- Bohumil MakovskyBohumil MakovskyBohumil Makovsky was a band director and head of the Department of Music at Oklahoma A&M College from 1915 to 1945. He is considered "the Guiding Spirit" of Kappa Kappa Psi, a national fraternity for college bandmembers...
, 1927–1929 - Oscar J. Lehrer, 1929–1932
- J. B. Vandaworker, 1932–1935
- John E. Howard, 1935–1937
- William R. Wehrend, 1937–1939
- Francis R. Todd, 1939–1941
- Dr. F. Lee Bowling, 1941–1947
- Dr. Max A. Mitchell, 1947–1949
- W. Theodore Jones, 1949–1951
- Hugh E. McMillen, 1951–1953
- Charles A. Wiley, 1953–1955
- Donald I. Moore, 1955–1957
- Ronald D. Gregory, 1957–1959
- Dr. Manley R. Whitcomb, 1959–1961
- Floren Thompson, Jr., 1961–1963
- Jack L. Lee, 1963–1965
- Dr. Jay L. Slaughter, 1965–1967
- Wayman E. Walker, 1967–1969
- James A. Jacobsen, 1969–1971
- Dr. Richard Worthington, 1971–1973
- Dr. Thomas TyraThomas TyraThomas Tyra was an American composer, arranger, bandmaster, and music educator.-Early life and education:...
, 1973–1975 - Melbern W. Nixon, 1975–1977
- Donald Stanley, 1977–1979
- Dr. Richard Rodean, 1979–1981
- Dr. David Oakley, 1981–1983
- Dr. Lemuel Berry, Jr., 1983–1985
- Dr. Frank Stubbs, 1985–1987
- Dr. Robert C. Fleming, 1987–1989
- Kenneth M. Corbett, 1989–1991
- Stanley G. Finck, 1991–1993
- Melvin N. Miles, Jr., 1993–1995
- Timothy J. Greenwell, Jr., 1995–1997
- Scott E. Stowell, 1997–1999
- Dr. Michael Golemo, 1999–2001
- Dr. Kirk Randazzo, 2001–2003
- Michael K. Osborn, 2003–2005
- Dr. Rod Chesnutt, 2005–2007
- Dr. Malinda M. Matney, 2007–2009
- Derrick A. Mills, 2009–2011
- Adam D. Cantley, 2011–Present