Kappa Kappa Psi - Alpha Chapter

Oklahoma State University

Serving the OSU Bands and Striving for the Highest Since 1919

History Snippets

Snippet #14 - "Chapters in Line of Duty for Duration", taken from the April 1943 issue of The Baton.

Steve Nelson:  "I've had several questions about the fraternity during WWII, thus the recent snippets about that time.  This one addresses what happened to chapters who could not remain active because all of their members joined the armed services.  It's taken, once again, from the April, 1943 issue of The Baton.  I've never seen any of the War Furlough documents that are referred to, and I'm not sure what the service flag was, but I'm guessing that it was a general term and did not really exist, but I may be wrong."
 

Chapters in Line of Duty for Duration

    When it became evident that some of the chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi would lose their entire membership due to the entry of their members into the armed forces, as well as the fact that some colleges and universities were giving their entire program to the training of armed forces, many suggestions were offered concerning the status of these chapters.  It was pointed out that such chapters were to be honored because of this sacrifice and effort rather than considered inactive.  As a result, the Grand Council of Kappa Kappa Psi came forth with a suggestion that such chapters be granted a War Furlough for the duration and placed on our chapter roll as a chapter on furlough, rather than as an inactive organization.

    Plans were then completed and the applications for a furlough worked out. Two or three chapters had, in the meantime, written the National headquarters for information concerning the future of their chapter, stating that they would like to close their books and leave them in a safe place until after the war, then to re-establish their chapter.

    The War Furlough grants to the chapter the privilege of sealing its records, assembling all material and chapter records and placing such in safekeeping.  The Furlough requires the signature of those members now on the campus as well as the approval of the band director or some faculty member who is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi. The petition is then presented to the president of the college for his approval, indicating that it is agreeable to the administration for the chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi to close its records and apply for a War Furlough and that the organization will be allowed to reopen its chapter at the close of the war without any additional regulations, to continue to operate in the future as it has in the past.

    These petitions are then sent to the National Headquarters where they are checked, approved, signed, and sealed by the National Executive Secretary. The original copy is then placed on file in the archives of the fraternity. The second copy is sent to the sponsoring member, and the third copy of the petiton to the president of the college so that a complete record is kept concerning the whereabouts of all of the materials belonging to the fraternity.

    The first chapter to meet these regulations was Alpha Theta Chapter of Colorado State University of Education, Greeley, Colorado.  It was through the fine cooperation and excellent help of Brother DeForest Cline, who happened to be the only member left on the campus, that this was worked out.  Alpha Theta Chapter is the first star on our service flag for Kappa Kappa Psi.

    It is hoped that each chapter will put forth every effort in the world to continue as long as possible.  On the other hand, when it becomes absolutely necessary to close the records of the chapter, it is suggested that someone in charge, either a member or an honorary member get in touch with the National Executive Secretary, A. Frank Martin, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and ask for application blanks for a War Furlough.  In this way, the chapter will be honored for its service rather than be classed as an inactive chapter.